Home Multimedia Systems

Setting Up Home Multimedia Systems
By James Hunter

Integrated home systems may include all or any of the following:-

• Video sources to various rooms using display equipment from TFT, Plasma, Projection and PC connectivity.
• Audio distribution of CD based music, digital radio, digital TV broadcasts from terrestrial and satellite broadcasters, cable and increasingly over the internet.
• Data connections for the use of home networked computers access to the internet through broadband, ISDN and satellite Security control of cameras, recording devices and access control.
• Control of lighting, heating and other domestic services (cookers, washing machines and more)

The central core of any system is not the nature of the equipment used but how that equipment is connected to a central command and control centre. The cabling systems employed will determine whether future advances in technology are going to be available to the house owner without recourse to expensive re-wiring or installation of new control systems.

The first principle is to use a central hub and send a set of cables to each of the destinations – sending to a single destination and then looping or splicing to the next one brings into play a multitude of future problems of connectivity and reliability ; a single fault at any given point will affect everything further down that chain. A central hub ensures there is one point of reference for fault location and that each distribution point is not reliant on another’s operation.

Video connectivity at a single point is often via scart, RF, DVi or similar connection. Using a central video source; be this DVD, satellite box or other video player, transmission via any of the above cables causes problems of bulk, cost and loss of signal over a long run. Video connectivity, when distributed throughout a single dwelling, is best served using high quality co-ax cable such as RG59/u runs as a composite signal. For the ultimate video connectivity, signals should be sent component (YUV) but this requires 3 cables to each point of use.