New to the group and some help please

["Mark Walker" <davros@xxxxxxx>]

Hi
I have just joined the group. I am an Automation Analyst, that is
industrial automation..
I am now looking at home automation which is a different ball game.
So far I have been playing about with a few X10 devices. However the
whole thing looks a bit daunting, where do you start what's the best
way to go. Is it better to just puts cat5 everywhere and then decide
how you are going to send the various signals over cat5 or use cat5
for Data, Coax for video and maybe Audio, and Run separate speaker
cables around the house.

Some of the things I am looking to do are.

Whole house Audio
Whole house video
Whole house Computer Network
Automation of the house probably using X10

I currently have all my Hi FI and AV stuff in one place in the
lounge, all going through an AV amp.
DVD, Laserdisc, Digital TV Box, Digital SAT Analogue SAT 2 CD
jukeboxes, Video etc plus a SlinkE controlling the jukeboxes and
receiving IR for some home automation stuff.

Reading stuff on the Web people seem to lock all this stuff in a
cupboard out of site and next to node 0.But at what point do you
make the Split. If I move the whole lot, there would be less wiring
ie only having the output from the AV amp to worry about, however
every room can then only see or hear whatever is coming out the amp.
Do I just keep the amp in the lounge and wire each component
separately to the hub. So then you could be watching a DVD in the
lounge while the Girlfriend is listening to music somewhere else.
But then getting all the component signals to the amp is going to be
a wiring night mare. How do you lot usually split this lot.

Thanks in advance
Mark