Install Question: How many coax to run?

[RJHAWK]

My wife and I are moving into a new house in a couple of months and I am able to pre-wire the basement level before construction is complete. We are current Echostar customers but my contract will be up by the time we move and I'm going to switch to D*.

I want:
- 1 HD DVR upstairs (this should be an easy install to the TV nook from the outside wall.
- 1 HD DVR and 2 Regular HD Receivers downstairs all in a central component rack location.

I can easily run coax from my component rack location across a rafter, out the baseboard and straight to the deck pillar where the satellite will be mounted. The question is how many coax do I need to run for 1 HD DVR and 2 HD receivers downstairs? Is it 2 for the DVR and 1 each for the regular HD receivers?

Also, would I drill a separate hole for each cable out the baseboard. I want to make it as clean looking and as efficient as possible for the installer.

Thanks in advance for everyone's help!

 

[psumattDE]

Based on what you have written, I'd say 6 coax lines (2 for each DVR, 2 for the HD receivers)

 

[raoul5788]

Based on what you have written, I'd say 6 coax lines (2 for each DVR, 2 for the HD receivers)

Don't forget one line for each ota tuner, if you are going to use one.

 

[iwc5893]

I would also recommend that you run CAT 5 and phone lines to each location for future expansion/capabilities.

 

[RJHAWK]

Thanks for the replies. So it sounds like for my lower level I should run 7 coax (2 for the HD DVR, 1 for the first HD Receiver, 1 for the second HD Receiver, and 3 more for OTA for each receiver). Damn! That's a lot of coax! I'll run it all through conduit for future modifications.

The CAT 5 and phone line is a smart idea. Just one run of each?

And, again, how do I leave these cables where they come out of the house? It would take a pretty good sized hole for all of them to run through.

 

[iwc5893]

Thanks for the replies. So it sounds like for my lower level I should run 7 coax (2 for the HD DVR, 1 for the first HD Receiver, 1 for the second HD Receiver, and 3 more for OTA for each receiver). Damn! That's a lot of coax! I'll run it all through conduit for future modifications.

The CAT 5 and phone line is a smart idea. Just one run of each?

And, again, how do I leave these cables where they come out of the house? It would take a pretty good sized hole for all of them to run through.

You can run them to a media closet and then run 4-6 coax cables (use RG-6 at a minimum) to an outside point where the dish will be mounted. This will allow you to put in a 6x8 multiswitch in the media closet (or a ground block for just 4 connections). The 4-6 cables going outside would be broken down as follows: 4 for the dish, one for the second dish (required for locals in some areas) and one for the international dish if you should ever decide to add international programming.

This setup will allow for maximum expansion in the future, especially if you run dual coax to each outlet where you might ever want to have a TV/receiver. Save yourself some headache, though, and label each cable when you run it.

 

[directmommy]

labeling the cable will save the entire plan , run a phone jack to each reciever location as well, and ethernet cables for the hd hdvrs , so you can get the on demand function ,
you of course realize what your viewing habits are , but make sure you have adequate ventiallation , i believe you mentioned a cubby install to the upstairs , not a problem , you have some plan for running hdmi out to the tvs where youre installing the 3 other units correct?

 

[RJHAWK]

All of the phone/internet/tv cables that are already ran throughout the house are all centralized in the same storage space downstairs where my component rack will be. So for phone and ethernet all I will need to do is run from the central location and around the corner to where the 3 receivers will be, correct?

I am running HDMI to 3 future plasma locations and one projector all downstairs from the component rack location. Don't have HDMI ran upstairs but will probably only have the one HD TV in the cubby above the fireplace.

So I think I should be good just running 6 RG6 cables from where my component rack will be out to the dish location and I'll let the installer worry about the run to the upstairs cubby.

Any good methods for labeling?

iwc, you wouldn't happen to be from Mt. Pleasant, IA would you?

 

[iwc5893]

All of the phone/internet/tv cables that are already ran throughout the house are all centralized in the same storage space downstairs where my component rack will be. So for phone and ethernet all I will need to do is run from the central location and around the corner to where the 3 receivers will be, correct?

I am running HDMI to 3 future plasma locations and one projector all downstairs from the component rack location. Don't have HDMI ran upstairs but will probably only have the one HD TV in the cubby above the fireplace.

So I think I should be good just running 6 RG6 cables from where my component rack will be out to the dish location and I'll let the installer worry about the run to the upstairs cubby.

Any good methods for labeling?

iwc, you wouldn't happen to be from Mt. Pleasant, IA would you?

I grew up in Sioux City, but currently live in WA state.

 

[Jimbo]

All of the phone/internet/tv cables that are already ran throughout the house are all centralized in the same storage space downstairs where my component rack will be. So for phone and ethernet all I will need to do is run from the central location and around the corner to where the 3 receivers will be, correct?

I am running HDMI to 3 future plasma locations and one projector all downstairs from the component rack location. Don't have HDMI ran upstairs but will probably only have the one HD TV in the cubby above the fireplace.

So I think I should be good just running 6 RG6 cables from where my component rack will be out to the dish location and I'll let the installer worry about the run to the upstairs cubby.

Any good methods for labeling?

iwc, you wouldn't happen to be from Mt. Pleasant, IA would you?

IF you plan on EVER using that fireplace you mentioned, I STRONGLY suggest to NOT place the TV above it, any kind of TV.
The heat from the fireplace will cause the electronics to go bad before thier time.

Jimbo