Planning film and television in the new house...

Hello everyone,

in about 3 weeks our foundation slab will be poured and we are already actively communicating with the trades. I am currently dealing with the electrical plan for the first time and considering exactly where I need which connections. In this context, the question arises for me how we can best consider all scenarios regarding film and television in the future. To be honest, I don’t yet have a clear idea which option is best for us and would like to briefly outline my scenario in the future house:

We will get Internet and IP-TV from Telekom (Fibre to the Home/Entertain). Telekom provides a media receiver for this, which can be placed anywhere in the house via LAN and connected to the end device via HDMI from there.

We want to install a projector on the ceiling in the living room and do without a TV on the wall. We want to play the following via the projector: regular TV and SKY, movies/series via a network share/network hard drive, and possibly the screen content from the laptop, iPad, or iPhone. I would like to wirelessly connect the sound via a Sonos system…

How can I best put my plan into action and what do I need to plan/purchase for this?

I look forward to your feedback.

Best regards, Nico

I would think twice about a projector - that was more relevant 5-10 years ago. The devices are noisy and have worse picture quality than a TV for the same investment. I would rather invest in 65'' and larger. That way you will surely be more comfortable and future-proof.

Phew... caught off guard right away. :-) Here too, I'm still not really sure whether the TV isn't actually the better choice than a projector. I mean, with football or a movie, I would really enjoy the big picture, but probably you aren't as flexible with a projector as with a TV. Today's TVs can surely already play video files from a network drive without any problems?!

I would also rather take a TV, unless you need the 2m diagonal.

Take a FireTV (Stick) + Kodi and skip all the SmartTV nonsense. It’s hopelessly outdated after a few years anyway, usually comes with more bugs than features ;) and the subsequent maintenance of the software by the manufacturer is usually awful.

With multicast you can then also access the non-encrypted channels +

Movies/series via a network share/network hard drive and possibly sometimes the screen content from the laptop, iPad or iPhone. I would like to wirelessly connect sound via a Sonos system…

you have already solved that.

I agree. For very large diagonals, of course, it’s nice, but those things have to start up, make noise, wear out, and always need external sound and players. I imagine watching tagesschau briefly with it would be rather annoying.

Radio is always a problem because sound and video can get out of sync. If you’re building new, there’s no reason to use this crutch. You will connect players and projectors to an AVR anyway.

Just briefly outlined my ideas (I'm from IT):

- There is no TV cable infrastructure and there never will be
- TV via T-Entertain, whatever streaming provider comes later....whatever. For that, LAN cables (single, double, quadruple as needed) in every room where a TV could go + office. Additionally, classic SAT wiring under the roof as a pre-installation in case of SAToverIP.
- TV as a normal TV in front of the sofa, no projector etc. If projector, I would still always provide sockets for "normal" TV in front of the sofa. Ideally, from the typical TV location, only one HDMI cable through an empty conduit to the projector. That way you’re not nailed down later.
- Currently one TV in the living room, with 3 kids there could be more later
- WLAN coverage for house and garden with separate access points powered via PoE over LAN sockets at strategic locations at 2.20m height below the ceiling -> 2 units. WLAN on the router is disabled (useless in the utility room in the corner of the house)
- Telephony via DECT, done.
- LAN cables end in the utility room on a patch panel, mini-server, home automation, router are also located there.