Wall Hung Flat screens---- what to rough?

[dad911]

Walls open on a remodel for our own home.

Typically in new homes (for customers/sale) we would run 1 quad shield coax to each location. A few years ago, we started adding 1 or 2 cat5 cables. If over a fireplace, I would run a 1" conduit for future hdmi, etc. to a wall near the fireplace, or basement, as access is difficult later.

However, now that I've cut the cord, we are streaming wireless to most of our sets, 1 cable box in bedroom is still coax.

Part of me wants to run quad shield, and 2 cat5s to each room. Another says screw it, will never use the wires, wireless smart tvs are the future.

I will probably use fios at the new house.

What would you guys do?

[VincentVega]

Conduit for hdmi/whatever is nice but I think 110v is more important now. Conduit from basement to attic is still nice, same to a closet or 2. Add power and you have a simple spot for an AP.

[BK911]

If you put it in, you won't need it.
If you don't put it in, you will need it.
No telling what "it" will be in the future.
1" conduit covers just about anything.
So I would put in the conduit.

[scottmandue]

Install a 120V box/outlet behind where the flat screen will be hung.

I am also streaming but just cat5 to the central cabinet/control center, a WIFI router, cat5 to a ROKU. Then HDMI from the closet to the flat screen (our house is over the garage so easy cable pull).

[Bill Douglas]

When I've got a wall apart I drill decent sized holes through the dwangs and run a rope from the attic to the floor, and nail it in place in the attic. The number of times the purpose or plans for the room have changed and I can drag a power cable, or data cable, down trough the wall when ever I need too.

An easy way of keeping your options open.

[A930Rocket]

I haven’t installed tv or phone in every bedroom, family room, etc in years.

Now it’s a dual jack with tv and phone, plus an outlet over the fireplace, I’m the owners bedroom and maybe a loft/extra space.

Everything is wireless.

I remember 20 years ago when “structured wiring” was popular. We wired every room, thermostat, power, gas, etc for future use. The future never came and nobody used all that expensive wiring. Sure there was the outlier, but it was rare.

[dad911]

Originally Posted by Bill Douglas

When I've got a wall apart I drill decent sized holes through the dwangs and run a rope from the attic to the floor, and nail it in place in the attic. The number of times the purpose or plans for the room have changed and I can drag a power cable, or data cable, down trough the wall when ever I need too.

An easy way of keeping your options open.

Fire inspector would have a cow. All penetrations need to be fireblocked, no open chases.

[Bill Douglas]

Originally Posted by dad911

Fire inspector would have a cow. All penetrations need to be fireblocked, no open chases.

How do you guys run electrical wires without upsetting the fire inspector? the holes are much the same as you would have to run 4mm elec' cable (oven wiring cable).

This worked well for me when I got rid of a gas oven in a rental and wanted to supply electricity without tearing the wall apart.

[dad911]

Firestop spray foam or caulk. Seriously. Probably use 8-10 tubes per new house.

[abisel]

Just remember, whatever you decide, do not run power and data cables within close proximity of each other. Keep them separated by at least a foot if at all possible. You don't need any EMI from the power cable inducted into the data cable. Same for telephone wiring.

[URY914]

While the wall is open you should add some 2x6 wood blocking in the wall. Larger TV's will need it.

[Bill Douglas]

Originally Posted by dad911

Firestop spray foam or caulk. Seriously. Probably use 8-10 tubes per new house.

You could use this to seal top and bottom holes and still have the draw string/rope in place.

[dad911]

Thanks guys. Just want to make sure I'm not missing anything. Conduit where possible, and I have a few boxes of cat5, so I'll through it in, probably won't put the ends on until needed.

[look 171]

I normally run two 1" plastic conduit back there just to be safe. Cap them up top or under the house because we do not have basements here. Blank plate the box behind the TV. Like BK911 said, its so true. This is done after insulation inspection so it get covered up by drywall immediately.

[id10t]

Wireless starts to suck in high-congestion areas. And, as you get more and more wireless devices going, the more your local is going to suck.

If it is an obvious spot for a stationary thing like a wall mount TV, and it is really easy to run the cable, do it. Better to have it and not need it than want/need it and not have it, and the cost to do it while running all the other cables is near trivial.

[Gogar]

110 and conduit.

Some sound bars like Sonos take a cat5 and some folks like a hardwire Ethernet to the tv, especially now with 4K etc.

And also whatever the thing is that doesn’t exist yet.

[wdfifteen]

Originally Posted by dad911

Fire inspector would have a cow. All penetrations need to be fireblocked, no open chases.

Is that the code now? Sometimes I think they add these rules just because they feel like they have to do something. Do they ever drop any requirements?
When I remodeled my office building in 2001 we only had to fireblock the furnace room.

[dad911]

International Building Code (IBC) Think it's chapter 7.

and thank you 3M and Owens Corning lobbyists.

[pksystems]

110v and Cat5 network cables here. I have HDMI adapters that use a pair of network cables to send the signal through the walls.

[GG Allin]

Originally Posted by dad911

Walls open on a remodel for our own home.

Typically in new homes (for customers/sale) we would run 1 quad shield coax to each location. A few years ago, we started adding 1 or 2 cat5 cables. If over a fireplace, I would run a 1" conduit for future hdmi, etc. to a wall near the fireplace, or basement, as access is difficult later.


What would you guys do?

What does the fireplace have to do with it? Oh....please.....for the love of god tell me you're not putting the TV over the fireplace.