S-F's Progress

Community Playground General Discussions
#1

So the physical management of my gear has gotten plain out of control. Since I added WHA the (already ridiculous) amount of wires has just been a nightmare. The time has long since come to do something about it. Here forward I plan to chronicle the physical aspects of my HA system as they grow. Hopefully this all will be helpful to others as their systems grow and/or they think about growing their system. Or maybe this could just be some good fun for folks. Take it all as you see fit.

All that being said, here’s where I am as of this morning:


(I don’t know how to place pictures inside my posts! Can anyone help there? I’d love to show pictures but I can’t seem to figure it out.)

Please go easy on me. It’s a work in progress!

I have set forces in motion which will de_crap this S&@#tuation.

I am going to take that shelving unit and completely disassociate it from my gear. It has served me well and was invaluable when I made the move from apartment dweller to house dweller. But it’s time has come to be repurposed for the kind of things most people use such shelving for.
I am going to hang a 4’ x 6’ sheet of plywood where that shelf is and then hang all of the gear from it. I’m going to have it hinged with a 6’ piano hinge so I can easily access the back side, where I plan on keeping ALL of the wiring. Boxes from Amazon, Monoprice and homesecuritystore all start arriving tomorrow.
I’m going to mount the server and the Russound amp vertically with these: Products no longer Available

The switch is going into a wall mount 7U bracket. It will be kept company by a 48 port Cat6 patch panel and two 24 port keystone panels. Every signal is going to move through a patch panel. All of the things like the router, Modem, Vera, VOIP boxes and so on will be screwed to the board.

Along with all of this, I am adding MORE wires. I’m installing an alarm system next week and that will be mounted on the board also. I should redact my statement about ALL wires moving through a patch panel. I’m not going to do this with the security wiring. Maybe I will in the future though.

EDIT:

here are some direct links:

One final word before this all gets going.

I don’t work in IT.
My education isn’t in any way related to IT.
By formal education I am a psychotherapist. Basically a professional philosopher. ::slight_smile:
By birth and inclination I am an engineer so I can’t help but to tinker.

All I have made here has been done on the shoulders of people who are MUCH more capable than I. I and we are all indebted to them. Without them none of what we do here would be possible. They deserve our gratitude.

#2

I mounted my rack on the plywood as you suggested. Was a great idea. I can’t recommend the Chatsworth Standard Swing Gate Wall Rack enough.

I broke mine in two two racks, server gear and network gear.

HTPC Gear Rack (HTPC/Russound):

Network Gear:

More details here:
http://mediabrowser3.com/community/index.php?/topic/4115-ot-new-server-build-opinions/?p=64719

#3

I was just thinking today how great it would be if people did build threads here like they do for the home theaters at AVS!! I hope this type of thread catches on! I think we could all get and give a lot of ideas from threads like this. Maybe it would even be nice to have a “build thread” sub forum? I would easily copy mine from AVS (for my equipment closet) over here as well.

The only thing I don’t like about these forums is the inability to add inline photos (as S-F said). It makes it so much easier to make build threads when you can do inline images.

#4

@agilehumor:

What is the “russsound sub amp”? I have a cas44. Is the subamp a higher power amp that you are running with the cas44 (66)?

#5

I’m assuming he has a crossover in line which sends lower frequencies to the sub. I absolutely plan on adding some of that kind of thing for my most used zones as the Monoprice speakers I have in my walls/ceilings are a little anemic in that area. Monoprice has some in wall Subs. Maybe they have no bass either. You’d think I’d learn to not touch the pretty fire after getting burned.

But to be fair many people have great things to say about the bigger, more expensive Monoprice speakers.

#6

[quote=“S-F, post:5, topic:179989”]I’m assuming he has a crossover in line which sends lower frequencies to the sub. I absolutely plan on adding some of that kind of thing for my most used zones as the Monoprice speakers I have in my walls/ceilings are a little anemic in that area. Monoprice has some in wall Subs. Maybe they have no bass either. You’d think I’d learn to not touch the pretty fire after getting burned.

But to be fair many people have great things to say about the bigger, more expensive Monoprice speakers.[/quote]

If you have access to the space behind the ceiling speakers (if they are in an attic), I would try building boxes out of foam insulation and then you can even fill that box with insulation. I’ve heard that adding a box can help base response because you lose less to the attic space. Some speakers say they account for it, but I don’t see how.

For the speakers in the walls, if you have’t already, buy bat insulation, remove the speakers and put it behind them. For my Polks this was actually suggested for the install as it not only helps somewhat with the bleed to the next room (very little actually), it is supposed to help base response.

Yet another option is to see if any of your speakers have an optional box to install behind them. Some companies do that and they are designed specifically for that speaker. I would have to guess that Monoprice does not do that.

What sizes did you put in, BTW? did you put in 8s (in the ceiling)?

#7

[quote=“AgileHumor, post:2, topic:179989”]I mounted my rack on the plywood as you suggested. Was a great idea. I can’t recommend the Chatsworth Standard Swing Gate Wall Rack enough.

I broke mine in two two racks, server gear and network gear.[/quote]

Agile,

Very nice, i think you are treating a lot of HA envy right now.

One thing though, you didn’t identify the device highlighted in attached…

he he

#8

@ AgileHumor.
Those are pretty slick racks. I really like how you can swing deeper gear out to get to the back. Cost is pretty reasonable too. Well… VERY reasonable all things considered.Beats the P#@ss out of how I’m going to have to punch down several dozen cables in my lap and then mount the patch panel.

@Bulldoglowell,

[quote=“Bulldoglowell, post:7, topic:179989”]One thing though, you didn’t identify the device highlighted in attached…

he he[/quote]

EWSDS.

Emergency Wife ShutDown Switch.

For when AgileHumor spends too much time screwing with wires, server gear, Vera, etc.

Would be my best guess.

#9

@ SirMeili,

Oh I for SURE made boxes for the ceiling speakers. I live in a ranch so all of the speakers on the grade level floor protrude into the attic.

Now. Just for some reference, I professionally make houses more energy efficient. I have spent hundreds of hours, if not thousands, in attics sealing up air pathways from inside houses. I had boxed built before I even cut into the ceiling. They are AIR TIGHT! And I put a tad of fiberglass batting in there for good measure. Then I have about 2’ of insulation on top of them. I don’t like paying for heating or cooling. Or anything really. I forget which speakers I put in exactly. But I did get all In wall speakers. I though to myself, “Self. What can the difference be?”. Well, in the basement, where the kids have domain outside of my room you’ve seen some pictures of, the speakers are in the walls and have much better bass response. Maybe I screwed the pooch on that one. Oh well. I’m not the loud music type so it all works out well actually.

#10

[quote=“S-F, post:9, topic:179989”]@ SirMeili,

Oh I for SURE made boxes for the ceiling speakers. I live in a ranch so all of the speakers on the grade level floor protrude into the attic.

Now. Just for some reference, I professionally make houses more energy efficient. I have spent hundreds of hours, if not thousands, in attics sealing up air pathways from inside houses. I had boxed built before I even cut into the ceiling. They are AIR TIGHT! And I put a tad of fiberglass batting in there for good measure. Then I have about 2’ of insulation on top of them. I don’t like paying for heating or cooling. Or anything really. I forget which speakers I put in exactly. But I did get all In wall speakers. I though to myself, “Self. What can the difference be?”. Well, in the basement, where the kids have domain outside of my room you’ve seen some pictures of, the speakers are in the walls and have much better bass response. Maybe I screwed the pooch on that one. Oh well. I’m not the loud music type so it all works out well actually.[/quote]

Yeah, so maybe you should come here and do that for my house…LOL. I just keep adding recessed lights and they are NOT boxed in. Neither are the speakers. I know I’m paying for it (I’m in Central FL). I plan on going up there some time and doing it, I just haven’t had time. The insulation needs to be redone as well, but I want to finish most of what I have to do up there. I’ve spent most of my time up there actually running (or re-running) network, speaker, and RG6 cables all over the place (put them in Caddy cable retainers for organization).

I have a ranch as well, but unfortunately (as my Fiance says), no basement :frowning:

#11

Florida + Basement = Indoor Swimming Pool!

#12

Just thought I’d post some pictures of houw my setup looks at the end of the day today.

#13

Oops, my bad…it’s not a Russound Sub Amp, it is HTD.
http://www.htd.com/Products/powered-subwoofers/HD-In-Wall-Subwoofer-with-amp

Also, I’m able to add inline images by clicking the “Attachements and other options”. Clicking “more attachments” will allow up to 4 images. Does this work for you guys?

#14

[quote=“AgileHumor”]Oops, my bad…it’s not a Russound Sub Amp, it is HTD.
http://www.htd.com/Products/powered-subwoofers/HD-In-Wall-Subwoofer-with-amp

Also, I’m able to add inline images by clicking the “Attachements and other options”. Clicking “more attachments” will allow up to 4 images. Does this work for you guys?[/quote]

That does work for me but I’m looking for actual inline images, not attachments that end up at the bottom of the post. Check out by equipment closet thread over at avsform for an example:

http://www.avsforum.com/t/1470115/my-home-theater-rack-and-equipment-room

I didn’t consider that S-F meant just adding images to the post.

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk

#15

Gotcha, and that’s a beautiful setup setup…true geek porn. Sadly, in our small 1,500 sf home, i could never get the other half to approve a whole room for my HA R&D :slight_smile:

#16

@ AgileHumor,

Could you talk a little more about that HTD sub setup?

#17

It takes the amped feed for the living room zone and extracts the base for the inwall sub. It gets fed from the Russound out for that zone.

I use a pair of these in each of the 4 inside zones of the CAA66:
http://www.htd.com/Products/high-definition/HD-R65AIM-ceiling-speakers

It’s not movie theater bass, but it gets the job done.

Outside, I have 2 zones (upstairs and downstairs patio) wired for a single stereo speaker:
http://www.htd.com/Products/Outdoor-Speakers/QS50-outdoor-stereo-speaker

#18

[quote=“S-F, post:12, topic:179989”]Just thought I’d post some pictures of houw my setup looks at the end of the day today.

http://www.thinkcomputers.org/the-craziest-network-messes-ever/[/quote]

Just what my OCD needed to see … :o

#19

OK. Time to check in.

Attached is my progress from today.
One shot is of the plywood with the piano hinge attached. The next is a shot of the back of the board, attached, showing how it can pivot and also displaying the 6’ Trip Lite PDU.

The next is all I’ve mounted today. On top there is a cable modem, my router (Linksys E200 running DD-WRT) and, of course, my Vera 3. On the bottom left is my file server. On the right is my Russound amp and my Dell 2724 switch (which is the most reliable piece of computer equipment I have ever owned). The switch will be moved to a 7U bracket when it arrives. It will also have all of the patch panels. It’ll go either on the right or left top. I’m not sure which yet. The can for the alarm system will go on the opposite side. I think I might have messed up a bt though. The brackets are about 20" and I only have about 18.5" clearance on the left. So I may end up moving the router and such over to the left a bit and putting the bracket on the right. Probably a good idea any way since the hinged end is close to the wall and the bracket sticks out farther than the alarm can.

Don’t worry everyone. I will be running all of the wires behind the board, all neatly organized and coiled up.

#20

Looks much better sir :slight_smile: