josetann
06-11-07, 12:47 AM
Here's the post summary if you don't like reading long posts. I need 35' of hdmi cable, should I go with 35' of 22awg or 24awg cable from monoprice, 50' of fiber optic from gefen, or an hdmi cat5 extender from gefen? Want it to be future proof, needs to handle hdmi 1.3 bandwidth. Now for those that like to read long posts:
We're about to move into a new house, sorry I'm not able to give exact measurements and describe exactly how everything's setup. All the electronics except for the projector and speakers will be in the master closet (it's a big walk-in). There will be a door in the corner of the living room that leads to the closet, it won't be for walking into the closet, instead I'll have a rack of devices that one would need regular access to (basically ps2, ps3, xbox, xbox360, ps3, wii, since you need to constantly change game discs/dvds/etc.). On the wall right next to it will be everything else, the scaler for the projector, tivos, dvrs, pc, avr, etc.
The projector is an Optoma HD81. It requires three cables: power, serial, and hdmi. It will be approximately 15' back. Add on about 3' to get the cable to the rear of the projector, then about 10' to run to the edge of the closet, then another 3-5' to run down to the scaler, and I'm going to need about 30-35' of cable. I've debated trying to make do with 25', but that'd require moving the scaler to the middle of the closet (the part we'd actually be using as a closet), and the WAF goes way down.
I've looked around, would probably already have bought the 35' 22awg cable at monoprice if it had been in stock. I am worried about the thickness of the cable, it seems a bit too bulky. I could go to 24awg, but I want to run this cable once and only once, and for the higher bandwidth needs of hdmi 1.3, it looks like 25' is the highest you want to go at 24awg (though I've seen so much conflicting information, looks like no one knows for sure). I've looked at a fiber optic cable from gefen, their shortest size is 50' (I'd rather not go over 35' if I can avoid it). The positives are that it's one small cable that would only need a power adapter plugged into the sending end (and even that should be optional at this long of a run), the negative is that it's very delicate (plus longer than I need). I also checked out their hdmi cat5 extender. I could just run two runs of shielded cat6 but it seems to require a power adapter at both ends. I thought I read somewhere that it would send power over the ethernet cable, but the manual makes no mention of this. Having to mount the box next to the projector wouldn't be so bad, but to have to deal with another power cable, a brick at that, would not be easy (not even sure yet how I need to go about running the power cable for the projector, I'm thinking a heavy extension cable run through conduit?). I can't find any information about either the fiber optic or the cat5 extender as to hdmi 1.3 compatibility. I only want to run the wire once, so if I upgrade the projector in five years and find out my existing wire won't handle the bandwidth needed, I will be pretty upset.
So, should I get the fiber optic cable or the cat5 extender? At least with the cat5 (I would run cat6), I can run the exact cable length needed, plus there's a better chance that I'd be able to use it for future cable technology (i.e., I'd have to ditch the cat5 extender boxes for something newer, but can keep the cat6 cables that are run in the ceiling). The fiber optic cable seems like it'd have a better chance of being hdmi 1.3 compliant, but it's anyone's guess. Or should I just say screw it all, buy some cheap standard hdmi cable from monoprice and just re-run it later if I have to (in which case, should I get the 22awg or the 24awg?)?
My equipment in case it matters:
Optoma HD81 (has external scaler)
Yamaha HTR-6060 AVR
DirecTV TiVo
DirecTV HD TiVo
DirecTV HD DVR HR20-700
Playstation 3
Xbox 360 (non-hdmi, may upgrade to hdmi version later)
Wii
Xbox
Playstation 2
HDMI Switcher (not yet purchased, may get the 4x1 or 5x1 from Monoprice, not necessary at moment)
We're about to move into a new house, sorry I'm not able to give exact measurements and describe exactly how everything's setup. All the electronics except for the projector and speakers will be in the master closet (it's a big walk-in). There will be a door in the corner of the living room that leads to the closet, it won't be for walking into the closet, instead I'll have a rack of devices that one would need regular access to (basically ps2, ps3, xbox, xbox360, ps3, wii, since you need to constantly change game discs/dvds/etc.). On the wall right next to it will be everything else, the scaler for the projector, tivos, dvrs, pc, avr, etc.
The projector is an Optoma HD81. It requires three cables: power, serial, and hdmi. It will be approximately 15' back. Add on about 3' to get the cable to the rear of the projector, then about 10' to run to the edge of the closet, then another 3-5' to run down to the scaler, and I'm going to need about 30-35' of cable. I've debated trying to make do with 25', but that'd require moving the scaler to the middle of the closet (the part we'd actually be using as a closet), and the WAF goes way down.
I've looked around, would probably already have bought the 35' 22awg cable at monoprice if it had been in stock. I am worried about the thickness of the cable, it seems a bit too bulky. I could go to 24awg, but I want to run this cable once and only once, and for the higher bandwidth needs of hdmi 1.3, it looks like 25' is the highest you want to go at 24awg (though I've seen so much conflicting information, looks like no one knows for sure). I've looked at a fiber optic cable from gefen, their shortest size is 50' (I'd rather not go over 35' if I can avoid it). The positives are that it's one small cable that would only need a power adapter plugged into the sending end (and even that should be optional at this long of a run), the negative is that it's very delicate (plus longer than I need). I also checked out their hdmi cat5 extender. I could just run two runs of shielded cat6 but it seems to require a power adapter at both ends. I thought I read somewhere that it would send power over the ethernet cable, but the manual makes no mention of this. Having to mount the box next to the projector wouldn't be so bad, but to have to deal with another power cable, a brick at that, would not be easy (not even sure yet how I need to go about running the power cable for the projector, I'm thinking a heavy extension cable run through conduit?). I can't find any information about either the fiber optic or the cat5 extender as to hdmi 1.3 compatibility. I only want to run the wire once, so if I upgrade the projector in five years and find out my existing wire won't handle the bandwidth needed, I will be pretty upset.
So, should I get the fiber optic cable or the cat5 extender? At least with the cat5 (I would run cat6), I can run the exact cable length needed, plus there's a better chance that I'd be able to use it for future cable technology (i.e., I'd have to ditch the cat5 extender boxes for something newer, but can keep the cat6 cables that are run in the ceiling). The fiber optic cable seems like it'd have a better chance of being hdmi 1.3 compliant, but it's anyone's guess. Or should I just say screw it all, buy some cheap standard hdmi cable from monoprice and just re-run it later if I have to (in which case, should I get the 22awg or the 24awg?)?
My equipment in case it matters:
Optoma HD81 (has external scaler)
Yamaha HTR-6060 AVR
DirecTV TiVo
DirecTV HD TiVo
DirecTV HD DVR HR20-700
Playstation 3
Xbox 360 (non-hdmi, may upgrade to hdmi version later)
Wii
Xbox
Playstation 2
HDMI Switcher (not yet purchased, may get the 4x1 or 5x1 from Monoprice, not necessary at moment)