Anyone have experience with installing whole house audio over CAT5 wiring?

to what extent? A-bus, line level over baluns, ip? yes to all what do you need help with?

BangTech,

Thanks for your reply.

I am very new to the technology and wanted to know some of the advantages and disadvantages. Also, I didn’t realize that there was a difference between A-Bus and Cat5. In lamens terms can you help me understand these two technologies a little better?

Thanks

ddlldrinc - 04 June 2008 03:08 PM

Anyone have experience with installing whole house audio over CAT5 wiring?

We have used a few products.
Gefen, Extron, Audio Control & Mux Lab

I use Extron for CV / RS-232 (over the same cat5)
Audio Control for Audio
Gefen for Audio & RS-232
Mux Lab for cheap jobs.

So far so good, they help cut down on infrastructure costs and can help with minimal prewire jobs.

I personally think Cat5e isn’t enough - the CEA2030 standard insists on AWG16/4 speaker cable as well.
This specification can be found on the ANSI website and is well-thought out and gives the client much more flexibility - volume controls all the way up to touchscreens.

With an all-Cat5 install what the client saves on wire they lose on the bits on the each end.

Neopro offers audio/video matrix switches in 1080p over Cat 5e

We are using netstream. Works fine and is very flexible.

I second carl’s response.

I have been with NS for a while now, and have had excellent success with them.  I may be replacing a Crestron system with their gear in the near future.