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Technology Stocks : Frank Coluccio Technology Forum - ASAP -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Valueman who wrote (247)	11/5/1999 9:15:00 AM
From: Frank A. Coluccio	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 1782

Kevin, your questions are very appropriate, excellent in fact, for their timeliness both from an investment perspective, since many of the solutions you are likely to hear have established players or startups behind them pushing their emerging technologies, and these are always of interest to investors... and from a human interest level, as well, since many other --if not most-- members here are pondering the same issues. I know that I am. And the choices are getting more difficult to make, in a way, since the number of in-home communications alternatives increases, almost daily. I, too, would like to see some good replies to begin scrutinizing, both wired and wireless (BlueTooth, anyone?) as suggestions for preparing your home for the now and future. As a jump start, maybe you would want to describe the basic building architectural characteristics of the house and surrounding properties, and don't forget the garage, patio areas, yard reach, and the local ordinances, if any, affecting satellite antenna placements and such. Also, the number of users you envisage "contending" for these resources, and the propensity you and other members of the household have for entertainment system extension throughout the property. Intercoms? POTS line extensions, etc. What is the terrain like surrounding your property? Foliage? Flat? Distance from the CO and MSO, and what their plans are for future broadband services. And so on. You don't get off easy here, Valueline. You can regard this as an in-depth interview and needs assessment process ;-) Regards, Frank Coluccio

To: Valueman who wrote (247)	11/5/1999 11:45:00 AM
From: Ed Edwards	Read Replies (3) \| Respond to of 1782

"hundred YARDS"? interesting house <g> First, allocate some space for everything to terminate, including Telco, CATV, etc. Wallspace and backboards are required to terminate and crossconnect. CATV, Satellite will require active/passive (read need electrical outlets) splitters for distribution. Dual CAT5s per room, one for voice stuff, one for LAN 1 to 2 RG-6 per room one CATV, One Satellite your choice 14ga to 16 ga Twisted pair (stranded) for audio speakers quality installers that don't staple through everything put a 2"-3" pvc pipe from the attic space to the basement as a CYA for the things we don't know about, forgot, etc. more than that, go to emails for details Ed

To: Valueman who wrote (247)	11/7/1999 2:39:00 PM
From: Raymond Duray	Respond to of 1782

Hi Valueman, The most cost effective way to future proof your wall cavities is with smurf tube, i.e. Carlon flexible plastic conduit, especially if you anticipate only low voltage cabling in the future. You'll probably need to check, or better yet have your electrical contractor check with the building officials to see what is acceptable in your jurisdiction. Some jurisdictions have fire issues here. Especially if you are going from the main part of the house out to the garage, considered a different occupancy and thus requiring firewall protection. For future work, I always recommend running a pull tape through the conduit to be used by you to assure the practicality of making a pull later. As well as provide a convient means to install the cable at a later date. Greenlee makes a great pull tape with foot markers so you can actually tell how long the run will eventually be. As an aside, I remember one of my jobs where my electrician had to run the phone line from our T.I. buildout, er a new boutique in a mall, and the telcos main board. The run was 200' and sparky ran into an obstruction about 20' out from out facade. Nothing he could do helped to get past the obstruction. We tried muratic acid in case some grout had inadvertently gotten into the conduit and we tried vacuuming and every manner of retrieval. Nothing worked. Finally, we had to call in the mall owner's original electrical contractor to sort it out. After tearing out the paver sidewalk and trenching to the pipe, and chopping same, we discovered an abandoned "mouse" of the sort used to suck pulltapes that had been abandoned by a frustrated mechanic a couple of years prior. Needless to say, a very expensive bit of folly, that. My point is, and I do have one, that you must test the pull tapes before the sheet rock goes up. HTH, Ray