HDMI extenders

[GoodDoc]

My projector is connected to my AV amp using a 10metre long HDMI cable that is runs up the wall and across the ceiling in plastic trunking, which isn't particularly pretty. As a result of some building work I'm currently having the walls and ceiling plastered and I'm using the opportunity to bury all the AV cables in the wall. However, for complicated reasons due to the construction of the wall I can't take the most direct route so my 10 meter HDMI cable isn't long enough.

I didn't particularly want HDMI cable ends hanging out of the ceiling and wall, but the discovery that I can't use the direct cable route and time pressure means I've now run two shielded, stranded CAT6 cables which are about 20 meters long.

I'm now looking for an HDMI extender that supports 1080p. I'm happy to spend a bit more to get a better more reliable connection but never having used HDMI extenders I'm looking for recommendations. Any suggestions?

[RammyMP]

Ive used one of these for the past 6 years after my hdmi lead built into the wall was damaged. I had 2 cat 5 cables to the back of the TV so I used them back to my sky box which is in a cupboard:

http://www.maplin.co.uk/p/maplin-30m-hdmi-over-cat...

[TheRainMaker]

Receiver

KRAMER WP-562

http://www.kramerelectronics.co.uk/products/model....

Transmitter

KRAMER PT-561

http://www.kramerelectronics.co.uk/products/model....

[GoodDoc]

RammyMP said:

Ive used one of these for the past 6 years after my hdmi lead built into the wall was damaged. I had 2 cat 5 cables to the back of the TV so I used them back to my sky box which is in a cupboard:

http://www.maplin.co.uk/p/maplin-30m-hdmi-over-cat...

I was afraid that that the £30 end of the market might not be the best quality so it' encouraging to hear you've been using it without issues. Two questions;

- Is your TV/Sky box 720p or 1080p?
- Did you need to power the extenders or can they draw power from the HDMI ports?

[RammyMP]

GoodDoc said:

RammyMP said:

Ive used one of these for the past 6 years after my hdmi lead built into the wall was damaged. I had 2 cat 5 cables to the back of the TV so I used them back to my sky box which is in a cupboard:

http://www.maplin.co.uk/p/maplin-30m-hdmi-over-cat...

I was afraid that that the £30 end of the market might not be the best quality so it' encouraging to hear you've been using it without issues. Two questions;

- Is your TV/Sky box 720p or 1080p?
- Did you need to power the extenders or can they draw power from the HDMI ports?

Yes it's 1080p and yes the box needs to be powered. I've got a 50" Pioneer Kuro TV and the picture quality is very good.

[jilap]

We use the HD Anywhere ones on installs. Top quality.

[ASK1974]

Leaf Audio
WyreStorm
CYP
Kramer

[VEX]

jilap said:

We use the HD Anywhere ones on installs. Top quality.

That very much depends on who you talk to.

Would agree with ASK on brands, other up and coming brands that I have used

BlueStream
Phase8

And I have just been told to expect some interesting things from KeyDigital

However given the distance your running then the cheaper ones are well worth a shot and for day to day use could well be fine.

V.

[goingonholiday]

I've got 4 of these running with a 4x4 hdmi matrix. They've been faultless and deliver 1080p over varying cable runs with a variety of sources and tvs! They do need power but run over a single cat5/6, cat6 in my case.

[kryten22uk]

When running 2 CAT6 cables for you terminate them at each end with a wall plug, or do you just have each end of the cable pokimg out of the wall and connecting directly into the receiver/transmitter?

[VEX]

That very much depends on the kit you are going to be connecting to it.

The cheaper and early HDMI over CAT systems the recommendations were to terminate straight into a RJ45 head and connect directly to the hardware.

Now that HDBaseT technology is a lot more stable and mature I tend to terminate at wall plates and patch panels for a neater finish and then patch to the hardware.

However in all cases the recommendation is to test the terminations and link to full and proper CAT5/6 standards to ensure best compatiblity

Hope that helps.

V.

[GoodDoc]

kryten22uk said:

When running 2 CAT6 cables for you terminate them at each end with a wall plug, or do you just have each end of the cable pokimg out of the wall and connecting directly into the receiver/transmitter?

The plan was to use shielded CAT6 faceplates and short lengths of shielded CAT6 cables, mainly to keep the ceiling and walls looking neat. Given the short length of cable I was hoping the shielding didn't need to be world class.
However, while there seem to be no end of unshielded CAT5 or CAT6 faceplates I haven't found pre-made shielded CAT6 faceplates. Looks like I need to get modular faceplates and then get shielded keystones to fit, but they need to be matched to fit together and they look a bit deeper than standard RJ45 faceplates so for the moment I'm just going to fit shielded CAT6 RJ45 plugs on both ends and plug them straight into the HDMI extenders.

goingonholiday said:

I've got 4 of these running with a 4x4 hdmi matrix.

Which extenders are you using?

VEX said:

IThat very much depends on the kit you are going to be connecting to it.

I'm connected a Denon AVR-2313 amp to an Optoma HD230X 1080p projector. All fairly standard domestic kit.

VEX said:

Now that HDBaseT technology is a lot more stable and mature I tend to terminate at wall plates and patch panels for a neater finish and then patch to the hardware.

Are you using shielded connector and cables, if so, where did you get your shielded jacks/faceplates?

VEX said:

However in all cases the recommendation is to test the terminations and link to full and proper CAT5/6 standards to ensure best compatiblity

I can test for electrical connectivity but I have no way of testing the performance of the finished run, other than seeing if it works.

[VEX]

Again the recommendation is NOT to use shielded cables.

If it is badly terminated then shield becomes a massive aerial causing more interference that it blocks out.

If it is not to late, ordinary CAT6 should be fine, we tend to use stuff ratified for HDBT, costs a little bit more but pulls nicely out of the box and I have never had a problem terminating it or sending signals over it.

V.

[fadeaway]

VEX said:

That very much depends on the kit you are going to be connecting to it.

The cheaper and early HDMI over CAT systems the recommendations were to terminate straight into a RJ45 head and connect directly to the hardware.

Now that HDBaseT technology is a lot more stable and mature I tend to terminate at wall plates and patch panels for a neater finish and then patch to the hardware.

However in all cases the recommendation is to test the terminations and link to full and proper CAT5/6 standards to ensure best compatiblity

Hope that helps.

V.

Beautifully timed comment for me - thanks VEX

The new CAT6 cables in my house are having the terminators done on Wednesday. Was planning on having the ones for HDMI end in RJ45 and the rest go into a patch panel. I'll get them in the patch panel now!

[VEX]

No problem, fadeaway.

But I have to say two things.

1: this is only really workable if you plan to spend the money on good HDBT kit. Personal recommendations are Bluestream, Pulse8, Cyp and may be wirestorm.

There is something else interesting coming and I am hoping to do a trial with it for the importer before Christmas, but I can't say more than that at the moment.

2: As you are so local to me, how come it has taken so long for you to find me? Lol

V.

[GoodDoc]

VEX said:

Again the recommendation is NOT to use shielded cables.

If it is badly terminated then shield becomes a massive aerial causing more interference that it blocks out.

If it is not to late, ordinary CAT6 should be fine, we tend to use stuff ratified for HDBT, costs a little bit more but pulls nicely out of the box and I have never had a problem terminating it or sending signals over it.

V.

Shielded cables are already in the walls. Lots of the extenders on Amazon repeatedly stated that using shielded runs was best, perhaps not the best source of info but that's what I've run. I'll just have to make sure I terminate the shields properly. Any tips?

A Blueshield HDMI extender kit seems to be about £250 and supports IR (which I don't need) and 4K (which I don't need, yet). Did you mean "Pulse8"? I can't find any Phase8 kit but there is a Pulse8 HDMI extender kit for £140 (which is much closer to what I was hoping to spend).

[VEX]

Yes, Sorry, Pulse8

Martin is extremely knowledgeable and supportive if you need it.

V.

[GoodDoc]

Right, the building work is almost finished, time to actually buy an HDMI extender. Unless someone can think of a compelling reason not to, I'm probably going to buy the Pulse 8 HDMI extender.

https://www.pulse-eight.com/p/148/hdbaset-lite-70m...

At £140 it's more than I wanted to spend, this is basically an attempt to invest in a trouble free extended HDMI experience.

Does anyone here object?

[Autopilot]

Looks like reasonable kit to me! One thing to remember is that the transmitter and receiver need to be connected to a power supply so if you're after a neat install, you'll need to bury this cable also.

I didn't want yet another cable in the wall, so picked devices that could be powered by USB so that I was able to stick the receiver to the back of the TV and run straight in to a USB in the back of the screen.

[goingonholiday]

Just realised my earlier post didn't have the link in it. It depends what you want / need but if like me all you need is HD over a short cable run (25m in my case) then I've found these very good and only £40. They've been in use and trouble free about 9 months, I have 4.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Portta-Extension-Extender-...