9 minute read
MATCHMASTER - THE PREWIRE
THE PREWIRE
The Domestic Prewire can be a contentious subject as everyone seems to have a point of view so here we will discuss a few of the principles and trade-offs involved and hopefully simplify the process a little for the installer.
The challenge is to accommodate all of the viewing habits the home owner has at present and then to also balance this against any future habits of, not only a growing family, but also any possible future owners of the home when the original family decide to move on. Often the rush towards the finish line when building can make the prewire seem like a low priority but the reality is once the wall lining is on, any future considerations for AV become much more difficult. Anyone contemplating a wireless future should consider the likely age of any immediate or future occupants of the home as there is no substitute for copper in the wall for reliability and ease of use.
RG6
We would recommend every current, or possible future, TV or Sky decoder location, be wired with 1 x RG6 each back to the distribution point (typically a recessed box in the garage or a nominated equipment area in the house). If modulation for distributing SKY around the home is being considered, then you also need a second RG6 to transmit the newly created Sky DVB-T channel back to the RG6 distribution point from that SKY decoder location. In addition to this you also need to make the RG6 connections from the roof mounted Aerial or Satellite dish to feed the same distribution point. If you have both mounted on the roof then run a separate cable for each but if left with no choice you can combine the Satellite and Terrestrial signals into one cable with an outdoor diplexer.
CAT6
Whole house distribution of an AV signal over CAT6 is now very popular due to the ease of the prewire and relatively inexpensive nature of the cable. It normally also has the advantage of returning the IR signal back to the AV source, (in the opposite direction the picture and sound are travelling) simplifying remote control from all locations back to the AV source. It is recommended to avoid patch panels and faceplates when choosing CAT6 distribution, and cable directly between transmitter and receiver using brush plates (see 05MM-WP64). This is to avoid the loss associated with too many intersections leading to drop out and picture instability and this means wiring directly from the equipment area to a TV location rather than through the CAT6 hub.
Another reason to prewire with CAT6 is to give each TV location a hardwired connection to the internet for the online content available in smart TVs . This is to avoid WIFI congestion and improve reliability and capacity as our connection speeds improve into the future.
If you intend to run HDMI leads to distribute an AV source to all TV locations, then you also need to consider running a CAT6 lead for returning the IR commands back to the source. Whilst there are kits available to run a remote control signal over an HDMI lead there is nothing that takes into account more than one location. These IR signals can be run through a patch panel and/or faceplates as the signal is very robust once captured into a copper connection.
TYPICAL SKY AND/OR FREEVIEW TERRESTRIAL RG6 WIRING DIAGRAM
13MM-R65P
10MM-DDA24
02MM-MDU50
10MM-MT67 REST OF HOUSE HDMI DISTRIBUTION VIA CAT5/6
34MM-2K50-3
HDMI SOURCE
HDMI
Prewiring with HDMI is normally a performance option when picture and sound performance are a priority. HDMI also currently happens to be the most cost effective way into 4K capacity, as 4K extenders continue to be relatively expensive compared to their 1080p cousins and modulation has an upper limit of 1080p. Whilst early, or low-cost, HDMI cables have a reputation for failing over
10m, Matchmaster’s current range of HDMI leads are fully tested and rated to work up to 20m with a 4K signal.
Simply add an HDMI splitter to the AV source and match the outputs to the number of TV’s. If you have a request for more than one HDMI source, consider an HDMI Matrix switcher. These are designed to allow switching between HDMI sources from any connected TV, independently of what the other TV’s may be set to.
For the prewire, whether using an HDMI Splitter or Matrix Switcher, each TV location only needs one HDMI lead back to the equipment area.
ARC (AUDIO RETURN CHANNEL)
Often overlooked in the prewire is consideration for transmitting the TV’s digital sound output back to an AV Amp or Soundbar location. As the drive towards thinner TV’s continues, TV manufacturers are struggling to keep sound quality advances on a par with an increasingly better picture performance. ARC is normally bundled with CEC code transfer and source on/off as well, which can be either an installer nightmare (if not handled well by the TV or HDMI source manufacturer), or a very helpful feature for the end user. Most HDMI cables have this feature as standard however it is rare to find a reliable extender that supports ARC, CEC, and IR all in one (see our 34MM-4K70-ARC).
If ARC over an HDMI lead or extender is not an option, consider installing an Optical Toslink lead back to the equipment area. Common to almost all TV’s, Soundbars and AV Amps, this connection doesn’t carry any remote control signals but does have the same ability to transmit digital audio as the ARC connection. (see 04MMTOS1 to 04MM-TOS20).
If the install is complete and the wall lining is on, there is the option of transmitting the optical signal over yet another CAT5/6 cable using a Digital Audio Extender (see 34MM-DAE1).
EARC (ENHANCED AUDIO RETURN CHANNEL)
eARc has the potential to reshape the prewire for hometheatre. Claimed to much improve the connection and unpredictable sync ailments sometimes associated with standard ARC, this new format also increases capacity from 1Mbps to 37Mbps, which, unlike standard ARC, should allow all current sound formats to pass without the need of any further compression. Potentially this means all HDMI sources can be connected directly to the TV and an HDMI cable can be used to transmit the maximum bandwidth of the source’s audio signal intact to an eARC compatible Soundbar or AV Amp. Potentially we may even see cheaper AV amps without any video switching onboard coming onto the market as the TV becomes the HDMI hub. This also has the benefit of simplifying the user experience.
FUTURE PROOFING AND DAMAGE MITIGATION
In an ideal world we would likely have floor to ceiling conduit installed to every current, or likely, TV position in a home. Given the constraints of budget, time, building regulations and the available options, what is realistic and achievable for future proofing, and for providing some options for when things do get damaged onsite.
With 4K sources being slow to mature in NZ, the market has been relatively happy to stick with 1080p for domestic distribution in general. England and Australia have both had their mainstream Satellite Pay TV providers delivering 4K for some years and if rumours are true, we may see some development in this area mid 2022…now might be the perfect time to start thinking
34MM-HDS4 CONNECTION DIAGRAM
ALL TV’S
HDMI SOURCE
34MM-4K70-ARC
HDMI Picture & Sound
ARC, CEC and IR POSSIBLE eARC SETUP
about offering an option to increase that installation capacity to 4K.
Damage on work sites is inevitable and HDMI leads, whilst delivering the highest quality picture and sound, have the greatest potential for damage due to the larger 19pin head shells and generally larger cable gauges when compared with CAT6 or RG6, so running a relatively cheap length of CAT6 with each installed HDMI lead is highly recommended. Damage to CAT6 or RG6 is less likely but common enough to warrant consideration as well but once equipment locations are known Matchmaster has the following recommendations as a guide:
(All wiring suggestions assume distribution of one AV source (typically Sky) to many TV’s and wall mounting all TV’s with no line of sight to any AV components)
HDMI DISTRIBUTION
Each Active TV location: 1 x RG6 (Freeview) 1 x HDMI lead 3 x CAT6 (IR, Internet, and Damage/Future)
Each Sky decoder location: 1 x RG6
CAT6 DISTRIBUTION
Each Sky decoder location: 1 x RG6
MODULATION
Each Sky decoder location: 2 x RG6
PREWIRE NOTES:
1. No provision in the prewire suggestions above has been made for ARC/eARC for either a Soundbar or an AV Amp 2. No consideration has been given for any speaker arrangements 3. The suggestions made are concentrated on the AV needs of the home and no provision has been made for hardwiring the internet to the wider demands of the house eg CCTV, wireless access points or household computers and printers etc. 4. No provision has been made for hardwiring the internet to any AV sources or Amplifiers. 5. Please remember the CAT6 for AV, is run back to the equipment area, where as CAT6 for the internet, is run back to the CAT6 distribution point. This may or may not be the same area.
SUMMARY
The prewire is remarkably similar across all three distribution methods and this is very convenient if a final decision on method of distribution, seating/TV positions, or number and type of AV sources, has been delayed. If the final details on equipment, seating, type of viewing etc are hard to come by, then with RG6 and CAT6 being relatively inexpensive, covering more than one option can be considered.
At the end of the day the prewire will come down to taking an educated guess at the viewing habits of not only the current homeowners’ family but any future owners, and then incorporating as much future proofing and damage mitigation as budget and tolerance allow. Remember cabling is never cheaper than when the wall lining is off.
HDMI 2.0 SPLITTER WITH BUILT IN DOWNSCALER
• Our HDMI splitters have all been engineered to work with the longest cable runs, passing full capacity (18Gbps) from all outputs simultaneously. • 2 & 4 Way splitter options
• For connecting your TV digital sound output to your Sound Bar or AV Amp • 1m, 3m, 5m, 15m, 20m lengths available • Includes right angle angle adaptor
MTM04HDS2
MTM04HDS4 FRONT BACK
IDEAL CODE DESCRIPTION
MTM34HDS2 2 WAY HDMI 2.0 SPLITTER
MTM34HDS4 4 WAY HDMI 2.0 SPLITTER FRONT BACK
TOSLINK MALE TO MALE LEADS
MTM04TOS1
IDEAL CODE DESCRIPTION
MTM04TOS1 1m with Right Angle Adaptor
MTM04TOS3 3m with Right Angle Adaptor
MTM04TOS5 5m with Right Angle Adaptor
MTM04TOS15 15m with Right Angle Adaptor
MTM04TOS20 20m with Right Angle Adaptor MTM04TOS15
