Multi Room Video

Multi Room Video

Let’s begin with the simplest, most common form of distributed video: cable television. Every TV in your home has a run of coaxial (coax) cable – most commonly RG6 – that runs back to a central location. This location can be in a structured wiring panel in the garage, or outside on the side of the home. This location is called the “home run,” as all wiring originates from here. Many modern systems are more connected than just cable television. With Blu-ray, cable or satellite set-top boxes, and streaming devices like Apple TV; a home can be filled with source components. With a properly designed and installed distributed video system, you could enjoy all of these sources without having to see the devices, and be able to route any source to any room on demand. Pretty slick!
Here are the key components involved:

Wiring: The wiring used will vary depending on the video source and the length of the run. HDMI cabling is the most commonly used, but it has definite distance limitations. Many systems use Category rated (Cat5/6) wiring or coax cable to send video up to hundreds of feet around a home.

The Control: With the components hidden away, you’ll need a way to control them remotely. For this, there are a few popular solutions:

• Infra-red (IR): An IR repeating system uses a small target that receives the commands from the remote and then relays the those signals back to the electronics. IR repeating systems are widely available and work with virtually any brand of components.
• Radio Frequency (RF): An RF remote transmits signals using radio waves. These signals can travel quite far including through walls/floors. A receiver then picks up these commands and turns them into IR or serial (RS-232) commands that the components can understand. RF remotes are generally more reliable because they aren’t prone to interference and don’t require pointing at a target like IR.
• Internet Protocol (IP): Many new components offer control using IP. This allows you to control your system via a web browser or through a dedicated app on your iPad/Phone or Android device.

Audio: Just as important as routing the video to the TV is routing the audio as well. Will audio be heard through the television’s speakers or through in-wall or in-ceiling speakers that are part of a distributed audio system? It can be done through both.

Routing: With the sources located at the home run, you need a way to route the signal to the appropriate room/TV. The most powerful way to do this is by using a video matrix switch. This device takes in multiple inputs – typically 4 or 8 – and routes them to multiple outputs. For instance, input 1 to output 4, input 2 to output 5, etc. Any output (room) can view any input (source), and multiple sources can be viewed simultaneously.

A distributed/Multi Room Video System will allow 1, Apple TV, Blu-ray Player or Media Server to be shared on any TV in the home or business.