Browse Forums Home Theatre & Automation 1 Aug 25, 2012 12:56 am 1. I've budgeted to have x4 data points located in the HT - I have asked the builder to provide x4 32mm conduits for the data points near my GPOs (where the tv/media gear will be). Is this correct that I need one conduit for each data point - or how many cat6 cables can fit in one conduit. Is 32mm overkill?
2. I've then added x2 20mm conduit on the back wall for rear speakers - is it better to have conduits on side walls for surrounds or stands? Still researching whether to have 5/6/7 speakers. 3. Another question is I intend to place modem/switch in garage. Do I need to add conduit in the garage for this or does the cabler just pull all the cables through ceiling? I don't think the garage is cavity double brick. 4. I placed phone point in study - does this mean I should move the phone point to the garage instead? I want to bring my own cabler after the build so there is no rack or box in the garage. 5. I'm told you can run wire down external dbl brick walls - does this mean I can add data points later? 6. Why do ppl have 2 tv points? EDIT - in the same room/location? Sorry for all the questions but I'm still lost on this topic, have read wikis - not even sure why I need 4 data points but want to prep house now, want to ensure I have internet and have central media hub. Appreciate all the help so far. EDIT - haven't signed off on plans so want to get final feedback. Conduits for data points and putting a rack in the garage? 3Aug 25, 2012 7:01 am Hi You can easily fit 4 Cat 6 cables in a conduit - they are only about 5mm in diameter. As for the phone point, you should ask the builder to ask the Telstra contractor to install an NTD - this is a beige box that goes on the outside of your house and is the network boundary point. You will need to run 2 Cat6 cables from the NTD location (normally near the fuse box) to where your data cables will be terminated (the garage). The benefit of a smart/data cabled house is that any socket can be a phone socket, simply by 'patching' in the garage. You would then change the phone point in the study to be a data point (assuming you haven't already allowed for a couple there - you don't say where you are putting data aside from the TV) In your garage it is probably easier to use some square trunking down the wall from the ceiling space. This will have enough room for the cables and makes it easy to run new cables in the future. It should be possible to run new cables down the exterior cavity in the future, although this is a easier with a tile roof than a colorbond roof. Paul Re: Conduits for data points and putting a rack in the garag 4Aug 25, 2012 12:28 pm paulw11 Hi You can easily fit 4 Cat 6 cables in a conduit - they are only about 5mm in diameter. As for the phone point, you should ask the builder to ask the Telstra contractor to install an NTD - this is a beige box that goes on the outside of your house and is the network boundary point. You will need to run 2 Cat6 cables from the NTD location (normally near the fuse box) to where your data cables will be terminated (the garage). The benefit of a smart/data cabled house is that any socket can be a phone socket, simply by 'patching' in the garage. You would then change the phone point in the study to be a data point (assuming you haven't already allowed for a couple there - you don't say where you are putting data aside from the TV) In your garage it is probably easier to use some square trunking down the wall from the ceiling space. This will have enough room for the cables and makes it easy to run new cables in the future. It should be possible to run new cables down the exterior cavity in the future, although this is a easier with a tile roof than a colorbond roof. Paul Thanks for info, no one has ever mentioned this NTD before. Is an NTD something the builder can get the contractor to do without too much hassle and cost? You say I then run 2 cat6 cables from NTD box to garage - what would I instruct the builder to do, they're not always helpful as they want to sell their overpriced smart wiring packages. Conduits for data points and putting a rack in the garage? 5Aug 26, 2012 8:04 am Hi Your builder should contact Telstra (or their contractor for your area - companies like Silcar or Visionstream) on your behalf and request the lead-in. When requesting the lead in they can also request an NTD - it is no extra cost to you. There is more information on the NTD here - http://www.telstra.com.au/smart-community/download/document/network-termination-device-0609.pdf and here http://www.telstra.com.au/smart-community/download/document/ntd-cable-entry-facilities-0609.pdf In my case the builder already knew the name and number of the local contractor (we are in a rural area, so I think there is only one guy) and I asked the builder to pass on the request for an NTD and there was no problem. Paul Conduits for data points and putting a rack in the garage? 6Aug 26, 2012 8:19 am mazstar1980 they're not always helpful as they want to sell their overpriced smart wiring packages. If they sell smart wiring packages then they should be aware of NTDs because an NTD is required where smart wiring is used. Paul Re: Conduits for data points and putting a rack in the garag 7Aug 26, 2012 11:36 am paulw11 mazstar1980 they're not always helpful as they want to sell their overpriced smart wiring packages. If they sell smart wiring packages then they should be aware of NTDs because an NTD is required where smart wiring is used. Paul The pre-start person wasn't that cluey on what I was talking about. They do sell smart wiring but it's grossly overpriced - my intention would be to have the builder set the house up as much as possible for smart wiring and then my own cabler come in after to do wiring and rack etc. Is there a link or resource to see how other people have planned their smart wiring? Trying to get precise info on what to tell my builder. ALso confused about how many conduits one would need to have multiple cat6 cables, whether you need one conduit or definitely can fit more, getting conflicting info. Re: Conduits for data points and putting a rack in the garag 8Aug 26, 2012 12:51 pm we got 4 data cables in one conduit. depends on the size of the conduit I would have to look but I know our data guy suggested a minimum size for the conduit which happened to be the maximum conduit size our builder would do. ( actually we squeezed 5 in one but it was very very tight) .. edited found the info in another thread: All the data guys i spoke to told me to ask for min size conduit of 25mm. It was pretty tight but the cabler managed to get about 5 lengths of cat 5E cable down the conduit. I doubt he'd have been able to without the drawn wire we requested inside each conduit. Luckily our end point was in the office where out initial phone point was and that had conduit as well so the cabler also used that conduit for additional cables. 10 all up.'' data points: We put 2 in the main bedroom near the bed (one is used as a mains phone/voip point but should have added another next to the tv antenna point which is in conduit or put it in the tv antenna conduit)and two in the lounge room. We also put two in the kids playroom( again I wish we'd put one down in with the tv antenna conduit as well) Our family/games room area has 4 points (as certain parts of the room don't receive a decent wireless signal I have wished for a 5th at least 10 times in the past couple of years but I should just pull our an old switching hub we have packed away somewhere) We have most of our computers set up in here rather than the office which is where everything leads back to. Conduits for data points and putting a rack in the garage? 9Aug 26, 2012 1:33 pm mazstar1980 paulw11 The pre-start person wasn't that cluey on what I was talking about. They do sell smart wiring but it's grossly overpriced - my intention would be to have the builder set the house up as much as possible for smart wiring and then my own cabler come in after to do wiring and rack etc. The pre-start person won't know, but talk to your site supervisor later - I would assume that he will be the one liaising with the Telstra subcontractor. Paul Re: Conduits for data points and putting a rack in the garag 10Aug 26, 2012 2:25 pm kexkez we got 4 data cables in one conduit. depends on the size of the conduit I would have to look but I know our data guy suggested a minimum size for the conduit which happened to be the maximum conduit size our builder would do. ( actually we squeezed 5 in one but it was very very tight) .. edited found the info in another thread: All the data guys i spoke to told me to ask for min size conduit of 25mm. It was pretty tight but the cabler managed to get about 5 lengths of cat 5E cable down the conduit. I doubt he'd have been able to without the drawn wire we requested inside each conduit. Luckily our end point was in the office where out initial phone point was and that had conduit as well so the cabler also used that conduit for additional cables. 10 all up.'' data points: We put 2 in the main bedroom near the bed (one is used as a mains phone/voip point but should have added another next to the tv antenna point which is in conduit or put it in the tv antenna conduit)and two in the lounge room. We also put two in the kids playroom( again I wish we'd put one down in with the tv antenna conduit as well) Our family/games room area has 4 points (as certain parts of the room don't receive a decent wireless signal I have wished for a 5th at least 10 times in the past couple of years but I should just pull our an old switching hub we have packed away somewhere) We have most of our computers set up in here rather than the office which is where everything leads back to. Thanks heaps, this is the type of info I was chasing. I wish I could sort this out at building stage but I want to be informed as possible and not spend unnecessarily. Re: Conduits for data points and putting a rack in the garag 11Aug 26, 2012 3:26 pm To be honest I wouldn't expect to get more than 4 in 25mm conduit. If you can get slightly bigger conduit all the better. All our conduits are in single brick internal walls except one. It was so tight I was expecting the cable to get damaged. I know cat6 is more sensitive to bends/kinks etc. We have a 16 point switch in the office which 9 of the 10 points feed into. When I was looking to buy data switches the 16 point was cheaper than a smaller one. 2 of the points are used for phones. One as an extension link ( to bedroom) and one goes directly into the modem/router/(with wireless and voip). We also have a wired networked printer/scanner/fax( yes it's also wireless as well) and another computer feeding into the switch which are in the office. IN the lounge room we have a wdtv live box that connects to the network on one of the data points and transfers stuff from the computers to the tv there. Like I said, I wish we'd put the same in the bedroom and kids playroom so we could do the same there. Re: Conduits for data points and putting a rack in the garag 12Aug 27, 2012 10:16 am My comments below; 1. I've budgeted to have x4 data points located in the HT - I have asked the builder to provide x4 32mm conduits for the data points near my GPOs (where the tv/media gear will be). Is this correct that I need one conduit for each data point - or how many cat6 cables can fit in one conduit. Is 32mm overkill? IMO 32mm will fit all 4 without any dramas. Dont forget the dragline! 2. I've then added x2 20mm conduit on the back wall for rear speakers - is it better to have conduits on side walls for surrounds or stands? Still researching whether to have 5/6/7 speakers. You need to firstly make up your mind which way you want to go. Word of warning, if you go for 5, you will want 7 later... 3. Another question is I intend to place modem/switch in garage. Do I need to add conduit in the garage for this or does the cabler just pull all the cables through ceiling? I don't think the garage is cavity double brick. This answer related to this Q and the below - wherever you want your modem (assume ADSL), this is where you want the rack. This is because you will plug your modem into your switch which has all your other devices (servers, PC, security, Printer, etc) terminated to it (maybe not physically in the rack but the cabling will need to terminate to it). I would suggest having it somewhere in the house but that is only IMO 4. I placed phone point in study - does this mean I should move the phone point to the garage instead? I want to bring my own cabler after the build so there is no rack or box in the garage. 5. I'm told you can run wire down external dbl brick walls - does this mean I can add data points later? When you say external, I would assume you don't mean external to the house on the wall that is facing your neighbour. Why would you not run in cavity 6. Why do ppl have 2 tv points? EDIT - in the same room/location? Free to Air and PayTV Re: Conduits for data points and putting a rack in the garag 13Aug 28, 2012 12:56 pm Thanks for advice so far, very helpful. Just realised external wall cavities are insulated - does this mean I will need to put conduit there at build rather than do it later. I was told usually with external dbl brick cavity walls you can add points after but if the cavity is insulated that might be an issue? If you're referring to Eufy homebase, then just put a switch between a datapoint and put the homebase elsewhere near another device in your home unless you want teh… 9 13845 Scientists have used random matrix theory to demonstrate theoretically that the neutrino mass hierarchy can be explained mathematically. When a substance is fragmented… 21 20650 DIY, Home Maintenance & Repair Are you doing this with a building permit? Conversion of a non habitable room into a habitable room requires building permit. 3 17318 |