For Creative Heads

[mazzarak]

Hi everyone

So, I'm (1) a gadget fiend and (2) moving house. We're getting some wiring redone, lights and so on, so I'm thinking, if you had the chance to put something funky in the infrastructure of your house, what would it be? Nothing flash or expensive. Lets say I've got a few hundred pounds to spend. Say $1000.

Be creative - what would you love to put in your house? It could be security, automation, entertainment. I want ideas!

:D

[tom9933]

I’d put a ton of conduit in for later use, but then again I’ve been called Tim Taylor on more than one occasion :)

[Morgan81]

Run enough ethernet cable so that I could do anything later.

[Entropy3XD]

I would have to go with Tom on the conduit. When I go to run different cables sometime in the future I will thank myself.

[crashin]

I am thinking of adding ceiling speakers for each room of my house in the near future. My fiancee is a music teacher and we both are constantly listening to the radio. So if I have a speaker setup in each room and I am doing an activity like cleaning I can listen to the radio without having to crank it up in the living room.

[11B-33T]

I love to decorate the house in lights during the Christmas season! Pain in the arse to run extension cords and make sure I space out the load among the few outdoor power outlets in my home.

I think having a behind the facia mounted GFCI power outlet at each corner of the house would be a great idea for those of use that like to light up the neighborhood!

[bazzaric]

I reckon I would be getting a few LCD tv/monitors linked to a central switch box and tuners. One in the kitchen, bedroom and bathroom all ready to use for the PC/TV. A bluetooth keyboard with integrated mousy...with a waterproof sleeve for watching tv in the bath/shower, or even sitting on the throne!

Square eyes everywhere!

[crashin]

I saw some IP based control systems at Infocomm that seemed to be low enough on the price point that I would like to look into running a control system at home.

[Redder]

Pull out the Binford tools and call Tim. Cable each room to a multipurpose distribution box. Make sure the box is big enough to house the phone system, the RG6 for the cable network and the router for your network. Make sure you place the distribution box near the service entrance of the home or provide access to that area for cable/telephone run. If you go with satellite provide a conduit to the approximate area you will the satellite back to the distribution box. Do not forget the UPS to protect all this equipment. Add one 3/4 conduit to each room for future fiber drops, add speaker wire to each room for the ultimate sound system (or go wireless) When you think you have enough wire add some more. Lot easier to abandon the cable in the wall than to pull it in later after the building/project is done. Remember we called Tim in, let him handle the power requirements and enjoy the show, I am sure Al will be videoing the event for future Home Improvement presentations.