New House Build - Home Network?

[ChrisG]

Thanks for all the replies. All good food for thought, Graeme - you've burst my heid!!!

I already had the Sky and surround sound cabling on my list. I also want to look at do the ceiling speakers in a couple of zones however I've previously been an Apple/Airplay user. Not convinced I want to go to Sonus if there is an Apple option.

[j2 lot]

I was amazed to see recently that you can get a washing machine you can work over t'internet . I want one (but it costs £1800 ).
A frivolity and pointless unless youre organised enough to pre-plan loading your washing machine, but I still want one.

Anyway, as you were....

[neil]

I also want to look at do the ceiling speakers in a couple of zones however I've previously been an Apple/Airplay user. Not convinced I want to go to Sonus if there is an Apple option.

If you stick the speakers in and run the cables back somewhere then it's easy enough to hook up to airplay, sonos, or whatever comes out next. I'm currently running a squeezebox system with amptastic amplifiers but the same or cheaper amps would work fine with an airplay setup.

[graeme]

My perfectly normal £500 washing machine has a built in modem. If it breaks, you phone a support number, hold the phone up to the washing machine, and it will beep error codes and modem noises to the factory to tell them which part needs replaced. Why the human holding the phone instead an internet connection? Because nobody YET has an Ethernet connection in their utility room. Is it a waste of time to put one in? Not in my mind.

[campbell]

Our new washing machine has a timer. Get up in the morning and the washing's just finishing, ready to hang out. Clever.

[Ferg]

I'm doing a bit by big retro fit in my own house at the minute. Centralising cat5e into the loft for a patch panel. Having reviewed passing audio and video signals around I just don't think the technology is going in that direction. It's all network enabled local players connected to a content system like a media server. The devices are so small now they can stick to the back of a tv. Even CCTV can all be done via IP and PoE. So as long as you're not far from a physical network connected to a hub wherever you choose to put it, I think you'll cover your needs.

I was interested to see the NEST doesn't have a RJ45 socket though which was disappointing.

All very cool stuff. Especially when you see some of the possibilities beyond just sharing entertainment content .

[Sanjøy]

I have 15m hdmi v1.4 cables and no problem with HD. Cheapest I could buy too, cheaper than cat5 boxes.

If you plan on watching HD content don't even think of wifi streaming it.

I also use wired connections wherever I can and also use wifi. Why? I wfh and VoIP over wifi can be a pain and I have thick walls. Also the neighbour has a son of satan BT router that splays it's ass all over the spectrum. I don't even live in a city. If I did I would imagine this would be a shocker these days. I keep Wifi the reserve of phones, tablets and kitchen radios. Anything serious is wired.

I use cat5e, it's even strung over a roof where I have been lazy. Seen 300mb through it when stress testing it, will do for now.

Has a hdmi standard been ratified for 4k yet?