Ideas/Examples

[Georgie73]

My consumer unit is in the kitchen.

The underneath of my stairs will be open. I am also having two smoke alarms hardwired - one upstairs above the stairs and one in the kitchen diner.

 

[PBC_1966]

A little late joining in here, but I really can't emphasize enough the suggestion to forget about running everything on wireless and to install Ethernet cabling to points wherever you think you might need them while the rest of the rewiring is being carried out. It will be far easier and neater (not to mention cheaper) to do it now than to come back in a couple of years after you've decorated the whole house and try to do it. You'll end up with a far more reliable, and secure, network if you abandon the wireless networking altogether.

 

[Georgie73]

So, I guess you buy the little switches, say one for a tv aerial, maybe two for Ethernet (one for pc, one for xbox) and then you buy the right size to accommodate whatever you are putting in?

The plates come in various sizes, normally they hold 2 or 4 modules. If you want 3 then buy a 4-gang plate, 3 modules and a blank

Simples!

OK - would that be 3 modules and a blank in case I want to add something later?

Also, in my son's bedroom, assuming he has a tv in his room as well, do the plates also hold modules for the tv aerial socket?

 

[Georgie73]

A little late joining in here, but I really can't emphasize enough the suggestion to forget about running everything on wireless and to install Ethernet cabling to points wherever you think you might need them while the rest of the rewiring is being carried out. It will be far easier and neater (not to mention cheaper) to do it now than to come back in a couple of years after you've decorated the whole house and try to do it. You'll end up with a far more reliable, and secure, network if you abandon the wireless networking altogether.

Thanks. Yes, I agree. I didn't even realise this was possible but it makes so much sense.

 

[Georgie73]

What other wiring can I get rid of?

Currently - we have computers in two rooms. 2 laptops. TV in Living room and bedrooms. Sometimes I hook the laptop up to the TV with an HDMI cable to watch a film or catch up on soaps. I have one smart TV (not that I've properly managed to work out what is smart about it lol) and two regular flat screen tvs.
We have Sonos speakers in Kitchen, Living Room, Dining room and 2 bedrooms. There is a bridge connected into the router and tons of cable which is messy.

 

[Iggifer]

Well you can bury HDMI leads in the walls, and have one end come out behind your tv cabinet and (assuming the tv is wall mounted) the other end comes out behind the tv.

I would wire an ethernet point to where each sonos lives as well, I know they're wifi, but much better to have them hardwired. Have a socket put directly behind the Sonos too, that way you can have the cables all cable tied up nice and tidy, and just use a short patch lead to connect to the wall plate.

Think about getting a chromecast (or similar) to send video from your laptop to the TV, so you don't need to hook it up with an HDMI cable.

 

[Georgie73]

Well you can bury HDMI leads in the walls, and have one end come out behind your tv cabinet and (assuming the tv is wall mounted) the other end comes out behind the tv.

I would wire an ethernet point to where each sonos lives as well, I know they're wifi, but much better to have them hardwired. Have a socket put directly behind the Sonos too, that way you can have the cables all cable tied up nice and tidy, and just use a short patch lead to connect to the wall plate.

Think about getting a chromecast (or similar) to send video from your laptop to the TV, so you don't need to hook it up with an HDMI cable.

OK - HDMI Cable: Yes, the TV is going on the wall, so if the HDMI cable is buried into the wall - is it OK to leave it permanently in the back of the TV, or do I connect it only when I want to use it? What else will the HDMI cable connect up to - at the moment I only ever use it for the laptop?

I will look into Chromecast.

 

[Iggifer]

Yea perfectly fine to always leave it in the back of the TV. If you only use it for the laptop currently, just leave other end coiled up on the floor for the time being. I would fit at least two HDMI leads, just leave the end caps on the other ones (make sure the spark tapes them on, if you get plaster in the end of the HDMI lead, you're done for).

You can just have them coming in and out of a couple of these

You'll soon find you buy devices that need an HDMI lead, blu-ray, sky HD, etc etc so it's best to future proof now whilst you can

 

[Georgie73]

OK, thank you. That makes sense - I didn't think of the blueray and sky/virgin box.

At the moment, it looks like our TV will go on the chimney breast. So I guess if I pop a cabinet in the alcove, to house any digibox etc, I'd have one of those plates with bristles in it behind the cabinet and chase the cable up the wall and across into the chimney breast behind the tv?

 

[Georgie73]

I think I'm getting the picture now.

Grateful if someone can view this link (I couldn't work out how to get a picture to upload). With these cables hanging out a bit, does it mean that some 'extra' cable can be left lose under the floorboards, and if a greater length of cable is needed, it can be extended out?

http://www.diy.com/departments/philex-1-gang-white-faceplate/33583_BQ.prd

 

[Iggifer]

Well you don't take the HDMI under the floor. You have two of those faceplates, one high up, one say 450mm off the floor. The cable then just passes between the two. They're generally fixed in place in the wall, so you would leave enough slack at the top to reach the TV and then the remaining slack coiled up on the floor.

You can fit one of these at floor level and then just plug HDMI leads into it, leaving the top arrangement the same, but they have to be DEEP boxes to fit them in.

 

[Taylortwocities]

Anything is possible. The AV world is quite complex, and fast changing. Suggest you spend some time and think very carefully about what you need to connect up, both now and in the future. Planning now is much easier than adding stuff you have forgotten later on after the plaster and paint has dried.
Although us electricians can give you some overall general advice, you could ask more complex questions on the DIY.NOT AV forum. They have their noses closer to the AV road.

 

[Georgie73]

Anything is possible. The AV world is quite complex, and fast changing. Suggest you spend some time and think very carefully about what you need to connect up, both now and in the future. Planning now is much easier than adding stuff you have forgotten later on after the plaster and paint has dried.
Although us electricians can give you some overall general advice, you could ask more complex questions on the DIY.NOT AV forum. They have their noses closer to the AV road.

Thank you. Really appreciated.