home theatre system wiring - who knows their stuff?

[quazimoto]

So we are building a new house and the contractors they sent to do our wiring only ran the wiring through the wall for us. So we have a big pack of wires by our TV and then another near the wall where the cable box, ps3, etc are going.

I've never done home theatre wiring myself so I'm wondering if anybody on here has experience in this area. Mainly hooking up the lines, installing proper wall jacks, figuring out which wire runs where since well they didn't label anything.

Any help would be so appreciated!

[WildWolf]

The easiest way to figure out the wiring is to use a two piece device called a "toner" or a "fox & hound". You can get them from several electronic suppliers in Calgary. One half sends a tone down the wire that can be heard with the other half.

Otherwise, a simple way to check speaker wires is to connect an old speaker to one end, then touch each speaker wire at the other end across a "AA" battery. When you get the correct wire, the speaker will make a scratching noise.

Hope that helps out to some degree.

[03ozwhip]

i just finished doing this myself in the house i sold. basically i tested everything with a speaker, it works better as you actually get sound instead of crackle IMO. it takes a little while to check all the connections, but its very easy to do.

how many spots are there where the wiring is coming out of the wall?

[WildWolf]

^^ That works. The only reason I mentioned the AA battery idea is that I used my amplifier to check some wires several years ago and one of them was shorted out inside the wall. As soon as I connected my amp, I blew the output circuit.

There were many interesting and colorful words used at that point.

[quazimoto]

Well in this case there are no speakers right now. Our TV is mounted above the fire place on the wall and we routed all the lines for it so they'd be away from the TV.

So we have 1 set of composite lines, 1 set cable line, 1 set A/V, 1 HDMI.

The hdmi is obvious since it's massive. Are there any good locall stores that carry a good variety of A/V wall jacks and connectors???

[djayz]

Should be fairly simple if all you have is the composite, cable, and a/v lines as they are all color coded (or should be) and come in pairs, triples, or single.

As for a/v wall jacks and plates check monoprice out (online store). Cheap quality stuff which you would end up paying quite a bit for locally.

[UndrgroundRider]

Originally posted by quazimoto
Well in this case there are no speakers right now. Our TV is mounted above the fire place on the wall and we routed all the lines for it so they'd be away from the TV.

So we have 1 set of composite lines, 1 set cable line, 1 set A/V, 1 HDMI.

The hdmi is obvious since it's massive. Are there any good locall stores that carry a good variety of A/V wall jacks and connectors???

Home Depot.

For better parts and better price, check out Noramco on 12ST just off of 32nd ave.

[jljhlhl]

www.monoprice.com should carry and A/V accessories you need for really cheap if you can wait ~ a week for it to ship.

[quazimoto]

Home depot carries nothing really. The wires also aren't color coded. All are 100% black just the normal A/V lines that were run. I'm less than thrilled with this contractor to say the least.

[mobius]

If you're looking to order from within Canada (Monoprice is US based) try www.infinitecables.com

[Graham_A_M]

Get the parts at www.partsexpress.com

For the install Theory, PM me, I'd be happy to help with the design & install.

[quazimoto]

I think the bigger problem I'm having is the guy used the rapidrun HDMI wiring similar to:

http://www.parts-express.com/pe/showdetl.cfm?Partnumber=183-744

I'm having a bitch figuring out how to do fittings to make the HDMI work.

[ercchry]

^^ what issues are you having if he used rapid run? just plug in the hdmi ends :dunno:


Originally posted by WildWolf
^^ That works. The only reason I mentioned the AA battery idea is that I used my amplifier to check some wires several years ago and one of them was shorted out inside the wall. As soon as I connected my amp, I blew the output circuit.

There were many interesting and colorful words used at that point.

or... twist the wire on the one end together then use a ohm meter on the other ends till you get a short :dunno:

[quazimoto]

Honestly the other wires all look like coxial cable or something. One big copper wire surrounded by a sheath essentially. I was able to find a rapidrun hdmi adapter but they dont have direct fittings though so it had to be a wall plate. I was hoping to avoid the wall plate.

Just a pain in the ass but on the positive side we never paid for all the wiring they installed.

[ercchry]

did you get one of the "active" plate? i'm not too sure on how good this rapid run system is... but with hdmi you should be amplifying the signal after about 16ft, some times depending on quality of the cable even less (it looks like that is the idea behind the "active" plates)

[quazimoto]

Pretty sure its a passive line. It's not that long I don't think. I would estimate 10 ft or so. I was thinking of getting one of those pass through wall plates and just connecting the wires as is. I found a place online that sells RCA connectors that use a compression fitting that would work well.

I'm just having issues finding a wall plate that has....

HDMI
coax cable
Component

That's all I'm really needing since I want to have the PS3 and HDPVR mounted elsewhere so the TV is obviously by itself.

http://www.khphotography.ca/a.jpg


You can see the big hole in the fire place mount and then the spot on the right hand side of the fire place. I think a pass through system might be best which is well mleh lol.

[ercchry]

i helped my parent's friends with a similar setup, what i ended up doing was just running a single hdmi cable to the tv (just a normal already terminated hdmi) then in the equipment "rack" (more so a cabinet with shelves haha) they had their cable box, xbox, dvd, etc that ran into the home theatre receiver which had a built in hdmi switcher.

so yeah thats what i would do, and to run the hdmi just tape it up nice and good to the cables already ran... and just use them as a pull string to get it in place

[UndrgroundRider]

Originally posted by quazimoto
Pretty sure its a passive line. It's not that long I don't think. I would estimate 10 ft or so. I was thinking of getting one of those pass through wall plates and just connecting the wires as is. I found a place online that sells RCA connectors that use a compression fitting that would work well.

I'm just having issues finding a wall plate that has....

HDMI
coax cable
Component

That's all I'm really needing since I want to have the PS3 and HDPVR mounted elsewhere so the TV is obviously by itself.


Fail.

If you can't read your own thread, then I don't know how to help you. There are 4 suggested sources for getting the parts you listed. What else do you need? I'm confused about you being confused.

[quazimoto]

You're a moron and don't read. I can't find the applicable wall plate so go troll somebody elses thread. I only have enough space for a dual wall plate and finding a readily available wall plate that has component, cable and hdmi is not easily done.

[UndrgroundRider]

Originally posted by quazimoto
You're a moron and don't read. I can't find the applicable wall plate so go troll somebody elses thread. I only have enough space for a dual wall plate and finding a readily available wall plate that has component, cable and hdmi is not easily done.

:rofl: :rofl: What do you think those stores carry? Only the ends and not the wallplates? :facepalm: I only do this for a living, but whatever, I'm a moron.

Good luck and good day.

[quazimoto]

Yes, yes you are a moron. The stores posted by people don't carry what I would need in the proper configuration. I find it hard to see why you can't see that. Simply because they don't have anything with a dual wall outlet that has it all. It's really simplistic actually.

[ercchry]

look at extron's aap plates, come in 1-4 gang boxes and you can buy a aap for pretty much any connection... BUUTTT like i said, run one hdmi and forget the rest of that shit (hdmi runs audio over it too so you would be set, if your equipment does not have an hdmi output... upgrade)

[WildWolf]

Originally posted by quazimoto
Yes, yes you are a moron. The stores posted by people don't carry what I would need in the proper configuration. I find it hard to see why you can't see that. Simply because they don't have anything with a dual wall outlet that has it all. It's really simplistic actually.

What exactly do you need on the wall plate? HDMI, Coax, Composite, Speakers, Power, Etc... And it needs to be a double cover, correct? Also, do you care about color, or would stainless be acceptable.

I ask because I may know a supplier who has quite a collection of theater plates. I have used them in the past, however I often modify the plate if a special configuration is required.

[bituerbo]

Originally posted by quazimoto
Yes, yes you are a moron. The stores posted by people don't carry what I would need in the proper configuration. I find it hard to see why you can't see that. Simply because they don't have anything with a dual wall outlet that has it all. It's really simplistic actually.

Are you sure what you are looking for even exists? I PM'd you about the 2-port HDMI + 5-rca component wall plates I had left over from my install, but they are going back to Monoprice now.

[UndrgroundRider]

Originally posted by quazimoto
Yes, yes you are a moron. The stores posted by people don't carry what I would need in the proper configuration. I find it hard to see why you can't see that. Simply because they don't have anything with a dual wall outlet that has it all. It's really simplistic actually.

Saying it over and over again doesn't make it true. Such fail. I shouldn't even post these links for you, but I have a character flaw that makes me always right with the innate need to prove it.

double gang decora wallplate: http://www.homedepot.ca/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/CatalogSearchResultView?D=903899&Ntt=903899&catalogId=10051&langId=-15&storeId=10051&Dx=mode+matchallpartial&Ntx=mode+matchall&recN=112089&N=0&Ntk=P_PartNumber

4-port decora insert plate: http://www.homedepot.ca/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/CatalogSearchResultView?D=902948&Ntt=902948&catalogId=10051&langId=-15&storeId=10051&Dx=mode+matchallpartial&Ntx=mode+matchall&recN=112089&N=0&Ntk=P_PartNumber


RCA keystone: http://www.homedepot.ca/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/CatalogSearchResultView?D=902926&Ntt=902926&catalogId=10051&langId=-15&storeId=10051&Dx=mode+matchallpartial&Ntx=mode+matchall&recN=112062&N=0&Ntk=P_PartNumber

F-Type (coax) keystone: http://www.homedepot.ca/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/CatalogSearchResultView?D=931719&Ntt=931719&catalogId=10051&langId=-15&storeId=10051&Dx=mode+matchallpartial&Ntx=mode+matchall&recN=0&N=0&Ntk=P_PartNumber

HDMI keystone: Noramco PN #: 47SJHDMI http://www.noramco.ca/EngNoramco/products/search.php?by=d&q=hdmi&submit=Go

Blank port covers: http://www.homedepot.ca/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/CatalogSearchResultView?D=902942&Ntt=902942&catalogId=10051&langId=-15&storeId=10051&Dx=mode+matchallpartial&Ntx=mode+matchall&recN=0&N=0&Ntk=P_PartNumber

[quazimoto]

I did find one company that sells custom plates but they are so over priced and take 3-4 weeks. I'm probably just going to run a pass through plate since it seems like one of the easiest ways to do things. I bought some compression RCA fittings so i'm crossing my fingers that it will all work well.

[WildWolf]

UndergroundRider has the right idea. With keystone jacks and plates, you can make almost any configuration you can imagine.

The other supplier I was thinking of is B&E Electronics.
http://www.yellowpages.ca/bus/Alberta/Calgary/B-E-Electronics-Ltd/1825373.html?adid=14124098ab&what=Industrial+Electronics&where=Calgary%2C+AB&le=70278ffd6c

Hope it helps.

[quazimoto]

Most places I contacted more so told me the rapid run hdmi plates are special order as it was. I did find a local place that can make me a custom plate for exactly what I need in it which is nice. It's very wierd but somehow the fittings and wall plates almost seem more expensive than the wiring.