Help, want to centrally locate all tv receivers for each room in one cabinet/closet (1 Viewer)

[kishan1192]

Hello, I'm a completely clueless and new at this. I need help on what I would need to get to centrally locate all my TV receivers for all the rooms in one cabinet/closet while being able to use my TV remotes to control the TV so I wouldn't need an IR extender for the remotes that came with the receivers to control the TVs. I have ran all the wires from to each room to one location (4 CAT6e and 3 TV cables per room). I just need the help on what I would need and how to set it up. Thanks!

 

[schan1269]

If you had Directv DVR* you don't need anything, except switch the DVRs to "RF mode". Which takes about 10 seconds per DVR.

IF you don't have Directv DVR, then call...

Cables To Go
Xantech(these guys are the best at this. Xantech is the most commercial used IR there is. Places like Cowboy's Stadium, US Cellular Field, Metlife Stadium, Banker's Life Fieldhouse all use Xantech)
Logitech

Tell them the models of each of your boxes. You could tell us, so we can look for you, for you to call them...and them to re-check what we told you. But, it would be faster to just call them.

Also, if your house isn't too big and your boxes are "identifiable"(by 1/2/3/4 or a/b/c/d...or whatever, which we have no clue. Are you on DTV? Dish? Comcast? Time Warner?) you could use these...
http://www.amazon.com/Next-Generation-Remote-Control-Extender/dp/B000C1Z0HA/ref=sr_1_2?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1365870697&sr=1-2&keywords=rf+extenders

*Some models of the DTV HD-non DVR are also RF, but not all of them.

 

[kishan1192]

We're building a new house and its about 3600 sq ft. And we are most likely going to go with Dish. And like you said I will give Xantech a call or as soon as I find out the model numbers I shall let you know. It'll most likely be 1 dual receiver DVR and 2 single tv receivers from Dish. Cause we have 3 total bedrooms and 1 media/game/bar room.

 

[schan1269]

The reason you "call them" is because the IR blaster is different for each item. Plasma TV typically don't use the same blaster as LCD. Comcast boxes don't use the same blaster as Directv...and so on.

Since you are already running coax(which is what I assume you mean by "TV cable") to each room(why in "triplicate" I have no idea), Xantech makes the most sense.

There are CAT IR extenders, but I have never used them as I always revert to Xantech since it always works.

 

[schan1269]

By the way, since you are having the house built(have no idea what "arrangement" you have...buying a pre-plan home or a "one off"), you "should" in my opinion, have the home builder contact Xantech. That way they(I presume they are...) are on the hook for ordering the correct stuff. Gives you one less headache and one less "person to call" when an issue arises.

I would "assume" the home builder has a person for this?

Besides, since you are at the "building it stage"...there are tons of cool things out there...

ADT has total home automation and Apple/Droid apps where you can turn lights on and off, do your HVAC and all the "other stuff"...including security...from your phone. You can even have "electronic locks" put in your outside doors(or inner if you wish) where instead of keys...you use codes. That way if the furnace fritzes and the "fix it guy" is coming, you can give him a "one day use code" that works the front door for the day...and grants him access to the necessary parts of the house.

By the way, the "new end" of my house is set up with internet ADT. When the washer/dryer was delivered, I wasn't home. There was a note to call me. They did, I unlocked the front door, they went in...had them send a picture of the washer and dryer afterwards. When they left...re-locked the front door.

 

[kishan1192]

Yes it is a coax cable. And we are self contractors so we are personally building it and the bad news is all the walls are closed already and only have like 2 weeks lefts to move in. I'm pretty much just looking into putting all the receivers in one central location and sending wires and everything from there to all the rooms. I just need a way to control the remotes from the room to the receiver really. All of our TVs will be LCD/LED.

 

[schan1269]

Xantech and Vanco will make this the easiest. Vanco makes HDMI cat extenders over a single CAT(I'm sure other companies have them as well, by now, but Vanco did it first)...

http://www.amazon.com/Vanco-280532-Category-Cable-Extender/dp/B002AQA41C/ref=sr_1_4?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1365880808&sr=1-4&keywords=vanco+hdmi+extender

 

[kishan1192]

Any ballpark idea on what kind of equipment I would need from them? Lets say what I would need in my equipment cabinet to the room.

 

[schan1269]

I would start here...

http://www.amazon.com/Xantech-17294-Remote-Control-Signal/dp/B000819IX6/ref=sr_1_2?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1365887512&sr=1-2&keywords=xantech+coax+extender

You may get away with just those.

 

[schan1269]

By the way, Dish has the Hopper. I would guess, if you are getting that, you would never need a HDMI matrix(which that would add a whole 'nother spin to the IR control you need).

Directv just released "wireless Genie"...which I have yet to research at all. I am on DTV though and just finished another house addition* and will need 3 more DTV receivers. I will probably step up to it, cause I want to keep the Whole-Home, but the new addition to the house is farther than the "traditional Whole-Home" coax runs can go(there is only so many feet the power inverter is able to cover). I was told last year the home addition would more than likely require another dish with its own completely separate coax(thereby meaning the house would have two separate installations).

Wireless Genie might resolve that problem.

*The original house is 1910, two story farm house. In the 60s there was a garage and breezeway attached that included increasing the size of the kitchen and adding a laundry room. In 2004(bought the house in 2007) a 2nd garage was built with a great room directly above, where both are the same size. The original garage(one car) went half to the laundry room, the other half to a closet/pantry for the kitchen. This addition was a totally new kitchen(prior kitchen is now a tea/coffee room) with a master bedroom and a guest room. The original bedrooms upstairs were all "circa 1910".