A Newbie Question - A New Network Install

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  • NWootton
    Automated Home Jr Member
    • Feb 2006
    • 12

    A Newbie Question - A New Network Install

    I'd like some advice and any thoughts you might have on the following.

    I'm interested in installing a network in a house I've recently purchased. I devlop software for a living, so I have a fair amount of servers/workstations piled up in my 'office' which I would like to remove to an unobtrusive location. I would also like the system to handle the telephones so I can put a handset wherever there is a RJ45 socket.

    If I am going to the expense of installing this network, I am contemplating installing a system that will also allow me to distribute AV content to any of the rooms in the house. Primarily this will be digital data (MP3/DivX/XViD/MSK) held on my NAS, but the ability to control/distribute raw DVD/Digital TV/Radio would also be required.

    My question is this - I know there are various 'home' systems that allow you to do all of the above (Abitana, LexCom, Nexus, IPHome etc), but they all seem to use either proprietry cabling, multiple cable types or use non standard enclosure systems. The servers are going to be stored in a standard x-U rack and I don't want to have to install a system for IT and a separate system for AV. Are there any non-corporate (i.e. won't cost me more than my house :? ) components out there that will allow me to do this using an industry standard rack? Does anyone make conversion kits that allow 'home' components to be rack mounted?

    To be honest, I also dislike the idea of being tied to a single vendor - I prefer the idea of being able to add components as and when I want them. When my Compaq server died, I replaced it with a Dell and I knew that it would fit into the rack without any hassle. I don't believe I can say the same about parts made by IPHome and Abitana.
  • vex
    Automated Home Guru
    • Feb 2005
    • 197

    #2
    Nexus, as an analogue AV distribution system over CAT5e comes with 19" rack mounting ears as standard. It also uses industry standard UTP, CAT5e.

    That way you can use standard 19" rack mount patch panels, 19" shelves for the AV equipment and the Nexus system for your analogue audio and video service. It is also shallow enough to mount a mini PBX behind it in the rack to offer traditional telephone services.

    If you are looking to do everything in the digital domain, then there are less choices at the moment, however there is an interesting product from Bliss AV that rips, stores and shares DVD and video stuff. Can live encode incoming tv channels and the receivers offer Hi Def upscaling!. They can even be tweeked to match the naitive resolution of your screen exactly for perfect deffinition! (spelling)

    For digital telephone there is Astrix which I belive is a Linux base systems for PBX type services of VoIP calls.

    Chris
    www.intouchtech.co.uk (trade)
    NOW PART OF INVISION UK, One of the leading home technology distributors to the CI Market.

    Comment

    • toscal
      Moderator
      • Oct 2005
      • 2061

      #3
      Re: A Newbie Question - A New Network Install

      Most products can be rack mounted. And I don't see why Abitana's products can't be rack mounted. And I know you can buy Din rails suitable for rack mounting as I've used them in the past. So Abitana's equipment could quite easily be fitted into a rack instead of their enclosure. The Abitana enclosure is just a DIN rail box similar to a large consumer unit, which I suspect it might be.
      I understand your concerns about getting tied down with a single manufacturer/system, but using a hybrid system from many manufacturers has its own problems and if you have a problem who fixes it, as company A will say "Ah its the interface from company B thats the problem, and not our equipment and therefore not our problem".
      A one company system be it from Lexcom, Nexus or Abitana maybe preferable as all the boxes or modules from that one company are guarenteed to work with each other in the system, you may not have such guarantees when buying modules from different companies. I have had quite a lot of experience in the past, trying to interface different boxes from different companies, into structured wiring systems. And it can be quite a headache. Something else to think about is the active modules require power and not all comapnies use the same voltage. All of Abitana's active modules require 5V and they have a PSU that will supply upto 4 modules.
      Sorry its a long post, but just wanted to give you some more things to think about before you take the plunge.
      If you need any more info then I'm sure either myself or VEX can give you some more answers and help.
      Oh VEX do you have a web address for the Bliss AV stuff?
      IF YOU CAN'T FIX IT WITH A HAMMER, YOU'VE GOT AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM.
      Renovation Spain Blog

      Comment

      • vex
        Automated Home Guru
        • Feb 2005
        • 197

        #4
        Bliss info is limited at the moment.

        Launch date is soon, they just want a few more hours of testing and benchmarking before it is released officially.

        I'll keep you posted.
        www.intouchtech.co.uk (trade)
        NOW PART OF INVISION UK, One of the leading home technology distributors to the CI Market.

        Comment

        • danward79
          Automated Home Sr Member
          • Jul 2004
          • 73

          #5
          Re: A Newbie Question - A New Network Install

          Hi,

          I use NetRemote and Girder to play all my AVI's and DVD Rip's. I store them on a server which has a 1.75Tb raid 5 array. This also houses my music which is fed to my AV amp for multi zone music.

          If you can't get a rack mount converstion kit you could always use a rack self and just place the item on it.
          Cheers

          Dan

          Comment

          • toscal
            Moderator
            • Oct 2005
            • 2061

            #6
            Re: A Newbie Question - A New Network Install

            Knew I had forgotten something. To play my media files I use a Pinnacle Showcenter (SC) 1000g, this is connected wirelessly to one of my PCs, this PC then accesses the media on my NAS device. The SC can play almost any type of media file including DVD's even from the DVD ROM drive, but you do need to use a network cable rather than the WiFi connection for this otherwise its very jerky and unwatchable. Most of my movies are converted to Divx. The SC is connected to the TV via a scart lead and to my home cinema system via a digital audio connection, it also has component video and analogue audio outputs.
            If you have a TV tuner card in your PC then the SC recognises this and it will be able to control it. Exactly what cards are compatible I don't know, but mine is a Pinnacle card so it wasn't a problem. Very easy to use.
            IF YOU CAN'T FIX IT WITH A HAMMER, YOU'VE GOT AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM.
            Renovation Spain Blog

            Comment

            • NWootton
              Automated Home Jr Member
              • Feb 2006
              • 12

              #7
              Re: A Newbie Question - A New Network Install

              Thanks for the comments folks.

              I have to admit that distribution of the digital isn't a big worry: MCE2005 box, XBox Media Centre and the ShowCentre will all handle playback of my stored content in various locations around the house. A Cat5e network will let me distribute that content to various end points. As I need to install this anyway, it's a bit of a no-brainer.

              I guess as I'm going down the route of cutting open walls and ceilings, I want to make sure that I have something in place that will give me the opportunities to distribute a TV/DVD signal from one location to another if I need to. Lets face it, I’m not going to be popular doing this the first time… there’s no chance in hell of me getting away with it a second time if I get it wrong!

              I wasn't aware that the Nexus was 19" compatible, every picture and catalogue I've seen shows the kit in some decidedly unattractive MDF looking box, so perhaps that may be an option for the this side of things. I definitely like the idea of sticking that in a rack with my own patch panels and server collection. It will certainly make the end product more acceptable to my other half!

              Who makes the Bliss AV system you describe? I've Googled for it, but haven't found any hits - granted I've been coding since 8 this morning and my brain is gradually turning to cheese

              Comment

              • vex
                Automated Home Guru
                • Feb 2005
                • 197

                #8
                Bliss stuff is not available on the Web yet, but it is coming.

                It is currently installed into four or five residential locations and the final debug and 'retailisation' is currently in process.

                The Nexus pictures you refer to is the old, 'dart board' system which is no longer available. This is the version that is rack mountable.


                Both AVNex and our retail brand Konnect2 will have these on our stands at the Smart Home Show and Home Building & Renovating at the beginning of March.
                www.intouchtech.co.uk (trade)
                NOW PART OF INVISION UK, One of the leading home technology distributors to the CI Market.

                Comment

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