Panel - Wall Plates - Suggestions Anyone? (1 Viewer)

[Kevin-R-S]

Hello,

I was wondering if anyone has any suggestions or alternatives to buying HI PRICED Wall plates.

My thought is this. My AV rack will be located at the back of my room in the corner. It will be in-closed in a cabinet making it very difficult to plug into for things such as laptops, video cameras, game consoles etc.

What I thought I would do is terminate a AV gang box either at the front of the room on the same wall as the Screen, or at the front of the room but on one of the side walls. I am inclined to choose the front wall because I figure if I want to plug in a console or computer that would make it easiest.

My requirements for termination are as follows:

Component Video - 3 RCA jacks RGB
Digital Coax Audio - 1 RCA jack
S-video - 1 S-video jack
VGA - 1 VGA jack
Analog Audio - 2 RCA Jacks (Red, White)
Analog Video - 1 RCA Jack (Yellow)
1 RJ45 - Ethernet Jack

Does anyone have experience with this type of install. I have purchased all the applicable cable, and am ready to run it to the location I am concerned about HOW BIG of a Gang box to use... Double Gang, Triple Gang, Or two single gangs, three single gangs...

Not sure what to do.

I was also thinking of simply adding female ends to all the cables coming out of the wall then Just putting a flip open Face plate double gang size, and pulling out the wires when I need them. I figure this is allot cheaper than the 200.00 face plates I will need to buy, Plus I have looked everywhere for that type of face plate and cannot find on anywhere.

PLEASE HELP ... Make a suggestion... I need advice, and Ideas...

Do you think a simple flip open Faceplate with the wires inside the wall pulled out when I need them will work or is this a stupid idea...

Thanks

 

[brentl]

Just take a quick look at partsexpress, you should be able to get by with a double gang box.

http://www.partsexpress.com/webpage....ctGroup_ID=276

as a start.

Brent

 

[John Titan]

Another place to look is here ICC.com

ICC has a modular S-video jack(ran with cat-5e) that only takes up one space in the faceplate. All of PE's s-video connectors take up a whole gang. The VGA connector is the one that most likely will have to have it's own seperate
s-gang faceplate.

For all needed connectors it totals 9 ports all together. ICC's double gang only has 8-ports so your looking at 2 single gang 1 6-port and 1 4-port and the seperate VGA.
Three separate s-gangs in total.

 

[Kevin-R-S]

John Titan...

I checked out ICC.Com and was wondering if you could help clarify a few things...

They have a double gang 12 port faceplate that I was hoping to install the following snap in port connectors from there site:

3 - RCA Female-to-Solder Tall Module (Red Green Blue) (3ports)--- For Component Video

1 - RCA Female-to Solder Tall Module (Yellow) (1port)--- For RCA Analog Video

1 - RCA Female-to Solder Tall Module (Orange) (1port) --- For Digital Coaxial Audio

2 - RCA Female-to Solder Tall Module (RED, WHITE) (2ports)-For Left Right Analog Audio

1 - Category 5e HD Modular Connector (1port) --- For Ethernet Connection

1- S-Video-to-IDC Modular Connector (1 port) --- For S-video connection

So that totals 9 ports in the available 12 port double gang box. ( I will fill the last 3 ports with blanks)

One of my main concerns is the 75 ohm requirement for component video and digital coaxil applications. I am not sure if these connectors are 75 ohm. The spec sheet reads --
A.Contact Resistance 30m OHM MAX
B.Insulation Resistance 100M OHM MIN @DC500V

Can you tell me if this type of connector will work for component video and digital audio.

If not can you make a suggestion as to which ones will. Also the reason I would prefer to use solder type OR the IDC type is to avoid the issue of having to purchase END connectors for all my cabling at the plate.

Can this many connectors of these types be fit in that type of a setup... I was also thinking about using all IDC connector types instead of the solder type but have never used IDC before and was wondering if you could explain what is required for the RCA IDC jacks.

If all these can fit in that 12 port double gang box the only thing I am missing is the VGA connection which I can place in a single gang box by itself. Do I need a special face plate for the application..

Thanks for any help you can offer.

Cheers

 

[John Titan]

I didn't see the 12 port plate on the site( sorry missed it)

IDC is a type of connection where the wire insulation is not removed prior to the punchdown. For example if your using the RCA-IDC connector you just remove the main jacket of the cat-5e and push the corresponding wires down (with a 110 punchdown tool)in the appropriate slot. You don't have to strip the small wires prior to punching them down.

As far as I can tell you shouldn't have a problem passing 75-ohm signal trough the IDC connectors. This what they were designed for. The fact that they make them in component colors is an indicator as well.(you may want to call ICC and ask them before you make the investment though). I am by no means an expert at this.

I'm assuming your supposed to use cat-5e with these connectors. You should also ask them the best type of UTP wire to use with these.( they may suggest a better wire for your application)

As far as the VGA connector PE has one like thisVGA connector

hope this helps

EDIT: ICC also has RCA-to-Fconnectors. So you could run RG-6 or RG-59 and all you would have to do is crimp on an F-connector to the end of the runs. I don't know if you have all the cables run already. RG-6/59 is very easy to work with. You might already have a crimper.

 

[John Titan]

OK I've done a little more work on this and this is probably your most cost effective way of doing this whole project.

VGA - The PE connector I mentioned above. $7.81 at PE
You'll need a VGA cable for this it's a female to female VGA connection.
500ft of RG/59 - $65.71 at PE You may need more or less, not sure how long your wire run's are.RG/59
Component/Composite RCA connectors .95 eachRCAS These will handle your all you video/audio connections. You'll have to mark the different colors your self.
S-video wall plates $9.77each you'll need 2 of these one at the source the other at the end wall plateS-video wall plate
RJ-45 jackRJ-45 jack You'll need some cat 5e for this but most home centers sell it by the foot at a cheap price.

The F-connectors and crimper for the coax are fairly cheap. You can get them at a hardware store as well.
The only other thing is the wall plates,about 2$ a piece.
Some of these things can be found elsewhere, just trying to give you some ideas.

Hopefully this help's

 

[Kevin-R-S]

John,

Cant thank you enough for all the help.

I did give ICC a call and wished I had made that call two weeks ago before I bought all my cabling. The Tech told me I could have got away with Cat5E for almost all my cabling requirments which would have saved me a bundle of Cash.

What I have done thus far is run Belden 1694a (RG6) cable for all my video and audio hookups, I also ran Cat5e for my ethernet connection, and the $6.50 per ft Liberty RGB 5 HD cable for the component and s-video connections (dam I could have saved money using cat 5e

Oh well I still think the quality will be better.

I think I will use the RCA - F type connectors.

Thanks for all your help

Cheers

 

[John Titan]

No problem. good luck ...let em know how it all turns out.