El have created whole-houseMultimedia Home...

8
or many years, custom audio and video installers have created whole-house El entertainment systems for the rich and famous. Dur- ing the last few decades, the cost of these systems fell within reach of an av- erage millionaire, but it still remained above the resources of most middle-class families. As multimedia emerges into the home, many people have learned that they can now watch television shows or listen to a CD from their computer. But, this is only scratching the surface. How would you like to create a first-class, whole-house entertainment sys- tem based on your multimedia computer and on a budget you can afford? With a few small additions. you can have VCRs or laser-disc players in other rooms display on your multimedia computer. You can also see, hear, and control the CD- ROM in your multimedia computrr from any television in your home. You can even create a video-intercom system that lets you see and hear users from other rooms in your house through a multimedia computer or television. You can install these features in an afternoon using existing cable. To understand your options, letk first take a look at what’s going on today. Those who install or use entertainment systems in homes are involved with one of three possi- bilities: distributed. centralized, or networked entertainment. Understanding these three possibilities can help you with future decisions. DISTRIBCTED EXTERT_4lNMEN’l Once upon a time, the home’s entrrtain- ment system was limited to a singlr antenna or cable connection to the one radio or telr- vision located in the living room. Then, someone bought televisions for other rooms, connected them to the incoming source through splitters and cable, and crratrd what we call a distributed entertainment system (see Figure 1). In this concept,.coax cable is used to distribute the incoming entertainment sig- nals to output devices (televisions) in any OI all rooms. With the aid of a video adapter. multimedia computers can be addrd to the list of output devices, so you can watch Star Trek on your computer. Whilr it represents a step up from an old-fashioned, singlc-out- Ict system, it still falls short of man! of the features and adrantagrs that are available. 60 ,JANUARY 1995 Multimedia Home Networks CENTRdLlZED ENTERTZINMENT For only a few 810 thousand. many custom audio and video dealers will install a centralized entertainment system in your home. In this environment (see Figure 2). one room in the home is selrrtod as the en- tertainment rrnler where a variety of entertainment products arc installed. ITsing distribution amplifiers. miles 01 special-purpose wiring. and remote speak- crs, this system broadcasts the source in the entertainment center through the home. In other words. a CD playing in the entrrtain- ment room can be listened to while in any other room in the home. You could compare this system to an older mainframe computer where you would pay a ton of money to have all the processing done in one location. Compared to a simple distributed sys- tem. a centralized entertainment syslem provides a lot of features. With the addition of wall-mounted volume controls, infrared repeaters. and more wires. the user can even control the entertainment equipment from remote rooms. IIowever, dislribution is still limited to thr rquipment in the entertainment renlrr. Remote users hale to acrehs the CD in the player of the cntertainmrnt room. Further- more, rooms (‘an end up H ith several sets of speakers. One set of speakers is dedicated to the housr-diatl.ibutiorl system I+ hile an- other SPI is 11srci bj the multimedia computer or other audio and video equip- ment in that room. The third system is often rclferred to as networked entertainment or home net- m:orlEing (see Figure 3). In this en\ ironment, the output from your computer and enter- tainmc~nl devicfls ran ,e distributed throughout the home. The user can arress any of the derives I’rom XIV room. In manv homes. the Miring is aIrcad\ in pIarc h a networked en- trrtainmrnt svs(rm. You ran use the llAVlD GADDIS Forget rewiring. Use your ex- isting coax cable system to create a first-class, whole- house entertainment system that includes a multimedia com- puter and is on a budget you can afford.

Transcript of El have created whole-houseMultimedia Home...

Page 1: El have created whole-houseMultimedia Home Networksfaculty.petra.ac.id/resmana/private/circuit-cellar/Multimedia Home... · prehcnt dislributcd svstrm and adci a few new components.

or many years, customaudio and video installershave created whole-houseEl entertainment systems forthe rich and famous. Dur-ing the last few decades,the cost of these systemsfell within reach of an av-

erage millionaire, but it still remained abovethe resources of most middle-class families.

As multimedia emerges into the home,many people have learned that they can nowwatch television shows or listen to a CD fromtheir computer. But, this is only scratchingthe surface. How would you like to create afirst-class, whole-house entertainment sys-tem based on your multimedia computerand on a budget you can afford?

With a few small additions. you canhave VCRs or laser-disc players in otherrooms display on your multimedia computer.You can also see, hear, and control the CD-ROM in your multimedia computrr fromany television in your home. You can evencreate a video-intercom system that lets yousee and hear users from other rooms in yourhouse through a multimedia computer ortelevision. You can install these features inan afternoon using existing cable.

To understand your options, letk firsttake a look at what’s going on today. Thosewho install or use entertainment systems inhomes are involved with one of three possi-bil i t ies: distr ibuted. central ized, ornetworked entertainment. Understandingthese three possibilities can help you withfuture decisions.

DISTRIBCTED EXTERT_4lNMEN’lOnce upon a time, the home’s entrrtain-

ment system was limited to a singlr antennaor cable connection to the one radio or telr-vision located in the living room. Then,someone bought televisions for other rooms,connected them to the incoming sourcethrough splitters and cable, and crratrdwhat we call a distributed entertainmentsystem (see Figure 1).

In this concept,.coax cable is used todistribute the incoming entertainment sig-nals to output devices (televisions) in any OI

all rooms. With the aid of a video adapter.multimedia computers can be addrd to thelist of output devices, so you can watch StarTrek on your computer. Whilr it representsa step up from an old-fashioned, singlc-out-Ict system, it still falls short of man! of thefeatures and adrantagrs that are available.

60 ,JANUARY 1995

MultimediaHome NetworksCENTRdLlZED ENTERTZINMENT

For only a few 810 thousand. manycustom audio and video dealers will installa centralized entertainment system in yourhome. In this environment (see Figure 2).one room in the home is selrrtod as the en-tertainment rrnler where a variety ofentertainment products arc installed.

ITsing distribution amplifiers. miles 01special-purpose wiring. and remote speak-crs, this system broadcasts the source in theentertainment center through the home. Inother words. a CD playing in the entrrtain-ment room can be listened to while in anyother room in the home. You could comparethis system to an older mainframe computerwhere you would pay a ton of money to haveall the processing done in one location.

Compared to a simple distributed sys-tem. a centralized entertainment syslemprovides a lot of features. With the additionof wall-mounted volume controls, infraredrepeaters. and more wires. the user can evencontrol the entertainment equipment fromremote rooms.

IIowever, dislribution is still limited tothr rquipment in the entertainment renlrr.Remote users hale to acrehs the CD in theplayer of the cntertainmrnt room. Further-more, rooms (‘an end up H ith several sets ofspeakers. One set of speakers is dedicatedto the housr-diatl.ibutiorl system I+ hile an-o t h e r SPI is 11srci bj t h e m u l t i m e d i acomputer or other audio and video equip-ment in that room.

The third system is often rclferred toas networked entertainment or home net-m:orlEing (see Figure 3). In this en\ ironment,the output from your computer and enter-tainmc~nl devicfls ran ,e d i s t r i b u t e dthroughout the home. The user can arressany of the derives I’rom XIV room.

In manv homes. the Miring isaIrcad\ in pIarc h a networked en-trrtainmrnt svs(rm. You ran use the

llAVlD GADDIS

Forget rewiring. Use your ex-

isting coax cable system to

create a first-class, whole-

house entertainment system

that includes a multimedia com-

puter and is on a budget you

can afford.

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same coaxial cable that distri hutcs theentcrtainmcnt signals from thr out-side world. In simplr terms. T-0 uconnect the output of your computerand entertainment de\ ices to thecable and then tune the receivers inother rooms to the channel that tiis-plays the derice y-au Hant to access.

In addition to proriding gwatercontrol and flexibilily. this conceptis easier to install and costs less thana ccnlralizcd entrrlainment s\stein.

711 srt it up. you can start with your

prehcnt dislributcd svstrm and adci a

few new components.T,et; take a closer look at this

SI stem.

COMPI-TERIZEI) TEI,E\‘ISlOKMultimedia computers can be

added to a distributed entertainmentsystem ,V adding a ~ideoadapter cardto your computer and attaching thecable srstem to thr F connector on thrT-idea-adapter card. This setup letsyou watch any trlevision show on VOUI~

cahlr from the computer.The software that comes with the

video adapter also offers certain con-trols. You can resize the picture andmo\c it into a corner (you h’t haveto miss vour favor&e shah while work-ing in other applications), or use acaplure command to freeze a frame.Captured frames can he imported intoolher software where thrv ran he ma-nipulated and used.

RROADC-ASTlI\G SICX\lSThe video-adapter manufactur-

ers are proud of the fact that \‘CRsand ridro camcras can he attached IO

their board as an input device. Howwer, if you follow their generalinstrur(ions. vou usually haw to re-locate !~our \;CR or video camera to alocation near the computer. Theynever’ poinl out that vou can connectthe \;CX to the cable so vou can watchVCR-pla)rd movies on !-our compute,or anv other television in the home.

?o do this, howrber. there arelimitations to overcome. ‘I’hr outputsof most entertainmrnt tic\ ices suchas !-our VCH are usually designed by

the manufacturer to be limited to ei-ther television channels 3 and 4 or

line-level audio and Giro (NTSC). Ob-

Ep

lz!azlCD/Laser Disc

Dust Ampmm~___,_Modulator

ElSpeaker

IIBal

CD/Laser Disc

D~sl Amp

Modulator

Speaker

viousl!. if multiplr de\-ices are broadcast-ing simultanrously. theI- cannot use thr same. ”frequent M ithout thv signals intrrferingwith each other.

For example. if YOU c~onnc~cted thr out-put of your VCR directI\; to Ihe cable, itwould intrrfere F+ ith channels 3 or 4 alread!there. ‘I’hr telw isions and computrrs wouldreceive a mess.

Prrhaps someda!. manufacturers will offw a M ider selection of

outputs for entertainment products. For now,this condition can be addressed bv the usrof a derire kno\c n as a modulator: A modu-lator, picturrd in Photo 1, is a smallelrc,tronic de\-ice that receirrs a signal mostenIertainment dekes output. The modula-tor changes the signal’s frequency so thatthe tir\ ice’s output can br broadcast in an-other channel.

n!- connecting a modulator to the au-

dio and 1 ideo outputs of your VCK (or anv

J.ANI!ARY 1995 61

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Television

aEl

c1u BComputer

VCR

ImaCD/Laser Disc

Dist. Ampmm,_,___,_MOdUl&X

I3Speaker

other rntrrtainment d&x), the signal com-ing out of thr modulator van hc tuned to anunused channrl hetwen 2 and 120. You ranthen connect the modulator’s output to thecable svstcm H ithout intc~rfcwnce.

Suppose you arc’ c.onnected to a cahlrcstem which prop i&s programming WI the

first 50 tc~lcvision channels. and vou own aVCR anti a laser-disc player loralrd in tlif-ferent rooms. ~Iodulators (‘an hc wnnec~tetlto each of the devices, tuned for output as

c,hannels 52 and 54. thrn r~wm-netted t o thr cahlr svstem. Aon,from vow computer or an, tcle~ i-

“The wall socket of the future.” Popular Mechanics, September ‘94

“The system is the first pre-wiring system that prepares the home for thefuture CEBus products.” Home Theater, April ‘94

“The Tee-System - a wiring backbone developed to accommodate thegrowing digital communications needs of the home.” m, Nov. ‘94

“Wiring up for telecommuting -tomorrow’s technology.” Interiors, Nov. ‘94

“The US Tee-System - wiring at its best.” Electronic House, Nov. ‘93

List of Top 50 most popular products featured in 1993. Builder, Dec. ‘93

The experts agree, homes should be Tee-wired now,Call todav for more information.

470 South Pearl Street 1_8dO-836-2312 Canandaigua,NY 1 4 4 2 4

I

sion in the home. vou can ac’ct‘ss allthr regular cable channrls and rrcri\ra program from the VCR on rhanncl5 2 or \tatch a laser-disc movie: hvchanging to rharmel 54.

SEI,EC’L’IRC A MODl’LSI’ORModulators are arailahle with

srrrral options and stvles. The\ arearailahle for connection to one. two,or three input tir\iccs and range inprice from S40 to S650. The I~WSI-cosl modulators arc designed for nmnoor a single-audio channel. Thrl areideal for such things as ritieo cameras,N hich only use one audio channel.

Howver, for distributing yourVCR or laser-disc mories. JOLI ma!want to opt for a stereo modulator.which includes both Icft and rightaudio channels. Many also inc:lu& adigital readout tiispla! ing the outputchannels on thr front panel. Lnltercost models do not inrlutic~ this op-tion. One of the most significantcwlsitleratinns inrolmti with the se-lec~tion of a modulator is bawd OII thene& of the avstrm.

Drtermi&q the t! pe of modu-lator >ou nwd requires a somcw hathistorical prrspwti\e. 11 long timeago. the FCC allotted fryurnries fortliffwcwt telrvision channels. 2t tha ttime. 55.25-211.25 MIIz was cowid-cwd \cr.y high frryurnr! (VHI;) andall of thr networks acre covered 1)~rhannrls 2-13. ‘I’hrk then allotted thehands itith of 211.%-471.25 MHz forother sw\ icw such as ham radio andair-traffic control. \\ hen the FCCnec~tictl more trlevision channels, t hrvatiticd channels l,$-69 in thr ultrah i g h frequenr~ (LHF) r a n g e nl4X.25-801.25 MHz.

B.hrn cahlc companies dwidrd1 hty wanted more than 69 rhanncls.they squr~cwd channels rhowr IO-

grther i n thr handwidth t!pirall!-rcw:r\rd for ham radios or air-traffic:cwulrol. Is a result. antenna?; receiw

thr channels from 14 and higher on a

62 JAW,4RY 1995 #201

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tuw that is o n WUL cwrnputcr.

sc:wen anti cvu\c~~ts it to t hc ma-

log output of \ot11’ I&\ isiori scwen.

‘I%(~ output Irm~u I his l~oard goes toa standard KC1 \ i&o jack, M hich(‘ai hc corin(v~Icd lo the input of-\ou gu(~~srd il-a modufatoi:

11’ thcr.cs is an audio output on\ow L idco aclaplf~r, wu c a n con-

rircl it to Ilic~ rriotiulator~ a l s o .:llthough most \ i&o a(1apter.s do

ml irdude audio-output jacks, >oucan use the audio output of thesound c,ard that is a~ailahl~~ on niosl multi-rned ia cwniputws.

\ftw you tuncx thr rnodt~la~o~~ to ?our~

desiwd ou tpu t c:hannc~l. you can watch and

listen to that wulputcr florn an! trim iaion(OI. other mu Itim& cornplltr~s) irl the home

h! selrcting the cornputw’s c~trarrrrrl.

I2ow that >ou (‘au SW and hew the CD-

fiOM f~~~nl an\ tclr~ ision in the horrrr~. thechiItiwn c’au hrw~sc~ I hr rnc~yclofwtiiathrwugh thcil tt,lc\ isions. 01. cm they? 110~

do thr\ srlcct subjr~cts h~JrrJ the nl(mus o n

their tulle\ isiorrs?Llau! n1anufaac.t UIYE ;IIY w o r k i n g on

t h a t enc. FUI UIY~ tclm isions anti cvrllputr~s

inc~ludr built-in hard#aw that t~uahl~~s 1h~rl1

IO c~orrlrrlunirate with each othrr thrwugh the

c~;d)lc 01’ e\ tw t hwugh thr poMcr.-line wives

the! are pluggrti into. Inlong t titw debt~f-opments. Intel an t i blicwsol’t ar*t \\ovking

M i th other nI;ulut21c,tu~c:I.s IO de\ isr a svs-

tt%nI that w i l l tJ(b intduwti as ;I homeswt \\or.k some tirnra in t hc l’u t uw.

‘Ihdak \OII (‘a11 11% moth tJOWd t hal.i s a!;iifabfe anti knoM11 ;1s au ir~frtrred re-

wiwr 6oc1d ‘l’h~~ hods aw de~igntd toiwri~ (’ iiil’~;iwti signals I’voni a 51iiall. hdiitl-held wmotc~ WI~IIWI t h;rl irrc~llrties ;I keyhoard

and I~IOUS~~ huttons. This hand- held c~nablw

!Oll t0 W11tIY~~ \OUI’ rWm~Jllt~l~ lYIllOtd\.

~lo\cc\c~~, inl’r.arwi trchnologv has lim-lat ions. IIit’Iwcd wrriotes must Iw fwintdaI the wwi~tx must haw a11 unobstrwtdpath lo the Iwcbi\cx~‘, ,‘iw limittd to il larigc

of’ apf”‘““in1atd\ ?A’. anti do not I’uiict ion

MI’11 in tiiwc,t sunl i t contiit ions (i.tl..

sola~iuriis or outdooI3). Sinw t hv (~hifdrvii

iiw in ot liw IwJnis I’rwii the cwrrifJutt~1: I ht.1

need to use an iril’r2rwf wpeater. to (‘;ir’~\the signals ~I~III the rcrnotr to the computt~c

111l’rarcd rvpeater~s function just likethrir namr implies. On one rd. thw IT-

wiw an inl’rwwf signal. .-Zt t hr other end.

thw qroduce a similar. infrxrti signal. So.thr irrl’varwl rwri~ PI‘ in thr c~hiltirwr’s rwomis conrrec~trd to an inf’rwd cmittcr in thecwmfnrtwY5 ~wm. k hen thr c~hiltlrrrr uw t hr

wrnotts in their. IY~OII~S. thr wfwater. systemcwr~irs that output into the ot hw r~Jom to

c,ontr.ol the cwrnfJul~~r:

I llf’l~alwi lr~[JcYll~Ts rYnllmonl\ ,I%'

an! of thaw nwlhot~s to tr.;lnsmit sig-

nals into ot hvi. rworns. Sorw of I he

siniplt5l Iqwatws usr* HI; to Iixiismil

signals. ‘l’hc inl’rxrwi rvc~t~i\c~r~ in OIW

1’00m inc~lutlvs a I’ildiO t i~aiisniillc~i~ t hiltscwds signals up to 150’ and t hwughHaI Is. -\ rwiio rwr’i\(‘r 011 t Iw 01 hci. twtl

pick\ uf) thv rxdio signals Ili~~ii ivpiw-

a~ailaldc as attachments to an infra-rwi remote 01’ as talrle-top devicxx.

I’rwlbssional audio arid \ i&o in-

stallions ol’lrn us? IOM -voltqy wires,u hich UC similar to telephone wirrsanti pro\ idc a gwat rwwrw for thrUSC ol’ inf’rwed wpeatws. ‘I’hr wivesa n d RI-45 jack titw:r&d \tith thedual-wax system aw i&al I’or. t h i s .Khrn installed, you ~a11 plug inf’r.a-

rwl rweiww into jacks in an? or alli~ooms anti plug inl’rarwl crrrittws intojacks in thta mor11s H ith devices J-Wuant to cwntrd. _Iltrrn;ili~ely. you wrisupport t h r uw ol’ an inf’rarwl IV’-peattar system with an unused pair oftelephonr M ire, 01’ JOU can custominstall 10~ -voltage widng to supporl

this wpeater:.~nolher method to tiistrihute

inl’r2wd cornmantis lwtwccn r’oomsuses the same coaxial cahlc caryingthe telm ision signals. This rrrrt hod IP-quiws special splittc~~ic~orrrhir~rrde\ ices to add and extract the inf’ra-rwl signals to anti frorr~ the cable ineach ~wm. If VW choose this method.most amplific~s and headends are not

yet tirsigncd lo fxiss infr2rwl signals.

You nwd to install tiny jumper cables

xound them.

Zl)l)lrK VIDEO c \ZIE:l~1S

\\ hen t hc doo~~lwll rings. Inany

fwoplc c~hoow to gt1 to t hr door to WC

bt ho ih t hr. Some srcwity wrnpa-

nivs like to install cixpclnsi\c \ i&or’;lmew ant1 cwnnwt thorn to c’xpen-

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Spectrum chart-NTSC

I UHF IOff-airband

Oft-airband

OfMfband

Off-airband

2.4.6 7.9Il.13 14..17..20..23..26..*~..~*..~~..~,..~~..~7..~~..~~..~~~..~~..~~..~~...6~

50 100 150 200 250 300 350 400 450 500 550 600 650 700 750 600 650

I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I III IIVHF mid VHF SUPER HYPER ULTRAlow band high band band band

214.6 W-11-1314.16.18.20.22 23.25.*7.29.31d935.~7yMu13~46~~~”~~”~~~,164-67”7~73”76”7~”**”~~”~~~,-94”97”100”103”1055”108”111”114”117”120

Off-W 50 100 150 200 250 300 350 400 450 500 550 600 650 700 750 600 650

Off-airband I bkd I

HYPERband I

sivr, special-purpose video monitors. You cando it that way, hut here’s another solution.Install an inexpensive video camera at the

Video cameras (often knor+ n as CCTV)are now as small as pocket pagers. They arc

door that legs you SW the visitor on your

availahle for both indoor and outdoor in-

televisions.

stallations, and the cost has fallen to a fewhundred dollars. They are designed for prr-

manent mounting on a wall. or they can heset on top of a television, shelf, or t~omputer.Some manufacturers also build cameras intomultimedia computers and household itemssuch as lamps, clocks, and mirrors.

You can mount one of these ramrras althe front door and use a modulator 1.0 cow

trol the output so that it ran be viewed as atelevision channel. lTow when the doorbellrings, you simply change to the front-doorchannel and you can see and hear the visi-tor. Of course, the visitor cannot SW or hearyou in this situation. However. there areother devices available that enable vou topick up a nrarh! trlrphone or activate thetelephone soft Marc on your computer. H!these methods, vou could greet your visitorthrough a speaker attat.hrd to the doorhell.Similar cameras platwl war lhr hackyard,pools, spas, or garagrs cnahlc you lo \itw

those areas as Nell.

INSTALLING FIXF:J) VJDEO CAMEK 4STemporary or portable video t~ameras

are often used in rooms that are su 1)jec.t to

66 JANUARY 1995

rwiecoral ing. On I htx ollwr hand. your I’roiil

door ib Ii kel\ to wmairl i 11 I h(* same lot,al ionas are IIW bat~k\artl and SW imming lwol. I:or

B hrii c itko cameras are installed inI’iwd loc~a(ions. th

t htw loc~ations. vou can iiisbll a t’amera in

ere art st~~twl opt ions foi

Ihc Miring. II’ il is wn~tviitwt, !ou could

a fixrd and l~c~rrnancwt position.

l)l;lcY~ I ht, rnotlulalor iitwh~ illltl tWnrltY~l il

IO the cal)lt~. I IoM(~\w. man! lwoplv lwt+r IO

install lhc ~iiodulnlors for I’ixul c;lmrr;is in

;i stv iw wnlcr or rlosrl H il h 01 hw dikl r-

I)ution equipnit~nl swli as Ilic twix ht~adt~iitl

and aniplifit~rs.

‘I’hr m o d u l a t o r i s

I hrn cwunwtetl tot hr rahlr H here iti s inslalled insidrthts WI’\ iw wnlcr.The UT%: audioand b idtw \+ ires aw

iv n I’rorn I htw l o

the t~amera.Most vi d et)

r;init~r;~s nerd ;I

pair of low-\oltagcl

wirrs IO hring in DC collage from thrpnurr supplv, and they use standard2TSC audio/\ ideo cable (often H ithIK4 jacks) to ctinduct the sound andJ)icture. Video cables are preferredIwcause they art’ Iwtter s h i e l d e dagainst intc&renw. Iii some cases.Ie\eI 4e or 5 low-voltage wircxs are usc~dfor thr audio and \ idrn transmission.

But, tncr long runs or nrar high-pnb+c>r wirrs ni nthrr po\tcrccIuipmrn(. lhrq can pick tip inlrr-I’wrncr. You can run the \ idro wires

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parallel to the lowvoltage wires pou-cring the camera, but avoid runningthe rideo cables parallel to power M ir-ing. If you must cross over power\+ ires, try to do so at right angles.

CREATJK A VIDEO INTERCOMLXng the same setup as you do

to see people at your front door, youcan see and hear a person in specificrooms. If vou set up several rooms,you can create your 0M n video intcr-corn system that works through YOUIcomputers and televisions.

For example, say Dad is watch-ing t&vision in the living room andJunior is working at the computer inthe library. W-hen Junior needs helpwith his homework, he can switch onthe living-room rhanncl and see andhear Dad on his computer. Using hisremote control and the infrared-re-peater system, Junior then changesIlad’s teloision to the library chan-m-1 (using the picture-in-picture ifakailablr). \OT+ they can set and heareach other. And, if Dad wants to lookat Junior’s homework, Dad just

changes his television to the computer chan-nel.

If the computer has a built-in camera,you may only need to add a modulator toget that room into your video intercom sys-tem. In the living room, family room,kitchen, and bedrooms, you can us;, CCTVcamera and a modulator. As you might imag-ine, there may be times when you don’t wantyour children to watch what you are doingin the bedroom from their televisions orcomputers. Of course, you could throw abathrobe over the camera, but you may wantto include a toggle switch that turns the cam-era or modulator off.

Many people prefer to install fixed cam-eras inside the rooms because it makes acleaner installation when the wiring can behidden inside the walls. However, since vnumay want to change the camera locationwhen you rearrange furniture. many indoorcameras are installed as temporary fixtures.As a temporary fixture, you can place thecamera on top of a lelevision or compuleror you can stick it to the surface ofa wall with screws, adhesive, orVelcro. In temporary installations,thr modulator is oftrn placed on a

shelf or behind other equipment, and thenconnected to the nearest cable outlet. 4s youmight guess, you can get greater flexibilityfrom this concept if you have several cablroutlets in the room. Multiple room outletsare recommendrd in new construction or rc-modeling projects.

.A COST 4NALYSISA4ssuming that you already have all of

the computers and televisions that you need,what would you expect to pay for a com-plete home netwnrk such as this? The finalanalysis is going to differ from home to homrdepending on many variables.

Rut, let’s look at an avrrage est imatc.You can use your existing cable. If vou

opt for the dual-coax system with headmd,the parts cost about $1,200 for an 8-outletsystem in a 2,500-square-foot home. Becauselarger homrs require more wire. add 25~ foreach additional square foot of vour homesize, and add $10 for each additional out-let. If you want it installrd by a contractor.double the cost of the materials.

The video card that allows vour com-puter to receive television channels addsS350 for a high-resolution model. The VG.4.

C:>everything.you.need.to.know.

@home.automation.assnJoin the one associationdedicated to serving the

fast-growing home automationindustry - the Home Automation

Association (HAA).HAA is expanding the market for homeautomation products and services with itsnew Gxwmer Understandihg Ptrqram (8.HAA includes all protocol developers,manufacturers of PC-based systems, andother major industry players. HAA mem-bers get the latest bottom-line news.Make sure you’re in the loop. Join today.

contact.HAA.todayInternet:

75250_1275@compuserve_comVoice: 202/223-9669

#203

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Page 8: El have created whole-houseMultimedia Home Networksfaculty.petra.ac.id/resmana/private/circuit-cellar/Multimedia Home... · prehcnt dislributcd svstrm and adci a few new components.

KTSC card and modulator that converts)our compulrr output to a telrrision rhan-nel mav add S400, and the infrared boardand remolr control for that computer addsanother S500. So, computer upgrades cantotal S1.250.

You should include a good quality ste-reo modulator with each VCR, CD. andlaser-disc player. .Assuming a typical homrhas five stereo modulators at a cost of $500each, this adds another $2.500 to the total.

To SW the front door. swimming pool,and garage OII your telerisions, vou ran usethrrr cameras and a 3-outlet mono modula-lor (usuall\ installed in a wryice center).This option adds about $1,100 for black-and-white cameras or S1.850 for color.

For the video intercom. each WI in-cludes a camera, mono modulator, and toggleswitch costs about S500 for black and M bileor 6800 for rolor. Assuming that you M-antone in each of four bedrooms, two liringareas. a library and kitchen, it will take eightsets or $4,000 for black and I+-bite and$6,400 for color.

Special thanks to L,S ?&c and Multiplex Tech-nology for providing the photographs.

David Gaddis is president ofllome SystemsZptwork in Edmnnd, Oklahoma. He authoredIlnderstanding & Installing Home Syslrmsand How To Automate Your Home. IIe ispresently developing a television seriescalled Intelligent Home, which will also beavailable on video tape and CDR0.W. Hemay be reached at (405) 30-0718.

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CCTV cameras, modulators, infraredrcpeatcrs, doorbell intercoms. and in-frarrd rrmotrs for computers:

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Home Automation Systems151 Kalmus Dr.. Ste. MBCosta Mesa. CA 92626(714) 708-0610Fax: (714) 708-0614

Home Automation and Security286 Ridgrdale -1~.East IIano\er, NJ 07936(201) 887-1117Fax: (201) 887-5170

Video and L%.4-UTSC adapters:Your local computer store.

11 R S I419 Very Useful420 Moderately Useful421 Not Useful

Let’s Work Together.Networking provides access to a world of resources, and HomeSystems Network offers a world of resources to those who areinterested in home automation. Check it out.

+ Are you looking for information?Obtain unbiased information about how to install anduse all types of home automation systems from ourbooks and Intelligent Home video tape series.

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