CurtPalme.com Home Theater Forum

jkruger · Joined: 24 Oct 2007 Posts: 2435 Location: Carlsbad, CA

Can HD video be passed over Cat 5 wiring?
http://www.monoprice.com/products/product.asp?c_id=101&cp_id=10113&cs_id=1011301&p_id=5221&seq=1&format=2#description

**Curt Palme** · Posted: Mon Apr 20, 2009 4:23 pm Post subject:

Last year a customer had a Gefen Rx/TX set of boxes that was supposed to send HDMI over two CAT 6 runs. It wouldn't even transmit over 6', let alone the 35' that it was bought for, so I ripped it out and used an HDFury with an Extron box with RGBHV cable. That worked. Smile

**AnalogRocks** · Posted: Mon Apr 20, 2009 4:32 pm Post subject:

I've had a couple of customers that have used it sucsessfully. Not sure which model TX/RX they used though.

How long is the run you need to do J'?

jkruger · Joined: 24 Oct 2007 Posts: 2435 Location: Carlsbad, CA

I'm not going to do it, I just saw the box on Monoprice and was curious.

**Curt Palme** · Posted: Mon Apr 20, 2009 5:20 pm Post subject:

Well, if nothing else, I'm sure you'll get LOTS of quality tech support from Monoprice if it doesn't work. Wink

aenglish · Posted: Mon Apr 20, 2009 5:41 pm Post subject:

The company I work for does a lot of A/V instalations and we haven't had much luck with HDMI over CAT5 or CAT6. We have had success over fiber though.

I picked up a 25ft HDMI cable for $45 CAD a coulple of weeks ago and I could have bought a 50ft cable for $79, so unless you are going over 50ft the cost is prohibitive for ANY extender.

aenglish · Posted: Mon Apr 20, 2009 5:56 pm Post subject:

Just talked with a couple of our techs, we have had success with twisted pairs, but the extenders we used required dual CAT5/6. The extenders using a single twisted pair failed miserably.

WanMan · Joined: 19 Mar 2006 Posts: 10270

Well, HDMI is designed for transmitting UNCOMPRESSED video, which to me screams 1-2 Gbps. Running it over CAT really means you are using the Physical interface, but what is actually doing the signaling? Is it Ethernet or some other form of packet transport? Also, why is there such a need to send uncompressed video over long distances? For commercial applications I guess I can see the need, but for cowsumer?

KellenerSptM5 · Joined: 08 Mar 2009 Posts: 198

For long distances, in commerical applications, you would just use fiber anyway, so I really don't see the point.... Confused

I guess if you have your house prewired for CAT5/6 in all rooms maybe...

**AnalogRocks** · Posted: Thu Apr 23, 2009 4:25 am Post subject:

Jester · Joined: 27 Jan 2008 Posts: 90 Location: Villa Park Ilinois

I can give you one reason for HDMI over Cat5, I have 800 feet of the stuff (cat5e) sitting next to my desk. Paid for from a job, so I see this as a " hmmm what do I have laying around I can do this with?"

**kal** · Posted: Wed May 13, 2009 4:09 am Post subject:

Funny you should mention this... Smile

It certainly works but you need to be careful about what you pick. Some of the stuff out there is going to cause you more headaches than it's worth.

If you guys wait a week or so, I'm about to introduce some very good products from the #1 HDMI over category cable company (Blu-wire) to do HDMI over CATx up to 1080p for distances up to 200' at an exclusive curtpalme.com sale price. This is pro grade stuff. Used for distribution of 1080p in retail outlets and other pro venues. Much better than the Monoprice junk IMHO.

The order page is actually complete. Just waiting for the company to review and then it'll be announced.

A sneak peak:

How is the Blu-wire T1/R1 Extender Kit better than other HDMI extenders?

Most other solutions require two CatX cables. Our solution uses only one cable which reduces costs and making installation easier. Two less connections also means 50% less chance of connection-related failures.
Most other solutions are only rated for 1080i and 1600 x 1200 with bandwidth in the neighbourhood of 2 Gbps or less. Our solution supports FullHD 1080p with 6.6 Gbps of bandwidth. Future-proof your setup by making sure your HDMI extender supports 1080p!
Most other solutions are sensitive to cell phones and other electrical noise such as fluorescent lighting causing noise and/or dropouts. Our solution uses technology that is NOT sensitive to either - you do not need to use more expensive shielded cables required by most of the other solutions.
Some other solutions require adjustment and tweaking to maintain a picture. Our solution has Auto Gain and Auto EQ which results in a good signal regardless of distance with no adjustments needed.

Initially I'm introducing the transmitter/receiver pair but we'll also have splitters and other HDMI distribution stuff coming up at exclusive prices as well with distances up to 2000' possible.

I've been very busy negotiating... stay tuned! Smile

Keep your eyes peeled to the www.curtpalme.com front page or sign up to our newsletter!

Kal

**AnalogRocks** · Posted: Wed May 13, 2009 4:22 am Post subject:

Kal, you've been holding out on me Very Happy

What else you got up your sleeve?

**kal** · Posted: Wed May 13, 2009 3:32 pm Post subject:

I'm not telling..... Wink

Kal

WanMan · Joined: 19 Mar 2006 Posts: 10270

With players $200 why does anyone need to put a player so far from the projector?

**kal** · Posted: Fri May 15, 2009 7:03 pm Post subject:

fuzzybee · Joined: 26 Sep 2006 Posts: 187

I work for a commercial and residential AV integrator, and we often work in houses where they just plain don't want the source device beside their display. If we want to use HDMI, we have to use baluns.

Unfortunately, our most recent job that we speced HDMI baluns on just flat-out didn't work. They worked fine to 100+ ft over 2x CAT-6 in our shop, but then didn't work over much shorter distance in the house.

I may contact you to check these out when they go on sale.

**AnalogRocks** · Posted: Sat May 16, 2009 1:10 am Post subject:

Remember kids...digital is gud! Rolling Eyes

fuzzybee · Joined: 26 Sep 2006 Posts: 187

Unfortunately, my business is being dragged (kicking and screaming) into digital. Trust me - I'd prefer to stay analog, but I know that's not going to happen.

WanMan · Joined: 19 Mar 2006 Posts: 10270