Building new house...trying to save cost and want to do Network and cable

[leeland]

I am looking for advice on what the best method is regarding stringing cable / Cat 6 / HDMI / speaker wire throughout the home is....and where is the best place to purchase the equipment and materials on the net are...

We are about 2 weeks out from framing the home so I need to get a jump on a plan.

it is a 2 story / 4 bedroom home and I planned on cable and Cat 6 to each room.

The upstairs will consist of three bedrooms (kids) / a bonus room / and a 'hutch' area

I planned on having cable and Cat 6 to each bedroom and the Hutch

The Bonus room will have possible 2 cable outlets and 2 Cat 6 outlets



The first floor will have a den / office | bedroom | living room

The bedroom will have one location for cat6 and cable and a bath with an outlet
The living room will have one location for cat6 and cable
The Den will have one location for cat 6 and cable



My questions are this...

In our bedroom I am hoping to mount a flat panel tv on the wall and was 'hoping' to keep it as clean as possible without needing to have a cable box | DVD | BR player in the room.

My plan was to have it in a closet with an HDMI cable snaked through the wall to the TV outlet. (is this a stupid idea?) I had thought about the best method to future proof things and there is always something new coming out...

I was hoping to have one cable box in a closet in our room feed the bedroom tv | bathroom tv | and possibly the living room TV since they will all be within 30 feet of each other and share a common access wall (the closet).

I am a little confused and am trying to save as much money as possible. The contractor quoted me about 80 bucks for each outlet pair in the house and I think I could do it myself and drop it all in the basement in a common area (thought that would be the best method)

That way I could house the cable modem and a router in the basement for internet and have the entire house networked.


Anyone have past experiences I would GREATLY appreciate some feedback on what I should be doing.

Also where do the pro's go for bulk supplies when trying to do this kind of thing on their own...

And is there any name brands to consider vs. generic stuff...and wall plates...I am looking to get as clean a look for wall plates as possible (an all in one kind of look vs. having multiple boxes to deal with.)


Thanks in advance,

Lee

 

[kornphlake]

monoprice.com will save you quite a bit on keystones and wall plates compared to home depot, IIRC they have pretty good prices on cable as well although you might check your local electrician's supply house (graybar, platt, etc) to see if you might come out ahead buying local instead of paying shipping on heavy cable. Fry's usually has pretty competitive pricing on UTP cable if you have a Fry's close by it's worth checking there prices too.

Edit: While you're pulling cable, you might consider pulling extra cat5/6 cable for telephone jacks that can be converted to ethernet in the future if the need arises.

 

[leeland]

monoprice.com will save you quite a bit on keystones and wall plates compared to home depot, IIRC they have pretty good prices on cable as well although you might check your local electrician's supply house (graybar, platt, etc) to see if you might come out ahead buying local instead of paying shipping on heavy cable. Fry's usually has pretty competitive pricing on UTP cable if you have a Fry's close by it's worth checking there prices too.

Edit: While you're pulling cable, you might consider pulling extra cat5/6 cable for telephone jacks that can be converted to ethernet in the future if the need arises.

For lack of sounding totally stupid what kind of phone system runs on cat6?

My initial thought was pulling phone lines with the intention of using the satellite phone systems where you only need one jack but can have several phones connected to the base.

Would it be wiser to pull multiple lines to each room to 'future proof' things? I don't want to over kill things but want to try to do it right if I am going to try to do it myself.

 

[leeland]

Also...if anyone can please link some essential tools for a job of this nature I would greatly appreciate it...


Essentially...if this was your job...what tools and equipment you would start with.

Thanks!

 

[jlee]

For lack of sounding totally stupid what kind of phone system runs on cat6?

My initial thought was pulling phone lines with the intention of using the satellite phone systems where you only need one jack but can have several phones connected to the base.

Would it be wiser to pull multiple lines to each room to 'future proof' things? I don't want to over kill things but want to try to do it right if I am going to try to do it myself.

You can run four standard phone lines on one CAT5/CAT6 cable (the cable contains four pairs - one pair is used for each line).

 

[Emulex]

always run 2 cables - in case you damage on during install or heck who knows HD-BASE-T

 

[sdifox]

First find out if contractor will let you get on jobsite and work on this.

Keep some distance from power cables.

Double run Cat 6 as mentioned above, you are going though the trouble already, why not do it.

Run RG-6 for cable tv. Just make sure all your cables from socket to equipment is also RG-6

 

[VanHalenII]

Just ran all new wiring for our remodel cottage we purchased. To future proof for the next owner, think of where land line phones would be and add an extra Cat 6 cable for those locations, otherwise as a minimum one Cat 6/RG-6 to each location.

Needless to say, label every line to your homerun location.

Use compression fittings for the RG-6 and purchase a "Compression" tool not the cheaper crimp type. They cost more but give you a more professional job. I was in a hurry so I found it at HD but would suggest you look online. Also get a good coax stripper. Just practice a few times and you will get the hang of it. I watched the cable TV installer do the outside connection and he had basically the same tools I had from HD.

HDMI is tricky if you use face plates. My Denon AVR would not work with the HDMI switch plates so I have a single HDMI cable running from along the baseboard from the receiver to the HDTV. Make sure your receiver can push HDMI through connections otherwise just buy a longer cable and have it come through the walls. Monoprice.com is the best source.

 

[leeland]

Just ran all new wiring for our remodel cottage we purchased. To future proof for the next owner, think of where land line phones would be and add an extra Cat 6 cable for those locations, otherwise as a minimum one Cat 6/RG-6 to each location.

Needless to say, label every line to your homerun location.

Use compression fittings for the RG-6 and purchase a "Compression" tool not the cheaper crimp type. They cost more but give you a more professional job. I was in a hurry so I found it at HD but would suggest you look online. Also get a good coax stripper. Just practice a few times and you will get the hang of it. I watched the cable TV installer do the outside connection and he had basically the same tools I had from HD.

HDMI is tricky if you use face plates. My Denon AVR would not work with the HDMI switch plates so I have a single HDMI cable running from along the baseboard from the receiver to the HDTV. Make sure your receiver can push HDMI through connections otherwise just buy a longer cable and have it come through the walls. Monoprice.com is the best source.

Seeing as I have never done this can you please give an example of a quality 'compression' tool that you mention?

Thanks

Lee

 

[leeland]

You can run four standard phone lines on one CAT5/CAT6 cable (the cable contains four pairs - one pair is used for each line).

Wouldn't this be some what of a waste? I mean if I am planning on having a phone jack why would I want to use a cat5/cat6 line to that phone box vs. getting a regular phone line?

I guess I am envisioning your post like I would be setting up 4 phone lines to the same box which doesn't obviously make sense.

EDIT:

I understand now that you can simply run the CAT5/CAT6 and use it for the phone line and use it for future upgrades if needed...or so I am reading now.

 

[RobertE]

Personally, I wouldn't run anything less than 2 solid copper RG and 2 cat5e/6 to each room. I would double or triple that for the living/family room/man cave. You just don't know when the wifey will want to rearrange the room. If you are going to have a home theater room, I'd go 4/4 at least. Ideally run everything in conduit/smurf tube. It will make retrofitting for whatever is down the road much simpler.

Bulk cable is going to be an insignificant cost compared to the rest of the house. You simply can't overwire before the drywall goes up. After it goes up, the cost to add cable after the fact goes way, way up.

 

[Emulex]

keep in mind cat5 and rg-6 (esp satellite) is low voltage - some cities require (and it's smart to use plenum) and conduits - and some cities require permits - check yourself here - if you're house goes up you may be in a bind - especially when they see hackjob wiring that was done by a certified person with the right materials and without a permit (where required). just sayin'.

do cat6a - 10GBASE-t, HD-BASE-T etc will be around in a a few years - no point redoing the mess.

With RG6 use commercial grade wire AND CRIMPED ends - it makes a helluva difference. The monoprice junk is not shields and cheap crimped ends - the loss is astounding at 25+ feet. Not sure much at 6-11ft.

 

[leeland]

Personally, I wouldn't run anything less than 2 solid copper RG and 2 cat5e/6 to each room. I would double or triple that for the living/family room/man cave. You just don't know when the wifey will want to rearrange the room. If you are going to have a home theater room, I'd go 4/4 at least. Ideally run everything in conduit/smurf tube. It will make retrofitting for whatever is down the road much simpler.

Bulk cable is going to be an insignificant cost compared to the rest of the house. You simply can't overwire before the drywall goes up. After it goes up, the cost to add cable after the fact goes way, way up.

In our case with 'placement' I feel that the 'outlets' will be in certain places so I am not to worried from that standpoint.

for instance, in our living room, there is only 1 wall that will have a TV, same with the master bedroom. So in these instances would it be advised to have one outlet with two runs of CAT6 and 1 copper?

In each of the bed rooms I was planning on just one cable and one cat6 to an outlet box (kids rooms)

The bonus room due to it's size to do two outlets since we could configure it multiple ways.

The Den / Office would have just one location where CAT6 and Copper would come into

The 'Movie Room' in the basement is a secondary project so I am not worried about that now since the basement isn't going to be finished during construction.

That leaves me with figuring out how to wire a bathroom tv and possibly a location in the kitchen.

How expensive is using the conduit / smurf tube vs just putting a hole through the studs and stringing it that way? This method sounds great but how in the heck do you run cable at that distance through the entire house at that distance?

My thought was dropping the cables all in one location but it is all in my head at the moment and I have NO idea (can you tell I haven' done this before .

I just want to make sure it is done right and I am not saying it wouldn't be done right if I paid for it just that the guy doing it wouldn't take as much thought into it as me since it isn't his house.

keep in mind cat5 and rg-6 (esp satellite) is low voltage - some cities require (and it's smart to use plenum) and conduits - and some cities require permits - check yourself here - if you're house goes up you may be in a bind - especially when they see hackjob wiring that was done by a certified person with the right materials and without a permit (where required). just sayin'.

do cat6a - 10GBASE-t, HD-BASE-T etc will be around in a a few years - no point redoing the mess.

With RG6 use commercial grade wire AND CRIMPED ends - it makes a helluva difference. The monoprice junk is not shields and cheap crimped ends - the loss is astounding at 25+ feet. Not sure much at 6-11ft.

I am not sure what you mean by crimped...I had seen the 'compression' fittings when the cable guy came out on our rental we are in. That seemed a lot better than a crimped terminal in regards to cable (in regards to signal loss).

I haven't purchased bulk cable before (cat6 or Co-axe)...is monoprice a good place to get this type of cable?


Thanks again for the replies I really appreciate it.

Lee

 

[Emulex]

monoprice is junk - i'd only use their cat5/cat6 (notice the lack of cat6a).

their cable last time i checked the rg-6 was for external run only (wall socket to device) and not shielded. that would be a fire hazard in the walls and i guarantee you the quality of a 25' run with connectors is about the same as professional 10' with connectors. you can tell at long runs a difference.

you know they have converters to turn rg-6 to cat-5 and back alot easier to run cat5

 

[VanHalenII]

The Quickport Compression Tool is a high end type, typically like the cable installers use.

.
The one I bought at HD, is an Ideal Industries, Inc. Economical Compression tool, and is all you will probably need.

 

[jlee]

monoprice is junk - i'd only use their cat5/cat6 (notice the lack of cat6a).

their cable last time i checked the rg-6 was for external run only (wall socket to device) and not shielded. that would be a fire hazard in the walls and i guarantee you the quality of a 25' run with connectors is about the same as professional 10' with connectors. you can tell at long runs a difference.

you know they have converters to turn rg-6 to cat-5 and back alot easier to run cat5

People buy 1000' spools of quad shielded RG6 for wall-to-device runs? Or am I missing something?

 

[leeland]

monoprice is junk - i'd only use their cat5/cat6 (notice the lack of cat6a).

their cable last time i checked the rg-6 was for external run only (wall socket to device) and not shielded. that would be a fire hazard in the walls and i guarantee you the quality of a 25' run with connectors is about the same as professional 10' with connectors. you can tell at long runs a difference.

you know they have converters to turn rg-6 to cat-5 and back alot easier to run cat5

I had always read on these forums that Monoprice was a decent supply place for cabling...if that isn't the case in your opinion where is an idea place to get cable online?

What specs do you recommend for premium cable?

Thanks,
Lee

 

[CubanlB]

You shouldn't need plenum grade cable (Rg6 or cat5/6) unless you home is also a commercial building that uses a drop ceiling and open ventilation systems in said drop ceiling. Plenum is very expensive, not because it costs more to make, but because it is mandated in MANY places for commercial installations. Plenum only means it will burn and produce smoke below a certain rate, it has nothing to do with keeping the cable from bursting into flames inside you wall. Which is something you would have to try very hard to do with any low voltage system.

Also, there is no such thing as unshielded Rg6.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category_5_cable#Environmental_ratings

You should check you local building codes to see if you need conduit but only very few places require, or enforce this.

However, do not (ever) run low voltage cables through the same homes as high voltage power cables because you are lazy. This is almost certain to run afoul any inspector, not to mention the previously mentioned degradation to signal quality.

Honestly, for rg6 quad shield is overkill for cable runs and was mostly installed to keep cable signal from radiating out of the Rg6 itself, iirc. If you do go quad shield for Rg6 just make sure you get fittings made for quad shield. (if Quad is the same price as double might as well) Monoprice Rg6 fittings, while not great quality, will get the job done. They are also dirty cheap.

Monoprices Rg6 isn't my favorite as the jacket tends to be softer that others (such as liberty cable or belden) and will snag more easily when you are installing it, but once its installed its a fine Rg6. One thing to remember is that if a cable kinks, don't just keep pulling it as this will damage the cable. it may still work but you will have messed up the dielectric in the Rg6 or the jacket of the cable itself may get damaged. Go find where it was stuck and free it up before you continue pulling

The same consideration should be given to the cat5e/6 jacket. A softer jacket is more prone to snag. Most inwall rated cables will be just fine, but if you can grab the jacket at the end of the cable and stretch it by pulling hard on the cable I would avoid it.

Installing smurf tube/conduit for any hdmi runs is an excellent idea. Installing an hdmi in a wall only to have it tagged by a drywall screw or have the end destroyed by a careless drywaller/mudder/painter/etc really, really sucks. When you put the tube in install a string/mule tape to make installing the cable quicker.

Tools that will make you life easier...

http://www.homedepot.com/webapp/wcs/...7&marketID=101

If you don't have a stapler for cable tacking, get one. You won't regret it, not even for just one job.


http://www.homedepot.com/webapp/wcs/...7&marketID=101

These glow/push will make your life much easier if you have preconstructed open truss type joists.


http://www.monoprice.com/products/p...=10509&cs_id=1050902&p_id=3356&seq=1&format=2

This compression crimper is a bit more than the others on monoprice but will crimp pretty much any compression fitting (F connector, rca, bnc, anything else), is adjustable for fitting length, and is the one I own and love. Comparable one at the Depot is usually around $50-60, if they even carry it.


http://www.monoprice.com/products/subdepartment.asp?c_id=104&cp_id=10424

Get the quad shield fittings as they will work on most coax including double and single.


http://www.monoprice.com/products/subdepartment.asp?c_id=102&cp_id=10234

Cat6 really isn't that much more. (have never used any monoprice cat anything so I cant comment)


http://www.monoprice.com/products/p...d=10509&cs_id=1050901&p_id=195&seq=1&format=2

I owned a cheap cat5 crimper like this one. Not great, but with practice gets the job done.


http://www.fastenal.com/web/products/detail.ex?sku=0708416&ucst=t

White plastic staples and cable ties work wonders for cable management.


http://www.amazon.com/StarTech-WIRRG...843575&sr=8-14

Monoprice seems to be out of bulk Rg6 anyway. I wouldn't pay this much for your Rg6 but startech is good quality and feeds very, very well. (I have used it and doesn't kink in the box, pulls quickly)

I can't think of anything else right at this moment.


Might want to run some speaker wire now for giggles if you have any inclination of installing a house system later. Even one 4 conductor speaker run and 2 coax to the attic can give you options.

Edit: I forgot to mention, with any new tool practice with it before you run a staple through a coax you just spent 20 minutes running. That sucks.

 

[leeland]

You shouldn't need plenum grade cable (Rg6 or cat5/6) unless you home is also a commercial building that uses a drop ceiling and open ventilation systems in said drop ceiling. Plenum is very expensive, not because it costs more to make, but because it is mandated in MANY places for commercial installations. Plenum only means it will burn and produce smoke below a certain rate, it has nothing to do with keeping the cable from bursting into flames inside you wall. Which is something you would have to try very hard to do with any low voltage system.

Also, there is no such thing as unshielded Rg6.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category_5_cable#Environmental_ratings

You should check you local building codes to see if you need conduit but only very few places require, or enforce this.

However, do not (ever) run low voltage cables through the same homes as high voltage power cables because you are lazy. This is almost certain to run afoul any inspector, not to mention the previously mentioned degradation to signal quality.

Honestly, for rg6 quad shield is overkill for cable runs and was mostly installed to keep cable signal from radiating out of the Rg6 itself, iirc. If you do go quad shield for Rg6 just make sure you get fittings made for quad shield. (if Quad is the same price as double might as well) Monoprice Rg6 fittings, while not great quality, will get the job done. They are also dirty cheap.

Monoprices Rg6 isn't my favorite as the jacket tends to be softer that others (such as liberty cable or belden) and will snag more easily when you are installing it, but once its installed its a fine Rg6. One thing to remember is that if a cable kinks, don't just keep pulling it as this will damage the cable. it may still work but you will have messed up the dielectric in the Rg6 or the jacket of the cable itself may get damaged. Go find where it was stuck and free it up before you continue pulling

The same consideration should be given to the cat5e/6 jacket. A softer jacket is more prone to snag. Most inwall rated cables will be just fine, but if you can grab the jacket at the end of the cable and stretch it by pulling hard on the cable I would avoid it.

Installing smurf tube/conduit for any hdmi runs is an excellent idea. Installing an hdmi in a wall only to have it tagged by a drywall screw or have the end destroyed by a careless drywaller/mudder/painter/etc really, really sucks. When you put the tube in install a string/mule tape to make installing the cable quicker.

Tools that will make you life easier...

http://www.homedepot.com/webapp/wcs/...7&marketID=101

If you don't have a stapler for cable tacking, get one. You won't regret it, not even for just one job.


http://www.homedepot.com/webapp/wcs/...7&marketID=101

These glow/push will make your life much easier if you have preconstructed open truss type joists.


http://www.monoprice.com/products/p...=1050902&p_id=3356&seq=1&format=2

This compression crimper is a bit more than the others on monoprice but will crimp pretty much any compression fitting (F connector, rca, bnc, anything else), is adjustable for fitting length, and is the one I own and love. Comparable one at the Depot is usually around $50-60, if they even carry it.


http://www.monoprice.com/products/subdepartment.asp?c_id=104&cp_id=10424

Get the quad shield fittings as they will work on most coax including double and single.


http://www.monoprice.com/products/subdepartment.asp?c_id=102&cp_id=10234

Cat6 really isn't that much more. (have never used any monoprice cat anything so I cant comment)


http://www.monoprice.com/products/p...d=1050901&p_id=195&seq=1&format=2

I owned a cheap cat5 crimper like this one. Not great, but with practice gets the job done.


http://www.fastenal.com/web/products/detail.ex?sku=0708416&ucst=t

White plastic staples and cable ties work wonders for cable management.


http://www.amazon.com/StarTech-WIRRG...843575&sr=8-14

Monoprice seems to be out of bulk Rg6 anyway. I wouldn't pay this much for your Rg6 but startech is good quality and feeds very, very well. (I have used it and doesn't kink in the box, pulls quickly)

I can't think of anything else right at this moment.


Might want to run some speaker wire now for giggles if you have any inclination of installing a house system later. Even one 4 conductor speaker run and 2 coax to the attic can give you options.

Edit: I forgot to mention, with any new tool practice with it before you run a staple through a coax you just spent 20 minutes running. That sucks.

THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU for the post...it is a plethora of info that I am digesting right now.

I have some follow up questions to your answers...

1. I am at the moment undecided if I will ever go to dish or direct TV but that is a strong option. Does it matter what kind of coaxial cable I choose to run through the house if I am choosing a dish product vs. using straight Time Warner?

2. Wall placement of running the cable and CAT6 horizontal. What is the best height to run the cabling at when considering other factors such as drywall screws or any other thing that could hit the puncture the wire. Towards the top of the wall...right in the middle? I have read that you obviously keep the CAT6 and COAXIAL cable away from the outlets at a minimum of 2 feet and try to cross power lines at a perpendicular angle.

3. Wire protection plates...kind of related to question #2. Do they work...are they a PITA to install...or can the cost of these be avoided by running the cables correctly to avoid issues?

4. With regards to CAT6, is it better to get 500 Mhz UTP Solid, Riser Rated or 400MHz UTP Stranded, In-Wall Rated.

5. If I do plan on going with a satellite provider, what is the preferred method of future proofing the house? I have read that it is wise to run a 2 inch PVC pipe from the drop location (my case the basement) to the attic in the event you want to do future work. Or should I just go ahead and string cable to he attic in the event we do decide to get a satellite provider?

6. Running speaker wire to rooms...if you put speakers in the ceiling (master bedroom / bathroom / living room)...do you run them all to 1 location (i.e. in my case the living room where the receiver would be?) I have read about volume control knobs that you can terminate the speaker wire to that control box...basically it is a cheap way. I have also seen things where you can dock an Ipod and control the sound through the house...is there a separate area that powers everything?

7. How many runs to pull of each type of cable for each area? In our home I planned on the following

Upstairs

• 3 bedrooms that will have a cable, phone and CAT6 connection
• 1 bonus room that will have 1 phone, 2-3 cable and 2-3 CAT6 connections
• 1 hutch area that will have 1 cable, 1 phone and 1 CAT6 connection

Downstairs

• Master bedroom that will have a wall mounted TV
• Master bathroom that will have a wall mounted TV over the tub

My thought in the Master Bedroom was to hide the cable box(s) in a closet and attempt to snake an HDMI cable and COAXIAL from the closet to the wall mounted TV in the bedroom (to keep it clean looking) and then either run a separate HDMI to the TV in the bathroom along with a COAXIAL cable that would drop in the closet.

Also in the Master bedroom to have a 2 CAT6 drops on either side of the bed (since it will only be in one spot of the room). These would be used for phone and internet.

The living room shares the same wall with the closet so IDK if it is a good idea to keep that separate or include it somehow with the closet option. we will have a TV in the living room (only one wall can house a TV) so I planned on having an entertainment center there that I can have all the cable / CAT 6 / Speaker wire run behind so I can run a receiver there.

The Den / Office will be at the moment just a straight forward CAT6 / phone / Cable connection but I am not sure how many runs to make since this will be my main computer area (laptop / Desktop / NAS).

Kitchen and dinette area are combined and I didn't have any plans on running anything there but I probably should...not sure if it is worth it to run CAT6 to the appliance locations (stove / fridge / etc...).

Right now I have just Time Warner with a single DVR (one coaxial connection) but have been reading that if you get a dual tuner DVR from a satellite company you need two separate COAXIAL cables as well as a third if you need an HDTV antenna (so that is three right there for that single location).

IDK I might have bitten off more than I can chew at the moment lol

 

[CubanlB]

ok, I'm going to start working on this. The Vikings are just awful...

 

[leeland]

ok, I'm going to start working on this. The Vikings are just awful...

ha ha ha...don't miss the 4th quarter...it looks like it might be a game finally!

 

[RobertE]

I can't speak for Dish, but DirecTv "requires" solid copper RG6. Mainly to minimize dc voltage drop over the length of the run. In reality, unless you are going over 200ft it's not going to matter if it's solid copper or copper clad steel. I'd go solid copper though.

With an HD install with DirecTv, you should get a SWiM installation, ie single wire to all boxes including DVRs, can use 2-2300mhz splitters. It also allows for multi-room viewing. Very similiar to ATT Uverse.

With that said, I'd still go at least 2rg6/2 cat 5e/6 to at least 1 wall in each bedroom/kitchen/office/den. At least 4/4 in the living/family/game/home theater room.

Some will say it's overkill and a waste of money. Cable is cheap in the grand scheme of things. That second rg6 could be used for many things. An off air antenna for backup, security camera distribution, video distribution or just as a backup in case shit happens at some point and the one run stops working.

For RG6, this is a good choice. http://www.solidsignal.com/pview.as...-(Reel-in-a-Box)--Black-(ULPVRG6SCBLK)&c=Bulk RG-6 Coax Cable&sku=

A nice size conduit is always helpful from basement to attic. You never know what you might want to get from one to the other later. Again, a few bucks for some conduit is a lot cheaper now than replacing a wall later.

 

[CubanlB]

1. most coax will have a rating to what ghz it has been tested too. You should be looking for 2.8-3ghz swept tested. Most cable companies don't use any frequencies above 1 ghz, but most coax will work for either. Actually satellite tends to be more picky about the quality of the F connector barrels (the screw connector on the wall plate). I wouldn't worry about those as if you have sat installed the installer will provide all the wallplates you need. (They should at least, many are contractors so its a bit of a gamble but not as bad as most people make it out to be)

2,3. meh, I have learned that this can vary regionally, just use the protectors, they are cheap and just hammer in. All the screw protector is a piece of metal with 4 spikes that you hammer into the stud. Anyway, it tends to be easier to route through the ceiling. If you take the time and plan your route you can minimize the horizontal stud running. Also, if you make the whole large enough and it doesn't need to be sealed with foam a screw will just move the wire out of the way most times.

4. I have always liked solid as if you are going to be using a punchdown block (solid is basically required for a punchdown). As long as the cable is cl2 rated (should be listed on the jacket) it's rated for inwall use even if it isn't advertised as such. Stranded is mostly for flexibility and making patch cables.

5. Nothing beats some type of pull tube for future use. If you are future proofing for cbl, hdmi, etc... a one inch tube would be fine. 2" is good for older sat configurations where many (4) coax must be run from the dish to a multiswitch. Bigger is better, but its also much harder to route when you consider it would have to go down 2 non-loadbearing walls. (it wouldn't HAVE to... but it would save a lot of headaches) I have found that 1" waste water tubing sold at home depot works great for hdmi and like 3 coax but not much more (and some cable lube may be needed if there are any sharp turns). I don't know how long you have before installing but they can usually order whatever size you want in 50' spools. it would be less work to just run 4 coax to the attic, but what you put up there you are basically stuck with.

Directv now uses a splitter like system (called a single wire multiswitch, swm for short) to use only one coax from the dish to the switch, and 2 coax's to each box (it might be one to each box, I don't remember)

Dish is a bit different.

But, yes the biggest tube to the attic you can manage is great. If you don't run anything through it you might be required to fill it (just the end of the tube, and you can cut it off for use) with expanding foam when the house is inspected, but this is a good idea anyway. it also opens up ever room that has attic access to the ceiling for in-ceiling speakers!

6. You run the speaker wire to wherever the hardware is you want to amp the house system with. Some people run it into the basement to have a separate whole house system, others run it to wherever you will have the main sound system and run it mostly as one system. I'd advocate running 4 conductor (has wire for left and right speakers) and a cat5/6 from wherever you want your house components, to each volume control location, and a 4conn to the speakers.

Speaker wire might cost more in the short run then say running conduit but it mostly depends on where you might have access and where you want speakers.

7. everywhere you want a cablebox/satbox I'd run 2/2. That's pretty standard and if you take precautions to protect your cable install you shouldn't have issue with broken cables. (worst case on one cat5 you can have an ethernet and 2 phone. you're just living on the edge!)

you don't need 2 coax for anything except older directv boxes/system. Dish uses some multiplexing tech to run over one coax and cable splits the signal inside the box. (2 feeds are only needed for dvr boxes anyway. regular HD boxes ar content with one coax.
2/2 is pretty common because it's fairly easy to buy 2 boxes of coax, and 2 boxes of cat5e/6 and pull it all to one location at once. All prewires are made easier by having someone to help you. one person pulling, one person feeding and watching for kinks etc...

Vikings just got exciting... I'll check this tomorrow. Keep asking questions if anything isn't clear as I tend to ramble (and put things in parentheses really for no reason)

Good advice on the coax though, if the coax is too cheap to be real, its copper clad steel. and its crap. good coax is pretty cheap anyway...

 

[CubanlB]

Robert is on point with that last post.

that perfect vision looks good to me. Have you used it before?

Edit: the game is shaping up to be a little exciting. But if you know the Vikings they will find a way to lose.

Yup, Favre throws the INT. Not surprised in the slightest...

 

[Modelworks]

2 x RG6 and 2 x Cat5/6 is all you need to support just about anything now and in the future. They do make structured wiring cables which are everything bundled together. It cost more but is easier to pull.
http://www.smarthome.com/868261J/2-Cat-5e-2-RG6-Quad-Cable-Jacket-500-Feet-RG6-Coax-Cable/p.aspx

If you really want to splurge you could add fiber.
http://www.smarthome.com/868241J/2-Cat-5e-2-RG6-Quad-Cable-Jacket-500-Feet-RG6-Coax-Cable/p.aspx