HDMI dropping out (handshake?)

[justin220]

Hello, I'm hoping there is someone on here who can help me. I've recently moved into a new build, and asked the builder to run Cat 5 to the main rooms, and terminate them back in the hall cupboard, where I have my AV Gear. The cat 5 is obviously behind the walls and runs along the ceiling where it pops through and runs to the PJ.

My current set up is

PS4 and Sky Q > Denon Amp > Hdmi to cat 5 > cat 5 cable run > cat 5 to HDMI > projector

Projector plugged into roof mounted socket, which has an isolation switch on one of the walls in the room. The socket is around 1m from the projector, so I've just ran a bit of trunking with both the cat 5 and projector power lead in.

The problem I'm having is, when the projector is on, and either the lights switched on/washing machine/boiler firing, I have either a flicker in signal or quite often the HDMI signal drops out completely for around 1 second, then the source search picks it back up and picture comes back. No loss to the sound at all. Seems linked to a dip in voltage around the house. Initial thoughts were a loose connection but I've ruled that out.

Everything plugged into surge protectors.

I've googled a lot, and read about handshake which I don't quite fully understand, or possibly a wiring earth fault?!

Anyone have any experience of these?

I'll try and get a pic to upload

[chris285]

Is the cat5 cable shielded and does it run close to any power sources?

[justin220]

[TheRainMaker]

What units are they?

[justin220]

chris285 said:

Is the cat5 cable shielded and does it run close to any power sources?

I'll need to double check but I'm assuming it's shielded internally? Or do you mean externally inside the trunk?

It does have about a 1m run with the projector power cable in the trunking, although I've tried running one of them externally of the trunking and it didn't seem to help

[justin220]

TheRainMaker said:

What units are they?

As in the amp/projector?

[VEX]

Drop the CAT5 out of the trunking first, see if that helps.

Reduce the resolution of the video feed you are using, you dont say what resolution you are tryng to run either. 4K could be iffy over CAT5 and cheap baluns.

V.

[VEX]

Also which way do your ceiling joists run?

To the window or parallel to the window?

If parallel you should be able to hide the cables in the ceiling.

V.

[chris285]

justin220 said:

I'll need to double check but I'm assuming it's shielded internally? Or do you mean externally inside the trunk?

It does have about a 1m run with the projector power cable in the trunking, although I've tried running one of them externally of the trunking and it didn't seem to help

Cat5 cable is not shielded as standard, you can buy shielded cat5 but it is different cable

[VEX]

chris285 said:

Cat5 cable is not shielded as standard, you can buy shielded cat5 but it is different cable

It can also open up a whole different world of problems with HDMI Baluns

[justin220]

Thanks chaps. I'll check the joists.

Is it possible to shield the cat 5 externally? Probably a stupid question

VEX said:

Drop the CAT5 out of the trunking first, see if that helps.

Reduce the resolution of the video feed you are using, you dont say what resolution you are tryng to run either. 4K could be iffy over CAT5 and cheap baluns.

V.

1080p is the maximum, no 4k. I've tried at 720p and it seems to drop out less (might just be me imagining it) but it certainly doesn't stop completely.

[Monty Python]

How long is the CAT5 run, and is it CAT5 or CAT5e? Personally I'd have used shielded CAT6 or CAT5e at minimum with a HDMI signal extender:

https://www.djanddiscostuff.com/consumables-cables...

[justin220]

Believe it or not, one is Cat 5e, the other is Cat 6.

Could that be the issue?

The run from cabinet to PJ is less than 5m, but there could be a lot more hidden behind the wall I guess.

[justin220]

Monty Python said:

How long is the CAT5 run, and is it CAT5 or CAT5e? Personally I'd have used shielded CAT6 or CAT5e at minimum with a HDMI signal extender:

https://www.djanddiscostuff.com/consumables-cables...

The link isn't working but it's a cat5 to hdmi convertor at either end

[justin220]

[Monty Python]

The Cat5e/Cat6 cables won't be an issue - they're higher bandwidth than Cat5. One thing I would possibly point a finger at is those HDMI extenders - they're cheap, unpowered and appear to be a bit dodgy:

https://www.amazon.com/Portta-Extender-CAT5e-Cable...

Maybe worth getting some of these:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Neet%C2%AE-Extender-Cat5e...

[OldSkoolRS]

For what it's worth I'm using this Neet set from Amazon over a 15 metre CAT6 cable with no problems at 1080/60p:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B013T58Z5O/ref...

I'm also using the Neet set below with a CAT7 cable over 8 metres to feed my projector with upscaled 4k24p and have no issues with drop outs(just the typical long HDMI handshake that JVCs are known for):

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B013T5S4W8/ref...

[justin220]

Interesting suggestion gents, never thought it could have been them. Just assumed that as they were working and sending the signal, they were fine.

I'll get a powered set ordered and report back

[justin220]

So it's early days, but I think the powered HDMI extenders have solved the issue! We watched a couple of hours last night without any signal drop out. So a huge thanks for suggesting it.

I went for these incase anyone is having the same issues

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/B00YC3BWL2/ref=ps...

Only slight negative now is I had a 2-1 plus adapter on the ceiling to power the PJ and the HDMI extender. I'll look into a better solution at some point

[Monty Python]

justin220 said:

So it's early days, but I think the powered HDMI extenders have solved the issue! We watched a couple of hours last night without any signal drop out. So a huge thanks for suggesting it.

I went for these incase anyone is having the same issues

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/B00YC3BWL2/ref=ps...

Only slight negative now is I had a 2-1 plus adapter on the ceiling to power the PJ and the HDMI extender. I'll look into a better solution at some point

Glad it worked :-)