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 Type: Retrofit
Project Started: 2007
Project Completed: 2007
Project Scope:
Our client was planning a major renovation of his 160 year old, 4 story brownstone in lower Manhattan.
He wanted to create an entertainment system that would allow access a large and growing media collection consisting of music, still images, home video and about 150 DVDs. The ability to record TV was also required. With two home offices planned, the house needed to include a data network with reliable Internet access, fast and ubiquitous WiFi and a fail-safe data repository. Other design considerations included a request that not a single wire be visible and, with only 1800 ft2 of living space, that every effort be made to minimize the visible footprint of any equipment.
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The client grew up in this house, and had every intention of keeping it in the family for generations to come. With this in mind, we encouraged him to focus less on which HDTV panels to buy and more on a future proof infrastructure that would serve him and his family for 20+ years or more. Walls made of brick (even interior walls) and plaster lathe presented significant challenges for wiring as well as WiFi performance. With only certain walls getting opened during the renovation, each wire run would need to be carefully considered. And because so much brick and plaster would remain even after the renovation, it was apparent that multiple Wireless Access Points would be required.
Other requirements included a new security system and front door intercom with remote door strike capability.
The Solution
Our client is a technology entrepreneur with a knowledge of pro A/V concepts and networking . He also owned an hp media center (2005) and was comfortable with the user interface. After several phone consultations and our first face to face meeting, it was clear to us that this client was a perfect candidate for a Vista-based media center entertainment system. Using the proposed IP network for entertainment as well as data would allow him and his family to really leverage his digital media and also help justify the significant expense to properly wire this very old building.
A wiring closet was identified on the fourth floor and over a half mile of RG6QS, Cat5E and Cat6 was run from locations all over the house into an OnQ structured wiring enclosure with OnQ distribution modules. A Viking intercom and door strike would be used at the front door. Wiring it into one of the VoIP lines lets the client speak live to visitors and buzz them in from the phone. Handy when you spend most of your time one or two floors away from the front door, which is typical in Manhattan.
A review of the floor plan revealed three rooms needing access to audio and video and five areas needing access to audio only. Our video solution would consist of a dual-tuner media center from Velocity Micro and two hdmi-equipped Xbox 360 elites. Each would be capable of handling HDCP-compliant 1080P video to ensure compatibility with the latest flood of HD content that is soon to come. Our choices for TVs included a 50” 1080P Panasonic plasma for the den, a 42” 1080P Sharp LCD for the living room and 32” 1080P Sharp LCD for the master bedroom. The den and living room would get surround sound; the master bedroom would get amplified speakers. Because the Xbox can deliver a pure media center UI, the experience in all three rooms is identical, right down to the activity-driven Harmony universal remotes in each room. A Denon 4306 AVR would handle surround sound processing and 1080P video switching duties in the den and a Pioneer VSX-917-K AVR in the living room. Reference Series loudspeakers from Klipsh were used in both places.
Our distributed audio solution would include a 5 zone wireless music system from Sonos, allowing the client to enjoy his music collection in every corner of his house (and back yard)! Strategically placed zone controllers connected to in-ceiling or small bookshelf speakers lets the music system appear no bigger than the wireless color LCD controllers sitting in each room.
Sun Microsystems CEO Scott McNealy really said it right when he announced that the network is the computer over a decade ago. For this install, the network would deliver everything - from phone calls over two VoIP lines, recorded HD TV and home movies to digital music, email and web access. To run the network, we elected to use a Cisco 851 small business router and a 24-Port D-Link 1000 Mbps switch. For storage we are using Microsoft Home Server (beta) running on a custom built, Intel-based server. File storage duties are shared between the Home Server (1.5 TB) and Velocity Micro (1.0 TB), both of which are configured with Raid-5 redundancy.
Producing secure, “five bars everywhere” WiFi was a real challenge given a heavy concentration of wireless networks in the area, lots of RF noise and all of the brick and mortar in the building. Our solution needed to be wired early in the construction process, so we used a wireless network analyzer to map out the number and locations for access points as well as clearest channels on each floor. In the end we would need four: two in-ceiling, one outdoor and one on wall WAP that could live in the wiring closet on the fourth floor. We chose to use WAPs from Pakedge Design because of their reliability, durability and great aesthetics for the in-ceiling product.
End Result
The client is thrilled with his digital high definition entertainment system, which is working remarkably well given the mix of new technologies. WiFi performance is perfect in every corner of every room and our gigabit network is humming along just fine. The Sonos music system is truly easy to use (his 3 year old son is able to work the system) and ultra responsive even though its wireless. The Home Server is surprisingly stable, and appears to be a great product (way to go Microsoft!).
Below are a few pictures of this project:
50" 1080P Panasonic plasma in the den |
Flush-mounted speakers in the Kitchen sound great and conserve space at the same time |
1.5 TB RAID5 Microsoft Home Server,
1200 VA Battery and Surge Supression,
Sonos Zone Player (office II),
Linksys MCE extender and Sling Box,
PoE modules for Acess Points,
Cisco 851 Router, and
Netgear 1000 Mbps network swtich |
OnQ Structured Wiring Enclosuere |
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