CATV incurs loss at every connection, so it's not really in anyone's interest to install jacks in every room and hook them up to a giant splitter, as signal quality will be horrible. Best to still install jacks to every room (and multiple places in living rooms where they might want a TV on different walls) and run them TO the splitter, but only actually hook up the jacks to the splitter that will be used. Cheap and easy to run & hook up. WAY cheaper and easier than waiting until the house is complete, no?
Ohhh so true. And a whole lot prettier than when the cable guy shows up after the fact. I will add that it is also best (even though you may have run 1,000,000 RG-6Q HR's) only to use a splitter sized for the amount actually used. And for those on digital or HD to use quality 1000Mhz (1Ghz) splitters. They not as cheap - but still not expensive.
I usually shoot for selling as much cabling as I can per job - even if it will never be used. After all thats what we sell is it not? wire.... "Ever plan on having whole house audio, or a theater system - may as well throw some wire in now while the walls are open." Even if it is only speaker wire in the ceiling with no cut out for the speaker, people like the idea that they "can" down the line. Most of the time they opt to just do it then. Otherwise I shoot for all the ports the same - 2 Cat-5e, and 2 RG-6Q's per room at least. 6 RG-6Q's to a southern roof for SAT. One might thing it a waste but if it's there it often gets used. Terminate all the ends of the RG's and leave them, and all of the Cat-5's to 110 blocks - then a patch for the data, and loop the phones on the block. Leave your card on the panel for billable call backs to connect or swap things.
FYI another
good use of cat 5e/sh/6 ...
