Basement to first floor wiring for HTPC

Question

In my current house, my plasma TV hangs on a TV stand where my router and HTPC (CETON-based system) sits underneath. All of the wiring is just routed through the back of the TV stand and all is well.

However, I'm building a house and this TV stand is going away. The TV will hang from an adjustable arm bolted into the wall. There will be built-ins available, but I don't think it is deep enough to hold a desktop ATX case. Besides, I would rather hide all of that stuff so I'm just looking at (and hearing) the TV.

So, I thought I would be clever and move the HTPC into the basement. Now, the problem is how do I get USB and HDMI up to the TV area? I need USB for the remote control receiver, and occasionally the mouse and keyboard. I need HDMI for obvious reasons.

Is something like this feasible or impractical?

Answer 1

Assuming since you are hanging the TV on a specific wall, then there is an electrical outlet. You should be able to drop the HDMI and USB cables down to the floor below where the outlet is. Just twist-tie them together and attach something heavy so they fall straight down.

USB has a cable length maximum of 5 meters, or approximately 15 feet. HDMI has no theoretical maximum, but the signal does degrade over longer lengths. However, you shouldnt run into that issue with such a short length.

Answer 2

Dead simple if done when the walls are open. Messy, more difficult, and/or requires a lot of repair if done after the walls are sheetrocked.

Use wire actually rated for use inside walls. That's basically the fire-code rating of the outside insulation, not really a different wire. Better yet, put in some big conduit (no, really, BIG conduit) so that when the NEXT type of cable you want to run comes along (likely not many years, considering history), you can simply pull it into place with the connectors on the ends of the cable, and no need to rip the walls open. Put closed boxes at the ends of the conduit so it does not become a home for vermin...