Building a new Home around LinuxMCE

Intro

The ultimate piece of hardware: your home.

Think of it as a big computer case.

New construction is the ideal time to plan for a LinuxMCE system.

Here are some lessons learned and advice when integrating a LinuxMCE system into your construction plans.

The central hub

While wireless is quite popular, interference is always a worry for some homeowners and homebuilders. Therefore, hardwiring Ethernet is still the most popular way to create a home network.

Each room that has a phone jack or a cable jack ought to have an Ethernet jack as well. All Cat-5 or Cat-6 wiring from the Ethernet jacks in each room should be run to a central closet that is constructed specifically as a communications hub. It doesn't add significant construction cost to run an extra CAT-5 wire at the same time as other low-voltage lines (such as cable, phone, and speaker wires).

This communications closet should have its own air-conditioning duct, since there will be multiple electronics components in it. These components may end up being expensive, so an indoor location is advised (it is too easy to break into a garage). Furthermore, garage temperatures may fluctuate far more significantly than they will in an indoor location.

The closet should not be part of a utility room, as the humidity and heat from washer machines and dryers are not very nice for electronics.

The communications closet should not be next to a bedroom or area that requires quiet, such as a baby nursery. Some components may have noisy fans.

The communications closet should have all the telephone, cable, and Ethernet (CAT-5) wiring terminating in patch panels inside it. Any satellite, cable, or other external data sources should also terminate there as well.

The communications closet should have multiple electrical outlets -- the more the better. I have twelve outlets in mine, and it still is not enough! (I hate extension cord octopi).

If you wire security cameras into the home, end the surveillance wiring in the communications closet as well. Plan for a rack mount for the camera interface, which usually requires power and a panel for RCA outputs and/or Ethernet connections (if the cameras are Ethernet connected).

All speaker wires should terminate in the communication closet as well, and should terminate in a well-marked patch panel with high-quality banana plug female connectors. When you place speaker wire, it is best to include in-line volume knobs locally in each room. It is very difficult to put these in later.

You should plan in advance that a large amplifier with enough channels and powerful enough to power all speakers in the house will be situated in the communications closet. Make sure a sturdy shelf is available to support it, with adequate power. This can be a lower shelf.

The LinuxMCE Core server will be in the closet, obviously. It will be connected to one or two routers. At least one router must be wireless, and should be on a high shelf.

Although the PC to be used as the LinuxMCE server can eventually be "headless" (no monitor), until your system is functional it will be easier if you have room for a small monitor on the shelf next to the server. It is also easiest if the shelf holding the PC server has a slide-out drawer on which you can rest a keyboard and mouse.

Anyone who has seen a modern complex telephone PBX in an office building will have seen this type of setup.