HDMI extenders

[jbartlett]

Personally, I'm highly interested in the project and already pondering how best to run the HDMI extenders, etc. 

[ironicbadger]

Personally, I'm highly interested in the project and already pondering how best to run the HDMI extenders, etc. 

 

You'll probably want a matrix in there for ultimately flexibility.

 

I have a 2x4 matrix which I picked up £20 at a market!

 

My monitor upstairs can show me windows, ps3 or xbmc. All automated with event ghost, a USB UIRT and tasker. Its fun man.

 

I'll do a post on that stuff one day!

 

Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk

 

 

[jumperalex]

Personally, I'm highly interested in the project and already pondering how best to run the HDMI extenders, etc. 

 

One OT post in response:

The best hdmi extender is Ethernet.  Anything beyond a single HTPC sitting near your TV is better served through a server/client setup using thin clients like Roku or RaspPi which are cheaper, smaller, quieter and cooler than any dedicated HTPC. 

 

And of course that is where this project can shine.  Your options suddenly open up when you aren't tied to the only available UnRaid plugins for the server and you no longer have the worry about mucking up your UnRaid server with such an plugin.  I know what I would recommend, for my usage and a few others, but the important part is, there are options beyond stretching HDMI which bring really nice features ...like serving up media to your phone / tablet / browser outside your LAN 

[squirrellydw]

Mono Price has HDMI Matrix's and long HDMI cables.  I have one running 75 feet with no issues.

[dirtysanchez]

Personally, I'm highly interested in the project and already pondering how best to run the HDMI extenders, etc. 

 

One OT post in response:

The best hdmi extender is Ethernet.  Anything beyond a single HTPC sitting near your TV is better served through a server/client setup using thin clients like Roku or RaspPi which are cheaper, smaller, quieter and cooler than any dedicated HTPC. 

 

And of course that is where this project can shine.  Your options suddenly open up when you aren't tied to the only available UnRaid plugins for the server and you no longer have the worry about mucking up your UnRaid server with such an plugin.  I know what I would recommend, for my usage and a few others, but the important part is, there are options beyond stretching HDMI which bring really nice features ...like serving up media to your phone / tablet / browser outside your LAN 

 

Couldn't agree more.  Plex anyone?

[johnodon]

I bought 25' and 50' runs of MediaBridge HDMI cables from Amazon.  I have yet to see ANY signal degradation.

 

The latter cable was only $23.

 

John

[WeeboTech]

Are y'all running 3d?

[johnodon]

Are y'all running 3d?

 

Nope.

[Fireball3]

Would a mod please be kind and split the extender posts into a dedicated thread in the hardware section.

 

Since I have a CAT7 wiring throughout my house, what would be the best ethernet solution?

I wont be able to pull HDMI cables.

These kind of extenders are kind of pricey compared to RasbPi and Rokus!

 

[JonathanM]

Since I have a CAT7 wiring throughout my house, what would be the best ethernet solution?

I wont be able to pull HDMI cables.

These kind of extenders are kind of pricey compared to RasbPi and Rokus!

Take a look here. Depending on your needs resolution and distance wise, you may be able to get away with 1/20 of the price of the lindy box. Be sure to read the reviews though, so you don't expect too much out of the cheap options.

[Chris Pollard]

A friend at work did this using HDMI to RJ45 convertors :-

 

http://www.play.com/Electronics/Electronics/4-/33923119/851601647/-/ListingDetails.html?_%24ja=tsid:13315%7Ccat:33923119%7Cprd:33923119&$$ja=cgid:7111953777|tsid:48121|cid:130773177|lid:54119185017|nw:g|crid:22715959017|rnd:1181760088622836738|dvc:c|adp:1o1|mt:

 

Link probably broken...  anyway he had to use shielded cat6 to get 1080p to work properly...  which meant new cables in the walls. 

[jbartlett]

Link above made tiny (and clickable)

 

http://tinyurl.com/n4yvmy2

[Fireball3]

Thanks for the links but I have no clue what requirements apply to use them for e.g. 1080p/DTS.

Are 8 bit per channel enough?

Is 1.65Gbps per channel enough?

[clearzero]

There is actually a standard for HDMI extention.  It is called HDBase-T.  Under that standard you can use regular Cat5.  It works without much effort to be honest.  The shielded cable comes into play when you are going outside of the norms on cable length or if the box is doing more than simple HDBase-T.  Crestron Digital Media products are a good example.  They require shielded Cat6 but they are wrapping the standard into a more proprietary solution.

 

I deal with this stuff daily and my suggestion is to always go with Category extension when your length is above 30' and always use a single Category cable solution.  Even though the longer cables work they are a pain to deal with because of the jacket.