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Need help with component over Cat-5

post #1 of 15
2/1/07 at 9:43pm
Thread Starter 
OK--I picked up some baluns from MCM Electronics for running component through existing unshielded Cat5 cabling I had already wired in my house. I am now having some serious phase problems--anyone know what might be causing this? The Cat-5 cable is probably around 50 feet and probably comes close to a few power lines through the house. Would shielded Cat-5 work better? Could it be the baluns? (They were fairly cheap compared to others I have seen).
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post #2 of 15
2/2/07 at 6:48am
String a temporary cable between the devices and test. That will help eliminate whether it is the cable or the baluns. If it is the cable, it could be interference from powerline, bad crimps on the ends, a pinched cable, etc...
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post #3 of 15
2/2/07 at 8:20am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by robertmee View Post

String a temporary cable between the devices and test. That will help eliminate whether it is the cable or the baluns. If it is the cable, it could be interference from powerline, bad crimps on the ends, a pinched cable, etc...

Thanks, I will try that. It would be nice to get some definitive answers with the damn thing. Every time I try to fix it, something else goes wrong!

If it turns out to be powerline interference, would shielded help in this regard?
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post #4 of 15
2/2/07 at 10:21am
Quote:


I am now having some serious phase problems

What do you mean?
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post #5 of 15
2/2/07 at 10:40am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Steve Scherrer View Post

Thanks, I will try that. It would be nice to get some definitive answers with the damn thing. Every time I try to fix it, something else goes wrong!

If it turns out to be powerline interference, would shielded help in this regard?

It might, but if you are able to pull out the cat5 cable and put in shielded, I would just run a 5 coax mini-rg6 bundle and dispense with the baluns.
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post #6 of 15
2/2/07 at 11:00am
Quote:
Originally Posted by robertmee View Post

It might, but if you are able to pull out the cat5 cable and put in shielded, I would just run a 5 coax mini-rg6 bundle and dispense with the baluns.

Sorry to hijack a bit, but is there some future concerns with running a mini coax. I am currently building a place, and instead are going to run 4 cat 5e's to each location. I figure the use of baluns give me the flexibility I need if the HDCP becomes a major issue. Or am I mistaken with regards to this? Is it never going to be enabled for satelitte high definition broadcasts? Is the only use for HDCP going to be for high def movies?
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post #7 of 15
2/2/07 at 12:50pm
The BalUn's are supposed to convert the unbalanced, 75 Ohm video signals, to balanced 100 ohm.
If it's balanced, it should be immune to induced noise.

What do you mean by phase problems?
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post #8 of 15
2/2/07 at 1:43pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Targus View Post

The BalUn's are supposed to convert the unbalanced, 75 Ohm video signals, to balanced 100 ohm.
If it's balanced, it should be immune to induced noise.

What do you mean by phase problems?

When I initially hooked it up, most of the image was split, half on one side and half on the other, except for the red component, which was situated correctly in the middle of the tv.

I played with the cabling, the connectors and the baluns, and the picture snapped into place, except now for the red component, which now appears like a ghost image displaced from the main image.
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post #9 of 15
2/2/07 at 3:52pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Bauer83 View Post

Sorry to hijack a bit, but is there some future concerns with running a mini coax. I am currently building a place, and instead are going to run 4 cat 5e's to each location. I figure the use of baluns give me the flexibility I need if the HDCP becomes a major issue. Or am I mistaken with regards to this? Is it never going to be enabled for satelitte high definition broadcasts? Is the only use for HDCP going to be for high def movies?

You're assuming that some technology will emerge that utilizes cat5e to distribute HD digitally. I don't think it will be HDMI for various reasons. If it were me and my new home and I couldn't put in conduit, I'd run the mini RG6 and 2 cat5es to each TV location. As for HDCP, noone knows what's going to happen there.
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post #10 of 15
2/4/07 at 6:38am
Thread Starter 
OK--Now I am back to the issue that originally had me looking at running over Cat-5 to begin with. I now have an almost pristine image, but red is still missing, and I have a slight ghosting effect (which I believe is the red image) offset from the main image. Any thoughts?
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post #11 of 15
2/5/07 at 1:09pm
Thread Starter 
Bump?
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post #12 of 15
2/5/07 at 8:54pm
Thread Starter 
Never mind...

Eliminated everything else--there is something wrong with the tv. Thanks.
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post #13 of 15
2/7/07 at 6:50am
I think it bears mentioning that the potential future "downrezzing" of component video outputs which force HDMI connections to be used for HD, isn't a function of HDCP, it's one of the ICT.

HDCP is the copy protection mechanism built into HDMI to prevent piracy. The ICT is the Image Constraint Token, which could be implemented on HD DVD and Blu-ray to prevent HD output over component. That token is in the hands of each individual content provider, and they could put it on any of their disks. If one does it, that doesn't mean anybody else will, though they could.

The broadcast flag is a version of the ICT with similiar controls that applies to cable/satellite broadcasts.
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post #14 of 15
2/10/07 at 10:43am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Steve Scherrer View Post

Never mind...

Eliminated everything else--there is something wrong with the tv. Thanks.

What is your final result? Are you 100% satisfied? I have similar situation with you. I bought Intelix AVO-V3AD baluns and my cat6 was 50 feet. I try to transmit comcast HD-DVR image to my other two rooms. Image looked OK, especially for my 37" Sharp LCD. Just like you were mentioned, slightly ghost (shadow) along the right side of the vertical line. It would make poor image sharpness, especially on my 92" front projector. I tried to ground the comcast, but no help. The image looked decent if it's not very large. How's yours.
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post #15 of 15
2/12/07 at 4:10pm
There are baluns that are sensitive to wiring in A vs. B standards. I have some that work great with B but not A.
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