Making Cents With Automation
One of the technical challenges with HDMI cabling is going a long distance, or trying to fit the often fat cable through existing narrow conduit. A good way to address these issues is to have the HDMI signal go through existing Cat-6 cabling with converter devices such as the VideoEase HDMI Edcono extender it from MuxLab (www.muxlab.com).
For long HDMI cable runs you can also try special products such as UltraRun 1.3 from Accell Corp. According to Accell (www.accellcables.com), this device is actually a miniature signal repeater that regenerates the HDMI A/V signal for up to 82 feet. It will support a total bandwidth of up to 6.75Gbps (225MHz).
Automation Education
As you can see, there are many areas to learn about in the realm of home automation and entertainment technology. One good training source is the Custom Electronic Design & Installation Association (CEDIA). The organization hosts an annual Expo and offers educational resources such as CEDIA University.
Another good resource for automation technology is the Continental Automated Building Association (CABA). It is dedicated to the advancement of intelligent home and building technologies in North America. CABA’s Connected Homes 2009 Project and its Connected Home Research Council provide ways for members across industries to work and test innovative new products and technologies. Some current CABA efforts include, “Consumer Home User Interface,” “Video Consumption” and “Magic Thing.”
Tech Talk Tool Tip
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When working with home automation and entertainment systems, technicians will find themselves confined in tight spaces among rack-mounted equipment that contain many cables terminated with hard-to-reach BNC and F connectors. This month, I have chosen a specially designed wrench that from experience I personally call the “knuckle saver.”
The finger protectors come from an old favorite installation tools company — Labor Saving Devices. I especially like the way the protectors slip over existing cables and have a large turn radius for getting good leverage to
twist even the most stubborn connectors in very tight places. This is a must for any home automation and entertainment tech’s toolkit.
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