Re: [KAT5] putting composite video over co-axial cable?

["simonstill" <mail@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

--- In kat5-users@xxxxxxx, "Tony Butler" <lists@a...>
wrote:

> >> undoubtedly STILL didn't anticipate X or Y, or even Z, but
your
*next*
> >> rewire will definitely include them ;)

I've recently rewired (well, cabled a new home) only a couple of years
after last putting cabling in.  Based on my experience and the kit
i've bought/seen recently i've now opted for:

- Minimum 2 Cat5 cables to each room (living room has more), usually
with a spare in case of damage to one of the pulled cables.
- RF (Terrestrial/satellite/FM is your call) to only a few locations -
'node 0' (which is actually just a patch panel and switch), the living
room, and the location of the 'server' PC.
- an 802.11 wireless access point

I'm not actually using my Kat5 units at the moment but probably still
will somewhere.  In my view the future is all IP transmission - a
'media' pc of some kind at a central location with 'media extenders'
where content is required.

For Telecoms I'm currently using a DECT system so that only needs a
single line which means the base station can go to any room.  Even
cheap DECT will allow internal calls and passing an incoming call to a
different handset.  Extra lines might still be an issue but the
landline gets less use than the mobiles these days.

Audio only locations get a Slim Devices Squeezebox, amp and speakers
(or active speaker set)
Video locations get a media extender.  The Windows Media Centre
extenders havent arrived in the UK yet but a modified XBox will do
it.

At present i'm some way off this.
- Tivo is the currently the main source in the living room and though
it is theoretically possible to pull content from it to view elsewhere
i dont have it working yet.  I dont have Windows MCE running and the
software for the DTT card i have is pretty limited.
- a couple of squeezeboxes are in place.  These will allow sychronised
'whole house' or different music in each location.  What i dont have
yet is streaming BBC Radio.  That is possible from the web streams if
you're using Linux but not on XP.  The other option is a DAB tuner
which could be made to stream to but there are none around at the
moment.

Since all of this is via IP theres no need for huge amounts of cabling
- even a single 100mb connection will give more than enough bandwidth
for the kit in a room so rather than extra ports you just add a hub
when required.

There probably are some limits as opposed to a 'switcher' but theres
also a huge amount of flexibility.