New Construction, New User, and pre-wiring!

[SteveOnaRiver]

Happy Sunday to everyone!

Title says it all. Contractor just finished the electrical rough in and we're pushing the budget, so looking to do as much of my security and audio/video stuff as possible myself.

Here's my goals:
1. Camera system, outdoor only.
2. One camera will be at an outbuilding about 90' from the house.
2. Coax for TV's (3-4 tv's)
3. Internet of course
4. Be able to monitor cameras on tv or tv's.
5. Maybe handle some options that I haven't even thought of, but would be easy to wire for now, whether to be used or not.

Edit to add 6. Doorbell camera? What wiring is best for it?

House is on river, built 12' in the air on concrete columns. Most of the cameras will be on the lower level. One TV and most important audio system downstairs also. Planning to use my oversized pantry for my system location (centrally located and pretty easy access.). House is 3BR, 1950 living, but a lot of outdoor recreational space downstairs and a boat slip 90' away.

I'm less concerned about the exact equipment that I will need at this point, and most concerned that I run the correct wiring to where I might need in the future. I think I'm most confused on what I need to run to my TV's for future maximum use. I think I can figure out camera locations, but open to advice.

Is this enough info for some sound advice?

Thanks in advance!
Steve

 

[samplenhold]

Welcome to the forum!

You will help yourself immensely if you read the Cliff Notes and check out the WIKI. Also check out the thread below:

Newbie Starter Guide to IP Cam System – VPN setup – Computer Hardware – Blue Iris – Dahua Cameras

This is an intermediate / newbie guide for people just starting out looking for a surveillance setup. I know this setup might not be for everyone and there are many options. You can find a lot of this information in the Wiki: IP Cam Talk Wiki | IP Cam Talk A great place to start in the Wiki...

ipcamtalk.com

You should run at least two ethernet cables to each TV.

Pre-wiring for cams while everything is open is a great idea. But that can be a bummer also as you have not had time to make a plan and test locations with a test rig as described in the Cliff Notes.

Consider fiber for the 90 foot outdoor run due to lightning issues.

Consider using a rack for all of your hardware in the pantry.

 

[TonyR]

Consider fiber for the 90 foot outdoor run due to lightning issues.

+1^^.
...and 120 VAC power as well.

 

[SteveOnaRiver]

Thanks samplenhold, I'm willing to do it, but what's the purpose of running two ethernets to a TV?

I'm all about a rack. Anytime.

 

[samplenhold]

but what's the purpose of running two ethernets to a TV?

Coax is outdated tech for TVs. If you have a smart TV and a set top box that is connected via ethernet, then the TV's smart function can be connected via the second ethernet jack. Some folks run that via WIFI, but I prefer hard wired for the Smart function.

I did not have much room in the closet when I finally put in a rack. So I got a 12" deep one. Wish I had done it in the beginning, buying all of the hardware with rack functionality in mind.

 

[SteveOnaRiver]

Coax is outdated tech for TVs. If you have a smart TV and a set top box that is connected via ethernet, then the TV's smart function can be connected via the second ethernet jack. Some folks run that via WIFI, but I prefer hard wired for the Smart function.

I did not have much room in the closet when I finally put in a rack. So I got a 12" deep one. Wish I had done it in the beginning, buying all of the hardware with rack functionality in mind.

View attachment 68325

Thanks so much! I know there are different ways to get internet/cable/etc into my house, but I'm just used to having data come in via coax ("cable".). Assuming that's the way that I continue to do so, from their "box" or otherwise, ethernet (as opposed to coax) is the way to go?

So coax to my control room, and then ethernet to each tv?

 

[samplenhold]

There would be nothing wrong on running a coax to each TV. Until you have picked your provider, you will not know what they supply. It has been years since I have had cable TV so I do not know what they use to bring the signal into the home. I have ATT Fiber (for 'cable' TV, phone and internet) so it comes into the home on fiber and goes into a box that converts it to ethernet (called an ONT). There it goes to the ATT supplied modem/router via ethernet and then on to a switch and distributed through the house via more ethernet, in my case Cat5e.

For what happens in the future, having at least two ethernet cables at each TV would be advantageous.

 

[SteveOnaRiver]

Thanks again for your help, Samplenhold. I was able to meet with a local guy who does systems who agreed to help me on an "as-needed" basis, and pay him by the hour if needed, and also have the option of buying equipment from him. He did a nice walkthrough with me and gave me several prewire tips and is familiar with the local providers and how they handle their own demarcation and such.

I've pretty much wired for cams (although have a few more to do), and working on the wiring to the TV's. Are there other home automation devices or anything else that I might wish I would've ran a wire for?

FYI, I took someone's advice and ran two Cat6's to every cam location. Not that much harder to run 2 than 1. (Although I'm going to have a TON of Cat6 wire coming into my box!)

 

[SteveOnaRiver]

Welcome to the forum!

You will help yourself immensely if you read the Cliff Notes and check out the WIKI. Also check out the thread below:

Newbie Starter Guide to IP Cam System – VPN setup – Computer Hardware – Blue Iris – Dahua Cameras

This is an intermediate / newbie guide for people just starting out looking for a surveillance setup. I know this setup might not be for everyone and there are many options. You can find a lot of this information in the Wiki: IP Cam Talk Wiki | IP Cam Talk A great place to start in the Wiki...

ipcamtalk.com

You should run at least two ethernet cables to each TV.

Pre-wiring for cams while everything is open is a great idea. But that can be a bummer also as you have not had time to make a plan and test locations with a test rig as described in the Cliff Notes.

Consider fiber for the 90 foot outdoor run due to lightning issues.

Consider using a rack for all of your hardware in the pantry.

Can you point me to a particular fiber that I should use? Any tips on running this?

 

[samplenhold]

Can you point me to a particular fiber that I should use? Any tips on running this?

I personally have not used fiber. I have not done long outdoor runs. However, several folks here have and always recommend fiber for it due to lightning. See this thread for that info:

Good place to get fiber optic cable?

I'm getting ready to trench out to my barn (about 150 feet from the house) to install some outlets and lights out there, and this is the best time to set up a camera or 2 in there. I was talked out of running cat6 underground in another post. I would like to possibly run fiber, but everywhere I...

ipcamtalk.com

 

[SouthernYankee]

Install a hardwired alarm system, Open door switches, open window switches, break glass sensors, Motion detectors. I have open door switches on some inside closets, The closet with the guns, the closet with the network rack and camera equipment. Really loud alarm sirens (+120 DB) two outside, one in front and one in back. A loud siren in the house, if it goes off it will nearly break your ear drums. The normal alarm inside siren are crap. Set the alarm system up for monitoring. I would not use an alarm service to install my alarm system, i did it myself.

The alarm system is independent of the camera system.

Look at Honeywell vista.

It is child's play to block or jam wifi. Anything that is wifi is not for security.

I have inside cameras covering the doors and other public areas (kitchen, living room, man cave, art studio...), not bedrooms or baths. If i had young kids, there would be cameras in the nursery. I have unswitched and switched power outlet above the kitchen cabinets, media center.

Make sure there are A/C vents in any closet with electrical equipment.

 

[saltwater]

Thanks samplenhold, I'm willing to do it, but what's the purpose of running two ethernets to a TV?

I'm all about a rack. Anytime.

I second the two cables at least, in my case I ran three Ethernet cables + 1 coax cable to sockets. On top of that on opposite walls I also ran 3 Ethernet + 1 coax cable to sockets. This was for the main living areas, in other rooms it was 2 Ethernet cables + 1 coax. Yes, it makes for a lot of cables back in the comms room under my stairs, which I'm still configuring, check this post for my wall-mounted rack half finished. We haven't moved into our house yet.

For the sockets on opposite walls, they are there merely if we decide to move furniture around in the future and not be tied down to the fact that the TV must be on a certain wall. Not all data points need to be active and not all coax points need to be active (connected) either.

 

[samplenhold]

there is something to be said about running extra cable. It took me a long time to figure out how to get cables from my main attic (where the large conduit drop to my IT closet is) to the attic space over my garage so that I could put two cams looking at my driveway and put a drop in the garage for cams. 'I know I will NEVER need more than three cables down there' so I ran a 1/2" PVC conduit from that area to the main attic. Was a pain in the ass to do. Well then I decided to put in LPR and the only way I could get cables there was from above the garage. So this time I said 'There is no way I will need more than 4 cables' so I ran 3/4" PVC conduit right next to the 1/2". Well as I am still trying to get cable from above the garage to the front porch (waiting for the temps to drop below 98F), I had plenty of time to think about IDing the color, make, model, etc of cars that LPR grabbed plates on. And yup, need two more cables. BUT I did leave a pull line in each conduit.

 

[SteveOnaRiver]

Thanks again for all the previous help. A couple more questions:

1. If I want to use my TV as an occasional monitor for my cameras, can I link my NVR (right term?) with my TV with an Ethernet cable, or do I need an HDMI?
2. Same question as above, but what about using a computer monitor, like maybe setting on a kitchen counter?

3. I have 2900 square feet of "play space" under my house (as the house sits on 11.5' tall columns to prevent flooding). The "ceiling" of this space will be mostly will be 1/4" thick board planks. One person advised me to cut 1.5" holes to run my ethernet and plug, and just mount the camera to the ceiling, covering the hole up. This sound right?

 

[samplenhold]

3. I have 2900 square feet of "play space" under my house (as the house sits on 11.5' tall columns to prevent flooding). The "ceiling" of this space will be mostly will be 1/4" thick board planks. One person advised me to cut 1.5" holes to run my ethernet and plug, and just mount the camera to the ceiling, covering the hole up. This sound right?

I do not know the answer for 1 and 2, but for 3;

You want to make sure that your ethernet connection to the cam is water tight. That goes for ANY other connectors along side of the ethernet jack. Even using the supplied 'waterproof' connectors and wrapping with tape does not ensure this connection will be watertight. So there are two ways to make sure of this. One is to use a watertight box that holds the connections. The other is to shove those connections up into the area that is not exposed to water. In your case that would be above the ceiling planks. Since you are on the river and your house is on 11.5' columns due to flooding, if the water rises that high, such that the cams are immersed, all bets are off.

 

[SteveOnaRiver]

Thanks samplenhold. If my area above my ceiling gets wet, my cams will be among the least of my worries. Might get a little humid up in there, I don't think it will be any less humid in a box.

I answered my own questions 1 and 2, by looking for an HDMI to ethernet adapter. I think my "consultant" mentioned that, and it occurred to me. Okay... I'll keep pressing on!

 

[sebastiantombs]

Still, make sure you weatherproof those connections at the cameras really well. Use a dab of dielectric grease when you plug the in, then wrap with coax seal, then multiple tight layers of quality, 33+ or better, electrical tape.

 

[SteveOnaRiver]

Thanks Sebastiantombs! Will do!

Looking to buy some male Cat6 connectors. Plenty available. Any better than others? Any to avoid? I guess I could go ahead and wire up some females too for my jack plates.

Suggestions?