ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Tuesday, June 11, 1996 TAG: 9606110023
SECTION: EXTRA PAGE: 3 EDITION: METRO
COLUMN: At Home With Technology
SOURCE: DAVID BUTLER
Q: There seems to be lots of talk lately about how fast the information superhighway is falling into place. How wwill this impact the way homes are wired?
A: Indeed, the so-called national information superhighway seems to have taken on a life of its own. Explosive growth of the Internet during the past two years serves as remarkable evidence of how fast technology can shake up the status quo. Who could have predicted that in 1996, national TV ads would routinely point viewers to corporate sites on the World Wide Web? The Telecommunications Act passed by Congress earlier this year will further accelerate development of high-speed networks and interactive services. Local and long-distance phone companies as well as cable operators are scrambling to enter each other's businesses, forever erasing boundaries that have long separated telephone, television and information services.
As companies battle over who will build and operate the last "mile" of the information superhighway, it's time to shift attention to the last 100 feet - the communications wiring inside our homes. A group of more than a dozen large and small companies has set out to do just that.
Under the auspices of the Home Automation Association, participants are putting final touches on a public awareness campaign dubbed Wiring Americas' Homes. The group hopes to raise $2 million to underwrite a national media blitz. The message, targeted at builders and consumers, will emphasize the need for structured wiring in homes to fully access the information superhighway.
After more than a decade of standards setting and healthy wrangling among competing factions, two things have become clear: First, a single communication protocol isn't likely to emerge (that's the bad news). Telecommunication and entertainment companies tout ISDN, BISDN, MPEG-II, ADSI and ATM, while home systems manufacturers see visions of CEBus, LonWorks and Smart House.
Second: The wiring in most homes is woefully outdated, unable to meet the needs of rapidly evolving information and entertainment services. Even in new construction, wiring practice remains virtually unchanged from a decade ago, perpetuating the ``every system or service is an island'' philosophy.
Now the good news: The urgency of the wiring dilemma has suddenly given common cause to all factions. Companies previously focused on external services have begun to see the synergy between their needs and the needs of those developing in-house control systems, and vise versa. Fortunately, similarities among competing wiring proposals far outnumber any differences.
Rather than endorsing a specific standard, Wiring Americas' Homes will promote a generic structured wiring strategy; the campaign should be underway by year's end. Ancillary literature, to be offered through a national fulfillment center, will provide wiring guidelines as well as consumer benefits.
In a nutshell, low-voltage outlet boxes should be ``home run'' (rather than looped room-to-room) with a minimum of four twisted pairs (unshielded category 5) and two coaxial cables (quad-shield RG6). All wire should terminate in a central panel, located near the service entrance for telephone, cable and other external networks. This offers maximum flexibility for unanticipated products and services.
The incremental cost to properly wire a new home is no more than a few hundred dollars. However, you'll pay considerably more if you opt for combination outlets (reduces wall clutter) and distribution components (amps and modulators). Once the basic wiring is in place, these can easily be added.
Although rewiring an existing home costs more than new construction, low-voltage wiring specialists have developed a variety of innovative tools and techniques to ease installation. One company offers a line of flat cables thin enough to install under wallpaper! Existing homeowners can save by adding outlets only as needed.
To receive my Home Systems Wiring Resource List, please send $2 and a self-addressed envelope to David Butler F-615, Department TWN, P.O. Box 36352, Cincinnati, Ohio 45236-0352. The list includes manufacturers of low-voltage structured wiring systems and components, installation tools and raceway systems as well as helpful wiring tips, books and other references.
LENGTH: Medium: 83 lines ILLUSTRATION: GRAPHIC: Structured wiring: KEYWORDS: MGRby CNB