HDMI Extender over Cat 6

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jaskarn

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#106422 23-Jul-2012 23:53

Hello,

I have 2 HDMI sources which I want to distribute around the house (MySky and another STB)

Both sources are in the Home theatre room and I want to send both of these to 3 other rooms over cat 6. What is the best solution for this?

I've done a bit of research and plan to do the following:
Install a 1x4 HDMI splitter for each source- 1 will go into the TV at the source location over HDMI cable, the other 3 will go into 3x Cat 6 Extenders. This way i'll have 2 individual HDMI outputs in each room.
Each room is around 20m from the source.

I want to use 1x cat 6 cable for each source as I have 2 cables running to each location from the home theatre.

Has anyone had a good experience with a particular CAT 6 extender?
Here are 2 i've looked at:
1) http://www.rapalloav.co.nz/hdmi-processing/hdmi-extenders-over-cat56/hdmi-extender-one-piece-cat-5-6.html

2) http://cdlnz.com/index.html?do=viewproduct&p=HDMI400&code=HDMIC6V2R

http://cdlnz.com/index.html?do=viewproduct&p=HDMI400&code=HDMIC6V2T

Any feedback will be highly appreciated :)

Zeon

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#660713 24-Jul-2012 00:37

If you are going to be running that many cables I would suggest you look at doing a full star wiring setup for your house. This can then be used for things like this project, the ultra fast broadband in the future (and even help your data cabling now) etc.

Also, it may be worth running more than 2x. I'm not sure if you can carry higher resolutions like 1440p over 2x cat6 and that may be used in the coming years....

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marmel

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#661167 24-Jul-2012 18:29

I wouldn't be wasting money at Rapollo or on those other links.

Have a look here:

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

I recently built a house and I did all of the A/V wiring myself. I used the Monoprice extenders and they work flawlessly.

Can I also suggest you don't even bother with the hdmi splitter. I have tried two and neither work very well. You get problems with handshaking and all TV's really have to be at the same resolution etc.

I would strongly suggest you get a proper HDMI 4 X 4 matrix like this one:

http://www.monoprice.com/products/product.asp?c_id=101&cp_id=10110&cs_id=1011002&p_id=5704&seq=1&format=2%20

I have one and it works reall well. Comes with it's own remote and if you use Logitech Harmony products they have this item in their database.

This allows you to watch any source on any of the TV's or mix and match as you see fit. For example you could watch SKY on four TV's at once, or watch Sky on two and a DVD on one and another source on the fourth, really clever how they work.

You could purchase all the extenders you need, the HDMI matrix and allow for postage and it would still be cheaper than what you were thinking.

marmel

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#661175 24-Jul-2012 18:36

I would also very strongly suggest like Zeon that you run extra cable. You will need to run two Cat 6 cables for the Monoprice extenders anyway so whilst you are there you may as well run an extra cat-5e/6 for network and maybe an extra cat-5e for an IR repeater so you can change channels or operate the HDMI matrix from any TV.

A bit more hassle I realise but really worth doing properly if you are going to do it at all.

Of course if you can't get access into the walls or under the house it might be a different story.

Dunnersfella

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#661213 24-Jul-2012 19:24

For 'future proofing', you should ensure that everything is HDMI 1.4a compliant.
If you want to pass a 3D signal in the future, then it's going to be a key.

jaskarn

97 posts

Master Geek

#661276 24-Jul-2012 20:31

Thanks for the replies.

This is an existing house that we're moving into which uses RG6 currently for all the TV signal and has IR distribution through the whole house.

There are 2x Cat 6 cables running from the Home Theatre to each room, and I can't put in any more cables.

That monoprice extender requires 2 cables for each source and as I want to send 2 HDMI signals individually that wouldn't work.

I'll ditch the HDMI splitter and get a Matrix instead. How easy is it to switch between sources?
If I go with that monoprice extender and use both cat 6 cables with the matrix, how do I switch between watching SKY and another HDMI source while I'm in the master bedroom?

marmel

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#661287 24-Jul-2012 20:36

jaskarn: Thanks for the replies.

This is an existing house that we're moving into which uses RG6 currently for all the TV signal and has IR distribution through the whole house.

There are 2x Cat 6 cables running from the Home Theatre to each room, and I can't put in any more cables.

That monoprice extender requires 2 cables for each source and as I want to send 2 HDMI signals individually that wouldn't work.

I'll ditch the HDMI splitter and get a Matrix instead. How easy is it to switch between sources?
If I go with that monoprice extender and use both cat 6 cables with the matrix, how do I switch between watching SKY and another HDMI source while I'm in the master bedroom?

Sorry I'm a bit confused about your cabling.

So you have two runs of Cat 6 going to each room from a central hub in the home theatre room?

If so you can use the monoprice extenders.

As far as changing sources from another room you really need to have a IR repeater.

Why would you want to send two HDMI sources individually to the same room? You can only watch one at once.

If you use the hdmi matrix you can just change between sources as you want.

CYaBro

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#661316 24-Jul-2012 21:07

I agree with Marmel, no need to have two HDMI feeds to each TV location.
Use the matrix switch for selecting the source input.
The way those matrix switches usually work is you select the HDMI output first (A-D) then the input (1-4) so if the TV you want to watch Sky on is on HDMI output port 2 and the Sky box is connected to Input 1 you would press B then 1 on the remote.

I've used the Dynamix single CAT6 extenders in the past and they work great, I think they also do a version with iR support so that would allow you to control the source devices and matrix switch from the TV.

I'm just wiring my house at the moment and I've run to each TV location: 2xCAT6 solid core for data or HDMI extender, 1xCAT5e stranded core for iR or backup data (iR seems more reliable with stranded core cables), 1x RG6 for possible Freeview or CCTV viewing (we can't get freeview UHF where we are) and 1xHDMI cable.

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jaskarn

97 posts

Master Geek

#661321 24-Jul-2012 21:15

marmel:
jaskarn: Thanks for the replies.

This is an existing house that we're moving into which uses RG6 currently for all the TV signal and has IR distribution through the whole house.

There are 2x Cat 6 cables running from the Home Theatre to each room, and I can't put in any more cables.

That monoprice extender requires 2 cables for each source and as I want to send 2 HDMI signals individually that wouldn't work.

I'll ditch the HDMI splitter and get a Matrix instead. How easy is it to switch between sources?
If I go with that monoprice extender and use both cat 6 cables with the matrix, how do I switch between watching SKY and another HDMI source while I'm in the master bedroom?

Sorry I'm a bit confused about your cabling.

So you have two runs of Cat 6 going to each room from a central hub in the home theatre room?

If so you can use the monoprice extenders.

As far as changing sources from another room you really need to have a IR repeater.

Why would you want to send two HDMI sources individually to the same room? You can only watch one at once.

If you use the hdmi matrix you can just change between sources as you want.

Yea i've got 2 runs of Cat 6 going to the other 3 rooms from a central point in the Home theatre.
The only reason to send 2 separate sources is so I can easily use the TV remote to go from HMDI 1 to 2, etc.

Would this be better:
http://www.monoprice.com/products/product.asp?c_id=101&cp_id=10113&cs_id=1011310&p_id=8151&seq=1&format=2

As it has 4 remotes, 1 for each room to change sources hopefully.

marmel

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#661329 24-Jul-2012 21:29

Looks like that would do what you want, pretty pricey though.

I can see what you are tryinh to achieve by having two hdmi runs but it is a bit of a messy way to do it if you ask me, just use the hdmi matrix and it will do the same job as long as you have the IR repeater as well.

jaskarn

97 posts

Master Geek

#661332 24-Jul-2012 21:33

marmel: Looks like that would do what you want, pretty pricey though.

I can see what you are tryinh to achieve by having two hdmi runs but it is a bit of a messy way to do it if you ask me, just use the hdmi matrix and it will do the same job as long as you have the IR repeater as well.

Only problem is i'll have to carry around the matrix switch remote to each room as it only seems to come with one.

marmel

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#661333 24-Jul-2012 21:35

jaskarn:
marmel: Looks like that would do what you want, pretty pricey though.

I can see what you are tryinh to achieve by having two hdmi runs but it is a bit of a messy way to do it if you ask me, just use the hdmi matrix and it will do the same job as long as you have the IR repeater as well.

Only problem is i'll have to carry around the matrix switch remote to each room as it only seems to come with one.

No it looks like it comes with the master switch and then the extra four boxes, one for each room.

tomgeeknz

923 posts

Ultimate Geek

#661360 24-Jul-2012 22:59

jaskarn:
marmel:
jaskarn: Thanks for the replies.

This is an existing house that we're moving into which uses RG6 currently for all the TV signal and has IR distribution through the whole house.

There are 2x Cat 6 cables running from the Home Theatre to each room, and I can't put in any more cables.

That monoprice extender requires 2 cables for each source and as I want to send 2 HDMI signals individually that wouldn't work.

I'll ditch the HDMI splitter and get a Matrix instead. How easy is it to switch between sources?
If I go with that monoprice extender and use both cat 6 cables with the matrix, how do I switch between watching SKY and another HDMI source while I'm in the master bedroom?

Sorry I'm a bit confused about your cabling.

So you have two runs of Cat 6 going to each room from a central hub in the home theatre room?

If so you can use the monoprice extenders.

As far as changing sources from another room you really need to have a IR repeater.

Why would you want to send two HDMI sources individually to the same room? You can only watch one at once.

If you use the hdmi matrix you can just change between sources as you want.

Yea i've got 2 runs of Cat 6 going to the other 3 rooms from a central point in the Home theatre.
The only reason to send 2 separate sources is so I can easily use the TV remote to go from HMDI 1 to 2, etc.

Would this be better:
http://www.monoprice.com/products/product.asp?c_id=101&cp_id=10113&cs_id=1011310&p_id=8151&seq=1&format=2

As it has 4 remotes, 1 for each room to change sources hopefully.

From the looks of it, the second one that Jaskarn has suggested from monoprice does exactly what he needs. It has a seperate unit for each remote room away from the sources that would allow him switch between the sources with the mini remote included for each reciever, or on the reciever unit itself. This gives all the rooms seperate control of what they watch FROM THEIR ROOM, without having to carry the main remote around.

It also appears to have built in support for IR transfer of the source devices (think sky/dvd player/bluray) remote signals, to IR emitters in the room you are feeding from.

Basically, assuming it is a quality product that works, it is an all in one solution that fits the OP's brief, if it is in their price range.

drewchad

12 posts

Geek

#663158 28-Jul-2012 06:42

There is a one cable solution; check out the HDBaseT technology. However as you have two runs it will be more cost effective to use both & a matrix is definitely what you want.

surfisup1000

5288 posts

Uber Geek

#663188 28-Jul-2012 09:52

Dunnersfella: For 'future proofing', you should ensure that everything is HDMI 1.4a compliant.
If you want to pass a 3D signal in the future, then it's going to be a key.

At least until HDMI 1.5 is released...

Funny enough, my 1.3 spec cable works just fine with the 3d signal -- i assume it is 1.3 cos I bought it in 2007 and didn't think 3d was out then.

chevrolux

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#663366 28-Jul-2012 18:14

surfisup1000:
Dunnersfella: For 'future proofing', you should ensure that everything is HDMI 1.4a compliant.
If you want to pass a 3D signal in the future, then it's going to be a key.

At least until HDMI 1.5 is released...

Funny enough, my 1.3 spec cable works just fine with the 3d signal -- i assume it is 1.3 cos I bought it in 2007 and didn't think 3d was out then.

As Cyril has said in past posts, the cable spec hasn't changed between 1.3 and 1.4a. Just the protocol itself has changed so a 1.3 hdmi cable will pass 3D stuff through.