Shame. I think I need an A/V guy

Hlubocky

This is one of those questions that you feel dirty asking as a huge geek... but I really don't know what to do. We are hoping to close on a condo in mid-December, and the big family room downstairs has 4 wires coming out of a hole in the wall, presumably right where the previous owners had a giant tv. As my plans also involve a giant TV, I was hoping to make use of them.

There are in-ceiling speakers (can these possibly produce good sound for rear speakers?) in the back of the room, and two of the wires that look kind of like a coax cable with 2 of at least four different inner wires stripped. I'm guessing that these are the speaker wires that go to the receiver. There is a third cable that looks like another coax (cable tv type )cable (with no connector, just cut on the end), and one that looks like an ethernet cable, which I'm pretty sure it isn't since nowhere else in the building is there ethernet (again, no connector).

So I want to be able to tell exactly what these cables are, but I think I don't have the tools to figure it out. When I was talking with the inspector (he had no idea either), he mentioned that my A/V guy would take care of this. Does anyone have any experience with hiring an A/V person? When I think of what these people would typically be called on to do, I imagine designing and implementing custom A/V setups. All I really need is just some advice on wtf is going on with the wires running through the walls. Is this just a consultation? How much would I expect to pay to show someone around our building and have him poke around the walls?

Thanks!

Djeet

Typically rear surrounds are dipoles that fire towards to listening area (really they are pointed towards the listening area, but fire at angles to the listening area, but whatever), but I'd try out the in cieling speakers before buying anything. They might not image as well traditional rear surrounds, but given how minor a part they play compared to center, FL/FR and the sub you might not notice at all and they could work fine.

As far as the wires go, pictures would help. And you could certainly use co-ax (if that's what is installed in wall) to deliver audio signal to a speaker. I've never tried using ethernet cable to deliver audio signal, it might work, though you might get some interference (small guage, plus twisted wire pair).

I've never hired an A/V guy as I'm fine with running and terminating cabling myself (though for video I'd just buy instead of terminate). If you're cost conscious I recommend trying DIY before talking to a pro. Audio cabling is pretty easy: easier then say, ethernet cabling.

Hlubocky

Djeet wrote: »

Typically rear surrounds are dipoles that fire towards to listening area (really they are pointed towards the listening area, but fire at angles to the listening area, but whatever), but I'd try out the in cieling speakers before buying anything. They might not image as well traditional rear surrounds, but given how minor a part they play compared to center, FL/FR and the sub you might not notice at all and they could work fine.

As far as the wires go, pictures would help. And you could certainly use co-ax (if that's what is installed in wall) to deliver audio signal to a speaker. I've never tried using ethernet cable to deliver audio signal, it might work, though you might get some interference (small guage, plus twisted wire pair).

I've never hired an A/V guy as I'm fine with running and terminating cabling myself (though for video I'd just buy instead of terminate). If you're cost conscious I recommend trying DIY before talking to a pro. Audio cabling is pretty easy: easier then say, ethernet cabling.

I'm definitely going to try the speakers first to see how they sound. I would imagine anyone serious enough to wire the room that way would at least get decent speakers. As for the wires, I would post pictures if I had them, but I forgot to take some the during the inspection, and since we don't own the place yet, probably won't get a chance to for a while. I am interested in seeing how much it costs to get someone out to talk to about the way things are setup.

Enos316

I would say those stripped wires probably are the speakers. As for the others pics would be nice. But also, next time you're in the house have someone go downstairs while you tug on the cables and trace them out. The coax and Ethernet cable must be going somewhere and it would be best to figure out where.

I'll bet the coax goes back to some kind of splitter. Ethernet might have been used to extend his DSL or something. Kind of an odd move cutting of all the ends though, kinda screws you a bit.