Today was a really big day for the home automation and audio visual systems at the “L” Shaped House. The SLH Home Systems folks finished setting up the alarm, and central vacuum systems early this morning and spent the rest of the day mounting the big screen televisions and setting up the audio systems in the rest of the house. The first photo shows the fruits of all this work as Sam takes in our ceremonial first Blue-Ray movie screening…The Dark Knight…on the 60” plasma screen in the basement.
The work began on the back wall of the garage as the SLH guys mounted the junction box in the first photo for the cable television wiring. We have not yet picked a provider for cable TV but have the wiring for either Comcast Cable or Direct TV satellite in place. The second photo shows the video amplifier and splitter in the media distribution center on the wall in the mechanical room. We have the co-axial cables running to the televisions connected to the broadcast antenna in the attic and are receiving a remarkably good signal across the channels.
The next photo shows the structured media box on the plywood wall panel in the mechanical room with the 19” rack on the left and the alarm system box at the top right hand side. The in-house audio system (ceiling speakers on the first floor) is connected to the stereo receiver that is installed on the bottom shelf of the 19” rack system. The receiver is connected to a set of RCA jacks in the wall along the back of the kitchen desk where a music player (ipod/Zune) or tuner may be attached to the system. The Yamaha receiver is connected to the antenna in the attic that brings in more than 40 radio stations. We have wires running in the walls throughout the house that terminate in this area to support almost any possible contingency in the event we decide to add a more sophisticated audio control system later. The SLH guys also finished installing the last bits of the alarm system, powered it all up, and tested all the contacts, motion detectors and panels.
The photo here shows the alarm panel inside the breezeway entrance set up ready to arm. Deb and I got a complete tour of the alarm system features and instructions on how to arm and disarm the system. Starting tonight the “L” Shaped House armed and secure!
The sixth photo shows the Beam central vacuum power unit installed on the wall in the basement mechanical room. Deb and I also got a tour of the features and operation of the vacuum system today. The SLH guys mounted the hose racks and tool kits in the first and second floor closets and tested all of the vacuum inlets throughout the house. This whole system is going to be really slick!
The series of photos below show the SLH guys as they worked to install the big screens in the basement family room and first floor music room. The first shows the family room as they got started sorting out the wiring and laying out all of the elements of the A/V system.
Next a shot of the Pioneer plasma screen as they work to prepare the wall mounting system.
Finally a shot of the basement family room with the plasma screen mounted on the wall under the surround sound speakers in the ceiling.
The last two photos show the 46” Sony LCD television on the wall of the first floor music room. First one of the SLH guys working on tying up some of the extra wires behind the screen as they finish up mounting both the television and Samsung sound bar. The sound system includes speaker “bar” beneath the television and wireless sub-woofer in the far corner of the room.
And finally…a shot of the complete system mounted on the music room wall all ready to go!
