[ndirishkmk]

Hello!

I have 2 boxes currently, but have two other rooms which i may want to occasionally watch tv in. I don't want to pay for separate boxes because i may use them once a month or less. Is there a way to split the signal from my existing boxes to accomplish this? Or am i better off just getting an internet connected blu-ray and using that instead of bothering with directv? If there's a way to accomplish this, how do I do it? (I'm a newbie!)

Thanks!

 

[NR4P]

Not sure what boxes you have but most have an HDMI output and Component and Composite outputs as well.

Typically you can run the HDMI cable to the TV at the box and then run Component or Composite video/audio with coaxial cable/RCA jacks to the remote TV's at a reasonable cost.

 

[RACJ2]

Yes its possible to do that. You can start with something as simple as using the HDMI output to connect the local TV. And component and composite outputs for the other TV's. To using wireless HDMI connections costing hundreds of dollars. If you search the existing threads, you will find this discussed many times. Here is a [link] to one of the most recent threads. And welcome to DBStalk!

 

[ndirishkmk]

Thank you!! Sorry to not search first but I wasn't exactly sure what to search for!!

Question on one of the option from that thread. One user suggests an HDMI extender converting cat5e/6 to hdmi.
My house is wired for cat5e (just normal network wiring). If I got a couple of these and then plugged one into my box and one into the receiving tv, then just plug both into my cat5e jacks in each room will that work? Thanks!!

 

[CurtP]

It may or may not work, depending on which extenders you get and the distance between the receiver and transmitter. The recommendation for the MonoPrice extenders is to use shielded Cat6 cables, but I have used them with unshielded Cat5e on short runs (<50') without issue. But a word of caution - I have had three sets of the MonoPrice 6532 extenders fail. They replace them every time, but it's a PITA. My Knoll extenders have been much more reliable. You may want to look into HDBaseT. It carries both network and HDMI over a single cable. Running two drops to every location can be a PITA. It's considerably more expensive though. Just keep in mind that unless you have a HDMI splitter/switch/matrix, you'll have to connect the main TV with component cables.

But I will say that after doing it just about every way imaginable, you're better off with another receiver. One of the biggest issue is the remote. If you're within range, you can use an DirecTV RF remote. If you're out of range, you'll have to use an IR repeater. Some HDMI extenders have them built in, but most of the cheap ones don't (the MonoPrice 6532 does not, my Knoll does).

 

[BobStokesbary]

Before we go any further, please let us know what kind of receivers you have. From what I have read on several threads, there are issues with having HDMI and composite connections simultaneously with this new GUI interface. (These were basically Slingbox connections.) If you are dealing with SD, it is very easy to do what you want. With HD, however, you will need to be careful.

 

[tigerwillow1]

I tried an HDMI extender and it didn't work worth a hoot. While trying to isolate the problem I got down to 6 feet of cat6 cable between the boxes and could get an intermittent picture if I ran at 480i. This was a dual-cable extender. I picked up along the way that it could have something to do with the destination device (a Sony Bravia TV in my case). I'm not saying it won't work, but I am saying it's not necessarily a slam-dunk proposition. It might be related to the price of the extender boxes, too.

 

[lesz]

I've been using a MyWirelessTV wireless HD video transmitter for about 6 months.
http://www.actiontec.com/products/product.php?pid=219

At around $200, it works great. Picture quality is excellent, and the signal is strong going through several walls and up one floor.

I am sending the signal from mine to a bedroom where the TV gets only occasional use, and I couldn't see paying DIRECTV for another receiver each month. Even though I had to pay the $200 up front, and I know that I could have paid DIRECTV for another receiver for a good amount of time with the cost of the wireless transmitter, I, at least, feel better knowing that the equipment is mine and that I can use it for as long as I want without any additional cost. Since the location is such that I don't ever need to be able to watch different programming on the TV there and on the TV where the DVR is simultaneously, this unit, for me, does everything that I need it to do.

 

[bigglebowski]

Thank you!! Sorry to not search first but I wasn't exactly sure what to search for!!

Question on one of the option from that thread. One user suggests an HDMI extender converting cat5e/6 to hdmi.
My house is wired for cat5e (just normal network wiring). If I got a couple of these and then plugged one into my box and one into the receiving tv, then just plug both into my cat5e jacks in each room will that work? Thanks!!

Where all of your cat5 pulls are at how are they terminated? If they all ran to a patch panel and labeled so you knew which drop was which the cheapest way to do would be to join the lines together at the patch panel with a simple "straight" cable jumper. The transmitting device would be at the source wall plate and the receive device would be at the alternate tv wallplate. Use a straight cat5 jumper out of each wallplate to connect.

My experience has been pretty good with using cat5 extenders for a variety of sources vga, composite, hdmi. Even with cheap cable, connectors and extenders it works well. The nicest extenders ive used but were very expensive were the catlinc by SP Controls. The also give you the feature of being able to put the power supply at either send/receive.

 

[mdavej]

I've been using a MyWirelessTV wireless HD video transmitter for about 6 months.
http://www.actiontec.com/products/product.php?pid=219

At around $200, it works great. Picture quality is excellent, and the signal is strong going through several walls and up one floor...

+1

If you need a wireless HD solution, this is a great system. I found a used one for a very low price. I just loaded the latest firmware, plugged in both boxes and was up and running in a couple of minutes. Much easier than pulling new cables. You can also get more receivers if you need to.

Be careful with those Cat5 systems. Most require 2 cables. Only a few work with one.

 

[RACJ2]

Thank you!! Sorry to not search first but I wasn't exactly sure what to search for!!

Question on one of the option from that thread. One user suggests an HDMI extender converting cat5e/6 to hdmi.
My house is wired for cat5e (just normal network wiring). If I got a couple of these and then plugged one into my box and one into the receiving tv, then just plug both into my cat5e jacks in each room will that work? Thanks!!

All of the wall jacks that convert from HDMI to cat5e/6 that Monoprice sells require a pair of cables. And in addition, if the TV near your DVR is running off the HDMI output, you need a powered HDMI splitter. And one HDMI cable will go to the TV and the other to the wall plate. So if you only have one cable run, they wont work.