AVS › AVS Forum › A/V Control & Automation › Home A/V Distribution › Run A/V Connection
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:

Run A/V Connection

post #1 of 7
6/8/12 at 6:01am
Thread Starter 
I want to run a connection from one room to another. The one room has a new TV and satellite receiver. I'd like to extend the connection to my PC in another room without getting another satellite box. I know it will only receive what is on in the first room and that is okay. What would be the best way to run the connection? Thanks.
Reply
Reply

AVS Top Picks

post #2 of 7
6/8/12 at 6:51am
Extend it to your PC, or to a TV in that room?

What sort of video input(s) are on your PC?

Are we talking HD or SD? Simplest will be a cat5e run (or two), and then use a "component video over cat5" balun/extender kit.

And you should also think about how you're going to control it from the other room.

Jeff
Reply
Reply
post #3 of 7
6/9/12 at 7:04am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by jautor View Post

Extend it to your PC, or to a TV in that room?
What sort of video input(s) are on your PC?
Are we talking HD or SD? Simplest will be a cat5e run (or two), and then use a "component video over cat5" balun/extender kit.
And you should also think about how you're going to control it from the other room.
Jeff

DELL E6500, VGA Connector

I said PC Jeff but I think a small flat screen TV may be the better and easier way to go. The Direct TV box has an S-video, digital audio out, and component out (video I believe). It has several HDMI out also which is the line connected to the TV in the source room. I just want to extend the signal and not control it from the terminal room. I control the source room and just want to be able to be in either room and see the same channel. I think regular Direct TV is SD but don't know for sure.

What would the Cat 5 connect to? Is that coax or an Ethernet line? There is an Ethernet port on the rear of the Direct box but don't know if that is in or out.
Reply
Reply
post #4 of 7
6/9/12 at 10:26am
Using a small-ish LCD will be a better solution than trying to interface with the PC and then figuring out how to watch TV in a window on your monitor.

You run a cat5e cable between the two rooms, and connect it to an "HD Component over Cat5e" extender (called, somewhat incorrectly, a 'balun'). Another one in your terminal room converts back to component video, which you hook to any HD-capable TV.

Component will work much better than HDMI in this situation because (a) you've got a component video jack available, and (b) differences in resolution/capabilities on a small LCD won't cause any issues with the HDMI connection in your main room.

Can you run a cable between the rooms? How far it is roughly? Some folks have used this one with success, others have had issues due to interference:

41POQufkxIL._SL500_AA300_.jpg

http://www.amazon.com/Tripp-Lite-B136-101-Component-Extender/dp/B003UT7TJS/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1339262609&sr=8-1&keywords=component+cat5

I've used the CE Labs CAT5RX and CAT5TX and know they work very well, but the pair is 4x the cost (and take some fiddling to make work with a single cat5e cable).

Hope that helps,

Jeff
Reply
Reply
post #5 of 7
6/10/12 at 4:18am
Thread Starter 
I know you did not recommend HDMI and I really don't see how I could extend the signal from the TV since it has "HDMI IN" and not out. If HDMI won't work, what are HDMI extenders for? see link

http://www.monoprice.com/products/product.asp?c_id=109&cp_id=10110&cs_id=1011012&p_id=8121&seq=1&format=2

I'd like to do this as cheap as possible but will go with the component extenders if necessary. The run between rooms is small since they are small rooms and right next to each other. Maybe 30' to 35' of wire (not as the crow flies).

Edit---with the run on this so small, what do you think about using component video the entire way? I just checked the TV, it has component ports in the back but they are "IN" but the Direct TV box has component "OUT" along with HDMI. The main TV is connected with HDMI so I assume using the component off the Direct box would work.

http://www.monoprice.com/products/product.asp?c_id=102&cp_id=10235&cs_id=1023507&p_id=2178&seq=1&format=4#feedback

Thanks for the help Jeff.
Edited by jeffconnors - 6/10/12 at 6:04am
Reply
Reply
post #6 of 7
6/10/12 at 11:54am
Quote:
Originally Posted by jeffconnors View Post

I know you did not recommend HDMI and I really don't see how I could extend the signal from the TV since it has "HDMI IN" and not out. If HDMI won't work, what are HDMI extenders for?

Not from the TV, you connect from the source (your satellite receiver). Run component to the extender, which goes to the other room. HDMI stays in place for your main TV.

HDMI extenders "work", but are not necessarily the best solution when you're splitting the signal to multiple displays. Each HDMI negotiates the audio/video properties based on its capabilities. The source device then sends audio/video formats that will work for everyone - which means you may not get the "best" ones.
Quote:
Edit---with the run on this so small, what do you think about using component video the entire way? I just checked the TV, it has component ports in the back but they are "IN" but the Direct TV box has component "OUT" along with HDMI. The main TV is connected with HDMI so I assume using the component off the Direct box would work.

Yes, from the sat receiver, not the TV. And yes, if you can run component cables, 35' won't be a problem. Don't forget audio (L/R), too. Either a long component + audio cable, or you can use 5 RG59 coax cables with RCA connectors (either make them yourself, or use "F connector" to RCA adapters and pre-made coax cables).

Jeff
Reply
Reply
post #7 of 7
6/11/12 at 5:22am
Thread Starter 
Jeff---35' would work. I actually measured this morning instead of guessing and 35' would just do it. Since 50' is only $4 more, would I notice any signal degradation if I opted for the 50' instead of the 35' RG-59 component cable?
Reply
Reply
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:
  Return Home
  Back to Forum: Home A/V Distribution

AVS Top Picks

AVS › AVS Forum › A/V Control & Automation › Home A/V Distribution › Run A/V Connection