15 or 20M HDMI Suggestions

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mrhaboobi

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# 100406 11-Apr-2012 09:02

Hi Guys,

As part of thehouse wiring i need to get some longish HDMI cables, 15 - 20 M max length. Just wondering if anyone has bought or used a particular brand that have been good, and didnt degrade over that distance. Would like smallish heads to make it as easy as possible to get through 25MM holes in the stud work.

Thanks

cyril7

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# 607693 11-Apr-2012 10:06

Hi, as mentioned in earlier notes I have used literally dozens of cables direct (which is Dynamix) HDMI cables including 15m and 20m ones (would not go over 20m with any brand). Try keep them down to 15m as both the $ and thickness of 20m ones steps up. The 20m ones use 24guage wire to meet spec as opposed to 26guage for smaller cables (and 28 and 30 guage for even shorter runs). Regardless they all have the same or similar size head that fits easily through a 25mm hole.

http://www.cablesdirect.co.nz/catalog/entry?entry=430

Cheers
Cyril

mrhaboobi

105 posts

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# 607696 11-Apr-2012 10:10

Thanks cryill :)

robjg63

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# 607697 11-Apr-2012 10:17

Wooo!
Looks like they get pretty pricey at that length.
Jaycar (usually a good place to get stuff like that are showing 15m at $165 and 20m at $239!
It does say they are HDMI 1.4 which is the latest/highest spec so that probably explains the price premium.

Looking at the wikipedia page it looks like you would need to consider the version. They go from 1.0/1.2 to 1.4 and the higher you go on that the higher the bandwidth and features that are supported.
It looks like the higher you go on the version the fussier the cable components get as well - hence the price.

What are you hooking up so far away?
Is there an alternative?

EDIT: Maybe you could consider cat 6 cabling:
http://www.popularmechanics.com/technology/how-to/tips/how-to-extend-your-hdmi-cables

Nothing is impossible for the man who doesn't have to do it himself - A. H. Weiler

mrhaboobi

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# 607700 11-Apr-2012 10:21

Linking HDMI around the house, eg from mysky in lounge to master bed and family room, the alternative is Cat5/6 with connectors on each end, but im not sure thats going to be any more cost effective.

cyril7

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# 607701 11-Apr-2012 10:21

I should note that from 1.2b to 1.4 the cable spec has never changed, just what services are provisioned, therefore a 1.2b, 1.3 and 1.4 cable is rated to the identical standard, however the devices and services connected to the cables has changed.

As linked at cables direct, $35 for 10m, $61 for 15m and $122 for 20m tells a story, try keep the runs under 15m.

Cyril

richms

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# 607859 11-Apr-2012 14:45

One of the revisions added another shielded pair ontop of the 4 that it already has, not sure on what it was for but perhaps the ARC or the ethernet revisions.

Richard rich.ms

cyril7

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# 607877 11-Apr-2012 15:02

Just to reiterate, there have always been 4 TDMS channels in an HDMI cable from day one, and thats all there is today with the lattest standard. the addition of return audio and ethernet are functions of the devices at each end, NOT THE CABLE!.

The only difference in HDMI cable qualities is Cat 1 and Cat 2. Cat 1 are only rated to 75MHz and therefore limited to 720p50/60 or 1080i50/60 and are not very common infact I doubt they have been sold for sometime except some cables over 20M are only cat1 rated.

All other cables including the ones linked above are Cat2 and therefore rated to 340MHz and as such support all the pixel rates including 4k as first spec'd in HDMI 1.4 devices, 3D bla bla bla.

The change in standard from 1.1 through 1.4 is not cable but end device related.

Cyril

Jaxson

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# 607941 11-Apr-2012 16:59

cyril7:
The change in standard from 1.1 through 1.4 is not cable but end device related.

Cyril

So you're saying it's the device and not the cable that's changed through these versions?

cyril7

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# 607942 11-Apr-2012 17:04

Yep

Cyril

marmel

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# 607960 11-Apr-2012 18:03

I would also suggest running Cat 6 and using HDMI baluns. I have just installed several HDMI runs using this method and they work great.

The other advantage in doing this is that if/when the HDMI plugs change to something else which will no doubt happen at some stage you could probably change the baluns at either end rather than having to change the whole cable.