[ilovecoffee]

hi, have anyone got any experience of hdmi over cat5/6 extenders?

such as this one on amazon?

http://www.amazon.com/HDMI-Extender-Transmitter-Receiver

 

[Gelfling]

When I researched these, the ones here:

http://www.monoprice.com/products/pr...seq=1&format=2


were both cheaper and more consistant. Read the reviews youself and see if they will work for your distance.

 

[Vric]



Quote:
Originally Posted by Gelfling /forum/post/18258616


When I researched these, the ones here:

http://www.monoprice.com/products/pr...seq=1&format=2


were both cheaper and more consistant. Read the reviews youself and see if they will work for your distance.

I used these in my home. About 40' Cat6 Cable + 2x6' hdmi cable. It work fine for 720p and 1080i, but for 1080p it's a nightmare. I have to rerun a 40' hdmi cable instead. (by the recommendation of Monoprice support)

 

[pocoloco]

Many folks have success with HDMI baluns but it's hit or miss, be prepared for trial and error. I know folks recommend audiocontrol baluns + Cat6.


I'm working on another setup right now and I wire both HDMI and a pair of Cat6 runs. That way, all options are open.

 

[Stereodude]

FWIW, you may have better luck with STP cables than UTP.

 

[Speed Demon]

I have no experience with these, but if you want to take a gamble, it doesn't get much cheaper...

http://www.tigerdirect.com/applicati...Lk9UR4qgaQ0PQQ


$49, powered, and at least it's being reviewed decently with 8 of 8 5-star reviews -- though I'm not sure the audience is quite the caliber of the audience here

. I wonder how many of the reviewers are really running 1080p resolutions vs. 1080i.


If you try it out, please let us know how it does!

 

[Dennis Erskine]

Never had a miss with the Audio Control product. Cheaper products may not be so cheap in the end. There are also baluns available which use dual mode fiber for silly long runs.

 

[croaker978]

I have the HDMI wallplates from monoprice, their server seems to be down so I cant provide a link. I am using them with a couple of cat6 runs I made from a cutting down a 100' cat6 wire from monoprice.


Something to keep in mind all sources are not equal. I have not been able to get any of the ATI cards I have to work, if I had to guess it has something to do with the 5v requirement. While a 3 year old nVidia 8600 plays fine over cat6. Also my Xbox360 wouldn't drive it over HDMI before I cut the cabling down, haven't tried it since though.

 

[toddbagwell]

yup, they work for me. I've got a 30 ft run and a 50 foot run. The Kuro plasma syncs up at 1080p with no issues.


todd

 

[lockeed]

I got the monoprice extender (V.2) with brand new 25ft long cat6 cables, the first one didn't worked, returned it at my own expense, they sent a replacement, didn't worked either. Returned it for store credit and this time, they are supposed to refund my return shipping... will see.... Not a good experience for me... Lucky I ran an HDMI cable when I built my theater... I would've been in trouble!

 

[IKC]

By no means an expert as I had some pros do my install. But I was having problems with my 1080p signal "flashing" and handshake issues. I was using the Snap/av Binary with about 30 feet of cat 5. Lots of flicker and cut outs. Called my installer, they came out and found out that the model of Binary baluns they were using had a small dial that they needed to adjust with a small screw driver.


They also changed the bluray back down to 24hz from 60hz. I no longer have the flicker our handshake issues. They needed to calibrate the dial on the binary devise through trial and error, but seemed to get it after a little back and forth with the dial setting.

 

[pocoloco]

Unless an installer did it for practical installation reasons, I don't know why folks are using hdmi baluns for 25 - 50 ft runs. You can just do a straight hdmi cable for that and run some cat6 as backup which you probably won't need to resort to... cheaper and better.

 

[supratreo]

i've been thinking about using these also. the main reason is because my room is already finished and it would be much easier to run some cat5/6 than HDMI.

any more opinions would be really helpful.

 

[Dennis Erskine]



Quote:
Unless an installer did it for practical installation reasons,

Like a pre-wire during construction for example ... where the HDMI cable will either be stolen or the ends seriously damaged. Then, again, there is this conduit thing ...

 

[BobL]



Quote:
Originally Posted by pocoloco /forum/post/18266171


Unless an installer did it for practical installation reasons, I don't know why folks are using hdmi baluns for 25 - 50 ft runs. You can just do a straight hdmi cable for that and run some cat6 as backup which you probably won't need to resort to... cheaper and better.

Because you want to future proof the system. When 3D, 4k2k, etc. comes out and more bandwidth is required you will see more HDMI problems with longer runs. There aren't any passive cables currently that pass full HDMI bandwidth greater than 20 feet. 1080P uses less than half of HDMI's bandwidth and we get away with longer runs currently.


When more bandwidth is required you'll have to go to an active cable system or a balun (fibre or cat/6). Quality of baluns as well as proper cable terminations make a BIG difference with HDMI.


Dennis' suggestion of conduit is the BEST solution for future proofing

Bob

 

[Stereodude]



Quote:
Originally Posted by BobL /forum/post/18270363


When more bandwidth is required you'll have to go to an active cable system or a balun (fibre or cat/6). Quality of baluns as well as proper cable terminations make a BIG difference with HDMI.

Judging by the responses so far, it seems pretty clear that the CAT5/6 systems don't work any better than HDMI cables even at short distances.

 

[BobL]

I haven't had that experience except when we've come across cheap baluns or poorly terminated cat 5/6 cables. If you are talking about cheap stuff than I agree with you. We see many people who swap out equipment, cables, baluns, etc to try and find some combination that works. Few have a good understanding of HDMI and what is needed to make it work reliably and just keep trying diffferent things until they get "lucky".


Unfortunately, inexpensive and reliable are two words that don't go together with HDMI. The least expensive Cat 6 solution for up to 100 feet that I know of is about $400 MSRP but can be found for less street price. Over 100 feet I prefer fibre which is considerably more pricey. If you already have an HDMI cable installed and are having problems then try a signal restorer, decent ones start at $200 MSRP and go up from there. Nothing will fix a poor cable.


Bob

 

[digitlman]

 http://www.hdtvsupply.com/hdmi-over-cat6.html


I bought this one for $69, thought the price was really great so i tried it. I am running 1080i video through it from my directv HR-20 sat receiver through about 60 feet of cat6, then to a cat6 keystone, then i have 2 cat6 cables about 20 feet longer finishing out the run to the other adapter. works like a charm! haven't seen any problems with it at all.

 

[Chris Knout]

 http://customavrack.com/Products/109...-30-meter.aspx


There's a quality Manhattan Cat5e/Cat6 over HDMI extender for $62

 

[sk8conz]

Stay clear of the unpowered or "line powered" cat 5 extenders. The better ones that I have expereince with require a wall wart at one end to power them.


They will work to 120-150 feet at 1080p with zero problems providing you run a decent quality cat5e or cat6 cable.


There are only two or three manufacturers that supply the chipsets for these, so the majority of the "made in china" stuff is all 99% the same performance wise. The powered vs. unpowered is IMO the biggest factor governing performance.