PDA

View Full Version : HDMI over Cat5e - success

z28lt1
02-10-09, 10:04 AM
This isn't really DirecTV specific, per say, but since I'm very pleased with the results, I thought I would share. I put a TV on the wall, and with no entertainment center I needed to figure out where to put the receiver (HR22). Since the receiver supports RF, I decided to put it in the media closet. The problem was that from the media closet I had 2 RG6 runs and a Cat5e run to the TV. Instead of trying to run an HDMI cable (they are pretty thick to fish across the house), I purchased a gadget that would support HDMI over the single CAT5e wire - meaning no new wires to run. After having it in for about a month now, I can report it works great. It's a little pricey, and a cable run probably would have been cheaper, but I wanted to try it out. Also, Kudos to the HR22 for having great RF that works at a pretty good distance.

You can get pretty good discounts off of the list, but here is what I bought:
http://www.atlona.com/Atlona-1080p-HDMI-Extender-over-Single-Cat5-up-to-200ft-NEW-p-17468.html
Grentz
02-10-09, 10:21 AM
Very cool. I have always wanted to try it, just never had the right situation ;)

I have not seen one that does audio and video from HDMI over one cat5 before, that is really nice!
Nick
02-10-09, 10:30 AM
One of our advertisers, www.rixlabs.com (http://www.rixlabs.com/index.php?cat=c5_New-Products.html), has inexpensive
and flexible HDMI > Cat5e/6 > HDMI solutions for
up to 50 meters (1080p) and 80 meters (1080i).

Cat5 is a lot easier and cheaper to run than HDMI cable.
Mertzen
02-10-09, 12:42 PM
Yup, they are great. once I find an affordable 4x4 HDMI matrix I am putting everything on one area and drive 2 TVs one of cat5.
Did a custom install last summer with cat5. Easy setup.
z28lt1
02-10-09, 01:14 PM
One of our advertisers, www.rixlabs.com (http://www.rixlabs.com/index.php?cat=c5_New-Products.html), has inexpensive
and flexible HDMI > Cat5e/6 > HDMI solutions for
up to 50 meters (1080p) and 80 meters (1080i).

Cat5 is a lot easier and cheaper to run than HDMI cable.

I'm sure the rixlabs stuff and some of the other stuff is great. The solution I went with was the only single CAT5 option I found. The two cat5 options are much cheaper, but my goal here was to satisfy my laziness.

I too dream about some of the 4x4 matrix switches and such, but those were out of my budget for this go round.
dave29
02-10-09, 01:37 PM
Yup, they are great. once I find an affordable 4x4 HDMI matrix I am putting everything on one area and drive 2 TVs one of cat5.
Did a custom install last summer with cat5. Easy setup.

if you only have 2 tv's that you want to send it too, then monoprice.com has a 4x2 matrix switch. i have one and i am very happy with it.
Mertzen
02-10-09, 01:39 PM
if you only have 2 tv's that you want to send it too, then monoprice.com has a 4x2 matrix switch. i have one and i am very happy with it.

Can each display access each individual source or does it outputs a mirrored output to both TVs? Got a link?
turey22
02-10-09, 02:23 PM
Wow, that sounds really cool...makes me want to buy one.
Mertzen
02-10-09, 03:41 PM
if you only have 2 tv's that you want to send it too, then monoprice.com has a 4x2 matrix switch. i have one and i am very happy with it.

it is what I am looking for, sadly back ordered and not sure if it will take logitech.
dave29
02-10-09, 04:42 PM
Can each display access each individual source or does it outputs a mirrored output to both TVs? Got a link?

http://www.monoprice.com/products/product.asp?c_id=101&cp_id=10110&cs_id=1011002&p_id=4802&seq=1&format=2

you can acces each individual source from either tv.
dave29
02-10-09, 04:42 PM
it is what I am looking for, sadly back ordered and not sure if it will take logitech.

my harmony 880 works great with it,

mine was backordered when i ordered it, i put my email in their system and it notified me when it was available. seems like it was a week or so. definately worth the wait