What is Structured Wiring and why is it important?

When people think about home entertainment or home automation their attention is usually on: how many inches their flat screen TV is or what touchscreen remote they’re going to buy or how many devices can they control at the push of a button, and rightly so! These are the things I’d be thinking about as they are the things I’ll be looking at or interacting with. Nonetheless, and no matter how disinterested or how unsexy cables are, the fact remains that structured wiring is the glue (or cement) that holds the Smart-Home together. To an extent the designer can only design around the benefits you want to enjoy and you can only specify the benefits you know about. Knowing a bit about the wiring infrastructure will help you be more clear about what you want to achieve and thus also help you provide a clearer brief to your custom designer/installer, ensuring that together, you come up with a future-proof solution that will be technologically sound for years to come. To begin with, it will be helpful to know a little about the different cables:

Cable Types

Cat2 / 3
Used for Telco Services, by BT and in home distribution

Cat 5e / 6 / 7
Data Cable for computer networks In use for over 15 years

100 / RG Series Coax
TV distribution cable Passes Satellite, DTT, Cable, Analogue, FM and DAB Signals

Stranded Pairs
Speaker Cable for audio Broad range of qualities, from £0.10 per Mtr to £100 per Mtr

Wiring Infrastructures

There are two main categories of wiring infrastructure, hybrid and dedicated:

Hybrid structure
A hybrid structure uses a mix of cable types to distribute the services and signals throughout a property. A hybrid structure will typically use Cat 5e for data and telephone services, coax for TV and satellite distribution, Cat 5e for line level audio and either speaker cable or Cat 5e for basic speaker level connection.

Dedicated structure
For the most flexible solution a dedicated system uses a single cable type to distribute the services and signals throughout a property, with the outlet terminated as a generic RJ45 outlet. Cost and expertise required for a dedicated structure can be significantly more demanding however. Cat 5e based dedicated structure are great solutions for data, telco and basic audio services, but TV/FM distribution requires specialist electronics at the central hub, and satellite distribution is not possible. Cat 5e cable does not have the bandwidth to pass any UHF TV signals, but it can be used to distribute single composite AV signals to an outlet.

Cat 7 is the latest, high-end cable being adopted for dedicated systems. The major advantage of using a Cat 7 based system is that the cable can pass the full TV signal without the need for expensive central electronics. Cat 7 does however, still require dongles for format conversion and again, satellite TV distribution is not possible.

As with the hardware, which wiring structure is right for you will depend on the parameters which are important to you: cost, ease of use, concealment, fidelity, functionality, aesthetics, time-scale all should be considered. Express your priorities to the custom designer and he will know which is more appropriate, ask him/her to explain the wiring structure to you and having some basic knowledge will allow you to quiz them on specific areas. Its always nice to keep them on their toes!

Self-build v. Custom design & installation

There is a substantial ‘scene’ of DIYers and enthusiasts who have the passion, time, and energy to explore creating their own bespoke home automation and home entertainment systems. To build a Smart-Home system yourself is an entirely feasible option as long as there is the dedication and patience to do so, especially as there is such a wealth of readily available information on the internet these days. Undertaking a Smart-Home project will not be ‘cheap’ even if one decides to do-it-yourself but undeniably delegating this responsibility to custom designers / installers will add a sizeable chunk to the overall budget.

Self-build
To weigh up the pros and cons of a self-build are quite easy, providing enough time is spent and no mistakes are made a self-build will be cheaper, the sense of achievement at the end of the project is a sensation validating the DIY route in itself. The knowledge gained from completeing a self-build will also enable changes to be made at the leisure of the user. On the other hand with a self-build project what you save on money you pay for in time and effort. The timescale of a self-build will obviously be much longer than getting a specialist to do it for you, do not underestimate the time it will take to learn the technologies involved just to even start designing the system, then there is the task of finding specialist suppliers, and then doing the install and programming yourself or with the help of anyone you can persuade to help you. Finally there is always the ultimate fear of forking out for all the equipment and installing the entire system only to find that something does not work or that something was forgotten.

Custom design & installation
On the side of a custom design and installation project the cons really are focussed on a greater cost. That cost is justified by their expertise and knowledge in the technology available, knowing construction methods and other industries such as interior design, architecture, and construction so that they can competently work alongside these other professionals to bring the project together seamlessly. You are also paying for their knowledge of future developments in technology so that systems are future-proof. Furthermore, one other basic service that should not be overlooked is the fact that they source all the necessary equipment and test it so that you do not have to run around to a multitude of different suppliers. There is also the comfort of having someone to blame if it does not work and someone who can always make it right, it’s just like being a child again!

Whether self-build or custom design and installation is right for you really boils down to whether you have the desire and confidence to build your own system. If cost is a major limiting factor perhaps start by doing some research and seeing if self-build is a viable option and get the specialists in only when you are really stuck. This way you will be better equipped at providing a brief to the designer anyway and perhaps you could watch the installer in action so that you can handle any future modifications yourself.

Fantasy or reality? What is actually possible?

Once a device or sub-system is connected into the main home-automation system, commands can be programmed so that a series of actions can occur, clearly the more devices and sub-systems are integrated the more sophisticated the system is and the more functions it can perform, for example, as your car pulls into the drive way, the home automation system can automatically turn off the sprinklers, open the garage door then close it once you’re parked, unlock the front door and disable the alarm, light the downstairs, and turn on the TV. Add that to a welcome-home hug from your favourite person and what more could you want. This scenario may or may not appeal to you, especially if you have ‘personal space’ issues, but it serves the purpose of illustrating the possibilities that can be achieved. Here is a more comprehensive overview of what can be automated:

Home Theater & Entertainment
Replace the pile of remotes, which invades your coffee table and sofa, with just one controller. Instead of turning on various boxes and finding the right channels and adjusting volume and brightness imagine just pressing the ‘Watch Movie’ icon on your touch-screen remote and your home-automation system does the rest. In-ceiling or in-wall speakers are especially popular with homeowners as they provide beautiful sound without using any extra space and can be easily integrated into the interior design of a space. For those who are very concealment conscious a whole host of mechanised lifts are available to hide your flatscreen TV or projector when not in use.

Security Systems & Access Control
Have a sophisticated home security system to detect intruders or deter them by creating a realistic impression of occupancy. Have your home call you if there is an alert status. Automate and control doors, windows, blinds, curtains, garage doors from multiple locations including over the internet.

Lighting
Whether lights in a circuit or stand-alone table and floor lamps, most lighting can be incorporated into an automated system to control whether its on or off and the intensity of light that it is giving. Lighting has such a dramatic impact on the aesthetics and mood of a space, having absolute control of it is instrumental to maximising its potential.

Phone and Communication Systems
Share internet access and files across a network. Use phones and televisions as intercoms for the front door. Have the music or TV volume automatically quieten when the phone rings. With caller ID and a home automation controller you can even screen your calls for only those you wish to cause your phone to ring. Voice control software turns every phone in your home into a remote controller.

Heating, Ventilation, Air-Conditioning
Remote control thermostats allow you to adjust the temperature from bed at night or even from a mobile phone while on your way home. They can even prompt a message to you if the temperature gets too low (freezing pipes) or too high (pets, plants, food).

Outdoor
Have your sprinklers turn on at set times or only when it’s dry, then have them automatically turn off before the plants get flooded. Enjoy the ease of the gates and garage doors opening automatically when your car approaches the property.

What can Smart-Home security systems offer?

Security systems are usually very high on the agenda for Smart-Home buyers. I’m not going to inundate you with statistics about burglary and property crime, whether you feel due diligence is adequate to protect your home or whether you need one of everything on the security menu is a subjective decision. What provision one makes to protect their own property is a matter for them to decide and this writer is saying nothing new when he says that, due to the saleability of crime, the media makes our society much more fearful than necessary. Although, stepping off the soapbox for a moment it makes logical sense that, the nicer your home is the more attractive it is to criminals, and so for those who regard their home as their castle and are interested in what the modern equivalent to a drawbridge and moat, please read on.

Keeping “them” away

Firstly, dealing with obstructing the route for undesirables to get to your home. Automated and remote-control gates, garages, doors and windows are well known and tried and tested devices. Their effectiveness can be maximised by integrating them to other elements of the Smart-Home, for example, if there is a forced entry then it could trigger a series of actions such as the sound system can informing you of the security breach, lock down specific entrances and leave others unlocked, turn on all the lights and dial for the police. Fingerprint access doors are a good way of making things more difficult for intruders as not only is much more difficult to copy a finerprint, you can’t just go down to the local locksmiths and get one cut, but it also removes the danger of the intruder trying to pick your locks. Other than making it physically difficult for intruders to gain access to your home, persuading them not to, is equally a good technique if not better. Simulating the appearance of occupancy is an area that home-automation really come to the fore. Programming blinds, shutters, lights, music, and sprinklers to come on at predetermined times or in response to external conditions such as it getting dark, can be very convincing in giving the impression someone is home. In addition, a useful system is to integrate the entry phone and camera so that it can be accessed on all the screens and speakers in the house and also provide access to these over a secure internet portal so that a homeowner could actually speak to someone at the door even though they are not at home.

Knowing “they’re” here

Equipment to detect intruders have been around long enough. PIR (Passive Infrared) Detectors aka motion sensors detect any intruder passing in front of the field of detection. They do not emit signals of their own but are sensitive to the body heat emitted by a live person moving nearby. Sound discriminators aka glass break detectors are designed to detect the sound of breaking glass. They provide a constant monitor of approximately 20-25ft area. CCTV whether small and discrete so that intruders do not know they are being monitored or big ‘prison’ style boxes which let people know their actions are being recorded, are also a well established technology. Smart-Home systems maximise the functionality of CCTV cameras by allowing homeowners to see what is being recorded on any screen in the house or over the internet or even have images sent to their mobile. With the advent of compressed digital video files video can be stored on CCTV servers in a space efficient manner, no longer do you have to mess around with tapes and worry that they may run out of space. As mentioned above, these well established devices can be brought together to provide solutions which mean that when an intrusion or detection takes place a pre-programmed response action can automatically occur.

Smart-Home systems thus integrate well known devices that use well established technology to create a quite science-fiction-esque living environment that makes sure that, what is most dear to us are adequatley protected, which is nice.

Great tips for working with what you’ve got.

1. Sync the Hz before you hurt the speakers
Modern surround soundtracks offer tremendous dynamics, which can stress small speakers. To ensure your speakers are performing within their optimum range, find out their low-frequency cut-off point (shown in Hz). If you’ve thrown away your speakers’ manual you should be able to find it on the manufacturer’s website. Enter this value in the ‘size’ settings on your surround reciever.

2. Delay the speakers for on-time sound
The perfect layout of a home cinema would have every speaker equidistant from your seat but all too often, rear speakers end up being positioned right behind your sofa, which can result in an unbalanced sound. To counter act this, measure the distance from each speaker to your seat and enter each value into your reciever’s delay processing, found in the set-up menu.

3. Level (audio) playing field
Buy, I mean borrow, a test tone meter, set it to read 80 dB, and flick the switches to ‘Slow’ response and ‘C’ weighting. Turn on the test tone on your reciever, point the meter straight up, and turn up the main volume until you get a 75dB reading from the front-left speaker. Repeat the process on the other speakers to match that level.

4. Location, location, location.
Make the room sound bigger and more like a cinema by mounting your speakers high up on the walls, tilted down towards you. For the best punch and clarity line up the centre, left and right speakers all at the same height level with your ears when you are seated.

5. Sublime subwoofer
Sluggish bass can fit into the overall sound like a foot in a glove so to find the optimum position put your subwoofer next to your seat, and then disconnect your speakers (at the reciever) except for the sub. Play something with a steady bass beat, and walk around your room listening for places it sounds louder. These few places are where you want to position your sub for superior punch and integration.

6. Shop floor sympathetic no more
When you buy your TV from a shop there is usually so much light that all the TVs are tuned to ludicrously high levels of brightness and contrast so as to appear more alluring. When you get it home you really need to turn everything down, (especially considering the next two tips). Contrast should be at 65%, colour at 50%, brightness at 45%, and the sharpness controls turned off completely.

7. ‘Optimode’ your picture
Use the ‘Optimode’ section on a THX approved disc, these have simple but useful suggestions on how to adjust your picture. If you really want to do the job well, invest in, I mean steal, a specialist set-up DVD: AVIA Guide to Home Theater or Digital Video Essentials which are both excellent.

8. Lighting. Get rid of it!
No matter if you have a CRT, LCD or plasma, your TV will give a better picture in a darkened room or better yet a properly blacked-out room. Be aware that a smaller screen could strain the eyes in which case position a light behind the screen to counter this. Even if you’d rather watch in a brighter room, avoid putting your screen so it faces windows or direct lighting.

9. …all of it.
If you don’t have the option of holding all the kit in a remote location or having it concealed in a cabinet, use your remote control to turn off electronic displays on DVD players, AV recievers and so on. Don’t forget to cover up power indicator status lights on subwoofers and power amps as well.

10. Looking clean, sounding mean
Keeping your system dust-free and clean also maintains optimal performance. You can treat interconnect plugs and terminals by dabbing them with cotton wool soaked in isopropyl alcohol (available from your local chemist) to improve audio clarity.

From hard button to full-colour touch panels, we reveal what types of remote controls are available.

Having stacks of remote controls are neither ideal for functionality or aesthetics. Even having a simple home cinema system can easily produce four annoying remotes which can be lost in the sofa, left on the other side of the room, and even if all placed neatly side by side on the coffee table, take up far too much space and are a right eye-sore! There are three main solutions which deal with the riddle of the reproducing remote control.

Learning Remotes (£50 – £200)
Firstly, there are the learning remotes. These remotes can control multiple devices in a home theatre by either, installing control codes for the specific devices or, by learning them from the original remote control. This is done by placing an original remote head-to-head with the learning remote, the signal is fired from the original remote and then learnt and assigned to a button on the learning remote. These remotes can easily be bought over the internet or from a good electronic high street store and are easy to programme with perhaps use of the instruction manual. Examples of these remotes are: • Logitech Harmony series • QED Systemline Arc 7 • Philips RC 9800i / Pronto Neo • Marantz RC3200

Remotes with Macro Functionality (£120 – £600)
The upgrade to entry-level remotes are ones with macro functionality. Quite simply this means that you can store a series of commands under one button, for example, the ‘Watch a movie’ button could combine “TV on”, “Change TV channel to AV 1”, “Amp on” “Amp to DVD input”, “DVD on”, “DVD play”. These remotes also usually have IR (Infra-red) RF (radio-frequent) and Wi-Fi connectivity for control of various equipment in multiple rooms. Macro enabled remotes can be programmed by savvy tech enthusiasts but otherwise are usually left for the custom installer to deal with. These types of remotes include: • SONY RM-AV2500T • Nevo SL • Philips Pronto RU series • Marantz RC 5400 / 9500

Complete Control systems (£25 000+)
The next step up from macro ready remotes, and the step is quite large in terms of functionality and cost, is complete control systems. These are usually used in Smart-Homes where there is a high level of integration of the home entertainment, security, lighting, climate and other automated devices such as shutters and blinds for example. The way that a user usually interfaces with all these systems is through a colour touchpanel or wall-mounted keypads. Unlike the previously talked about remotes however these interface devices are truly part of a larger system and programming is usually done by trained custom installers. The most well-known companies that offer these systems are: • Crestron • AMX