dave87's Home Media & Digital Lifestyle - WIP!

[dirky]

interesting, I had wondered what you had planned to use those for. good idea

[dave87]

Some new stuff incoming......watch this space

[Raz316]

scroll, scroll, scroll, look at pics, hate Dave a bit.
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scroll, scroll, scroll, look at pics, be happy for Dave that it's coming together nicely.
scroll, scroll, scroll, see new stuff is incoming, back to hating Dave.

[dirky]

Thinking of doing a kitchen pc - ponder

[dave87]

scroll, scroll, scroll, look at pics, hate Dave a bit.
scroll, scroll, scroll, look at pics, hate Dave a bit more.
scroll, scroll, scroll, look at pics, be happy for Dave that it's coming together nicely.
scroll, scroll, scroll, see new stuff is incoming, back to hating Dave.

Well in that case it would be rude not to antagonize further:





First bit is here

[pollaxe]

Bloody tease!!

[dave87]

I would have more to show but City Link sent it to the wrong depot....

[dave87]

After driving to said depot - I can reveal a little more:

[pollaxe]

I stand by my above comment!!

[dave87]

I stand by my above comment!!

Gotta have some fun outta this



Few more bits I need to arrive before I can build it - at which point all shall be revealed.

[Pob255]

scroll, scroll, scroll, look at pics, hate Dave a bit.
scroll, scroll, scroll, look at pics, hate Dave a bit more.
scroll, scroll, scroll, look at pics, be happy for Dave that it's coming together nicely.
scroll, scroll, scroll, see new stuff is incoming, back to hating Dave.

I think this sums it up really well.

I'm just hideously jealous.

One suggestion if you start putting in PoE use a different coloured patch cable for it in you cab (it's often a good idea to use a different coloured cable run to the ports as well but involves relaying cable)
That way you can tell at a glance which is and which isn't powered.

Some shorter cables in the cab would be nice

If I'm seeing that right then one issue you might have with cab cooling is it's in a cupboard.
What's above the cupboard? a couple of vents in the cupboard door might help, one top, one bottom so you get some convection flow.
Use something decorative, eg mdf lattice work that's used for radiator covers http://www.diy.com/nav/build/timber/...m-FSC-10797740, so you don't just have two big ugly holes in the door.

PS love the wooden cab Like a pc case all it is is a big metal box, granted cabs are normally earthed too, AFAIK the idea is to minimise any EM/RFI but each switch is earthed anyway and the cables themselves are going to be more sensitive. standard cat cables are not shielded, but don't really need to be in most situations.

[dave87]

I think this sums it up really well.

I'm just hideously jealous.

I'm doing it right then

One suggestion if you start putting in PoE use a different coloured patch cable for it in you cab (it's often a good idea to use a different coloured cable run to the ports as well but involves relaying cable)
That way you can tell at a glance which is and which isn't powered.

That is a good point - I can assign which ports get PoE from the switch's web control panel, so I'd likely set a distinct set of ports and use a different colour patch lead. I've yet to have any cause to use PoE, but if they are new runs I don't see an issue in using a different colour cable - especially if it is for say an Access Point and that is the only thing which would be plugged into that particular socket.

Some shorter cables in the cab would be nice

I wish I'd realised 25cm cables would be plenty when I ordered a large number of 0.5m ones

If I'm seeing that right then one issue you might have with cab cooling is it's in a cupboard.
What's above the cupboard? a couple of vents in the cupboard door might help, one top, one bottom so you get some convection flow.
Use something decorative, eg mdf lattice work that's used for radiator covers http://www.diy.com/nav/build/timber/...m-FSC-10797740, so you don't just have two big ugly holes in the door.

After I decided to put all the kit in there (wasn't originally going to host the server in there) it was an issue, you are right. One 120mm blowhole and a suitably quiet fan at 7v, it has stayed nice and cool. It seems to move just enough air to keep things from getting toasty, and there is a gap under the door for convection flow to do its thing.

PS love the wooden cab Like a pc case all it is is a big metal box, granted cabs are normally earthed too, AFAIK the idea is to minimise any EM/RFI but each switch is earthed anyway and the cables themselves are going to be more sensitive. standard cat cables are not shielded, but don't really need to be in most situations.

Thanks - my debt of favours owed to my Grandfather gets longer by the day (he built it for me from some very vague instructions and a terrible drawing of what I wanted!). The two switches are indeed earthed, so I don't think I should have any issues there, fortunately. I didn't go for shielded cables as I've run them a fair distance away from mains (and other) cables, so they shouldn't suffer from any interference.

[Biscuit]

That is a good point - I can assign which ports get PoE from the switch's web control panel, so I'd likely set a distinct set of ports and use a different colour patch lead. I've yet to have any cause to use PoE, but if they are new runs I don't see an issue in using a different colour cable - especially if it is for say an Access Point and that is the only thing which would be plugged into that particular socket.

Doesnt PoE only actually supply power if there is something to recieve it on the other end anyway? Im sure there is some kind of handshake/signal to confirm it should deliver power before it does?
Different coloured patches are nice but it seems a little OTT with little to no gain.

I wish I'd realised 25cm cables would be plenty when I ordered a large number of 0.5m ones

I actually disagree, i think having a bit extra cable gives you a bit of extra leeway to make the cables look nice. If you velcro tie (or cable tie if you want, not like they are expensive) your patch cables into bunches of say 4/8/6/12 (to match up with port seperation) cables and kept them aligned with each other all the way through the bundle until the point they break out into the panel/switch it would look fantastic! Thats what our wiremen do at work, il try and get some example photos tomorrow if there is anything on the workshop.

[dave87]

I've not read up on PoE tbh - haven't got any devices that need/support it at the mo - it was just an added bonus with that particular switch.

I've still got more rooms to add ethernet to - though that is really going to happen when they are decorated. As such, it's neat and tidy, but probably not final. Will have a look and see if I can cable tie them into something a little neater

[dave87]

Well a few random bits that I've done but haven't had a chance to post.

Loft boarding. Exciting I know

Got fed up of trying to lean stuff across joists etc, so for the heavier stuff at least, have boarded out part of the loft. What the photos don't show was the fact things were at different levels because the loft has diagonal ties linking the joists together. So before I could board it out I had to increase the height of the rest of the joists. No photos of this bit unfortunately, but the end result (well halfway through - ran out of boards. Have since completed the run to the far wall):





The cutouts are for the downlighters in the room below - they have fire caps over them which were too tall to comfortably sit underneath the boards - and I also prefer the idea that the heat has somewhere to go - they get quite warm. Probably should have staggered the boards aswell, but tbh they don't move and they aren't going to have massively heavy stuff on them anyway.



The second thing I've sorted is the aerial system. This was the one put in by the builders when the house was built (16+) years ago.



and



Not brilliant, and probably the source of all the digital reception issues we had before we got Sky. Needless to say it was replaced....just need to go and take some photos to show its replacement.

[Biscuit]

I've not read up on PoE tbh - haven't got any devices that need/support it at the mo - it was just an added bonus with that particular switch.)

There is a lot of different standards for PoE so its worth checking which ones yours works with(if any!) and then how exactly that standard is implemented in your device but as a generalisation this except from wiki explains it:

The PSE (Power Sourcing Equipment) can implement mode A or B or both. A PD (Powered Device) indicates that it is standards-compliant by placing a 25 kΩ resistor between the powered pairs. If the PSE detects a resistance that is too high or too low (including a short circuit), no power is applied. This protects devices that do not support PoE. An optional "power class" feature allows the PD to indicate its power requirements by changing the sense resistance at higher voltages. To stay powered, the PD must continuously use 5–10 mA for at least 60 ms with no more than 400 ms since last use or else it will be unpowered by the PSE.[19]