Unoffical empeg BBS

Quick Links: Empeg FAQ | RioCar.Org | Hijack | BigDisk Builder | jEmplode | emphatic
Repairs: Repairs

Topic Options
#255421 - 03/05/2005 19:39 Home Theater extension cables
JBjorgen
carpal tunnel

Registered: 19/01/2002
Posts: 3582
Loc: Columbus, OH
I have a dilemma I'm trying to help solve...maybe one of you home theater buffs can help me find an inexpensive solution.

We have a PC with a DVI-D video connector in the sound/video booth. We want to connect it to a HDTV with an HDMI connector. The cable run is about 90 ft. Is there any way to do this inexpensively? The display will be used mostly for powerpoint, although sometimes for DVD, etc.

This looks like a great solution, but it's pretty pricey.
_________________________
~ John

Top
#255422 - 05/05/2005 10:46 Re: Home Theater extension cables [Re: JBjorgen]
JBjorgen
carpal tunnel

Registered: 19/01/2002
Posts: 3582
Loc: Columbus, OH
Crap...

ok. Thanks for reading.
_________________________
~ John

Top
#255423 - 05/05/2005 10:54 Re: Home Theater extension cables [Re: JBjorgen]
tman
carpal tunnel

Registered: 24/12/2001
Posts: 5528
Have read just no answers. Extending DVI or HDMI is very expensive as you've found out. The compromise would be to use component video as you can buy cheap extenders which work over Cat5.

Top
#255424 - 05/05/2005 12:00 Re: Home Theater extension cables [Re: tman]
JBjorgen
carpal tunnel

Registered: 19/01/2002
Posts: 3582
Loc: Columbus, OH
Yeah...that's what's in there now. The color is piss-poor though. The reds are really dark and the blues are too bright. Text isn't very clear either.

I'll probably end up with that product linked above. It's just sad that we'll end up spending almost half as much as the TV cost connecting the two.
_________________________
~ John

Top
#255425 - 05/05/2005 16:26 Re: Home Theater extension cables [Re: JBjorgen]
time
enthusiast

Registered: 20/11/2000
Posts: 279
Loc: Pacific Northwest
How about co-locating the PC and the TV? And using CAT-5/ethernet to another box with a remote desktop/shell?

Top
#255426 - 05/05/2005 18:44 Re: Home Theater extension cables [Re: time]
JBjorgen
carpal tunnel

Registered: 19/01/2002
Posts: 3582
Loc: Columbus, OH
Good thought, but we'd still probably drop about $500 on the remote box. I'd rather just get the cable extender if it's going to be about the same price.
_________________________
~ John

Top
#255427 - 06/05/2005 00:58 Re: Home Theater extension cables [Re: JBjorgen]
FireFox31
pooh-bah

Registered: 19/09/2002
Posts: 2494
Loc: East Coast, USA
Or what about co-locating the PC and using KVM-over-ethernet from Raritan. I have one of these and they're really great. It answered my age old question of "How DO they run that special KVM cabling any further than 15 feet and through walls?" Of course, KVM-over-IP (also offered by Raritan) is another solution, but I like to keep it simple.
_________________________
-
FireFox31
110gig MKIIa (30+80), Eutronix lights, 32 meg stacked RAM, Filener orange gel lens, Greenlights Lit Buttons green set

Top
#255428 - 06/05/2005 10:25 Re: Home Theater extension cables [Re: FireFox31]
JBjorgen
carpal tunnel

Registered: 19/01/2002
Posts: 3582
Loc: Columbus, OH
Those are certainly cool (I think you meant to link these?), but there's a problem: The whole reason I posted is that I'm looking for something cheaper than the above linked unit.

Thanks for the idea though...it's definitely an angle I didn't consider coming at the problem from. I'm still open to fresh ideas.

Top
#255429 - 06/05/2005 10:56 Re: Home Theater extension cables [Re: FireFox31]
andym
carpal tunnel

Registered: 17/01/2002
Posts: 3995
Loc: Manchester UK
We use that Raritan IP kit on one of our projects at the moment. 200+ workstations. Each connected to a little box the size of a packet of cigarettes. VGA+PS/2 on one end and an RJ45 on the other. The quality is excellent, shame the price is so high per workstation.
_________________________
Cheers,

Andy M

Top
#255430 - 06/05/2005 11:36 Re: Home Theater extension cables [Re: JBjorgen]
JBjorgen
carpal tunnel

Registered: 19/01/2002
Posts: 3582
Loc: Columbus, OH
I just spoke with the guy I'm doing this for...they took a more acurate measurement and the cable only needs to be about 66 ft.

I just found this DVI mini-repeater.

I'm not entirely sure it'd be cheaper though.

$150.00 mini-repeater in boost mode
$150.00 20 meter DVI-D super long distance extension cable
$ 30.00 6ft DVI-D to HDMI cable
------------
$330.00
_________________________
~ John

Top
#255431 - 06/05/2005 12:10 Re: Home Theater extension cables [Re: JBjorgen]
Attack
addict

Registered: 01/03/2002
Posts: 598
Loc: Florida
Just to let you know most of the DVI cable extending devices add a few milliseconds delay and will cause audio/video sync issues.

Top
#255432 - 06/05/2005 12:19 Re: Home Theater extension cables [Re: Attack]
JBjorgen
carpal tunnel

Registered: 19/01/2002
Posts: 3582
Loc: Columbus, OH
I'll report back on how well this works if we get it. 90% of the time, this will be used for powerpoint with no audio, so it won't be as much of an issue. I'll try it out with some DVD's and see if there is a noticable delay though.
_________________________
~ John

Top
#255433 - 07/05/2005 01:02 Re: Home Theater extension cables [Re: JBjorgen]
FireFox31
pooh-bah

Registered: 19/09/2002
Posts: 2494
Loc: East Coast, USA
Wow, there's no way I paid $900 for the Raritan Z-series starter kit. Bought it two years ago and leveraged educational pricing, may explain it. Odd, I was expecting it to be $350 or something.
_________________________
-
FireFox31
110gig MKIIa (30+80), Eutronix lights, 32 meg stacked RAM, Filener orange gel lens, Greenlights Lit Buttons green set

Top
#255434 - 08/05/2005 00:18 Re: Home Theater extension cables [Re: JBjorgen]
hybrid8
carpal tunnel

Registered: 12/11/2001
Posts: 7738
Loc: Toronto, CANADA
Have you looked at Gefen's products?

http://www.gefen.com/kvm/cav-extenders.jsp

Bruno
_________________________
Bruno
Twisted Melon : Fine Mac OS Software

Top
#255435 - 09/05/2005 01:46 Re: Home Theater extension cables [Re: hybrid8]
JBjorgen
carpal tunnel

Registered: 19/01/2002
Posts: 3582
Loc: Columbus, OH
Yeah, I linked one in my first post. They have extenders and repeaters too, but they're more expensive. They may be higher quality though.
_________________________
~ John

Top
#255436 - 12/10/2005 17:44 Re: Home Theater extension cables [Re: JBjorgen]
Phoenix42
veteran

Registered: 21/03/2002
Posts: 1424
Loc: MA but Irish born
John, how did this solution work out for you? I'm looking at doing something similar.
We've an NEC LCD4000 at the end of a 50 foot VGA cable and it is suffering from screen burn. So while we're replacing the screen - I'm open to suggestions here as well, don't need really high resolution - , can I use something other that VGA with out spending huge money and get an improved signal.

Top
#255437 - 12/10/2005 18:00 Re: Home Theater extension cables [Re: Phoenix42]
tfabris
carpal tunnel

Registered: 20/12/1999
Posts: 31563
Loc: Seattle, WA
And I have a related question, too. What's the length limit for a DVI cable? I want to wall mount my LCD TV and the 6-foot cable just isn't enough. I could probably get away with 12 feet.
_________________________
Tony Fabris

Top
#255438 - 12/10/2005 18:25 Re: Home Theater extension cables [Re: tfabris]
Attack
addict

Registered: 01/03/2002
Posts: 598
Loc: Florida
Tony:
A 12-foot DVI cable will work. I've got a 30-foot or 9 meter (can't remember) DVI cable running from the PC to the projector at home. The PC is at the front of the room and the cable runs up the wall (inside) thru the ceiling and out the ceiling about 15 feet from the front wall.

Top
#255439 - 12/10/2005 18:41 Re: Home Theater extension cables [Re: tfabris]
Phoenix42
veteran

Registered: 21/03/2002
Posts: 1424
Loc: MA but Irish born
Tony, I want to say it is 6 meters, but in the L-com catalogue I have to hand it says "....the recommended 5 meter maximum for DVI cables". Both of which would work for you.

Top
#255440 - 13/10/2005 06:21 Re: Home Theater extension cables [Re: tfabris]
boxer
pooh-bah

Registered: 16/04/2002
Posts: 2011
Loc: Yorkshire UK
I've been using a 5 metre cable between plasma and PC these last couple of years. Translated from pounds, it was the cheapest I could find for around 30 dollars from Farnell's, and it works fine. They do a 10 metre one for around 90 dollars, so presumably they think it'll work.
_________________________
Politics and Ideology: Not my bag

Top
#255441 - 13/10/2005 12:11 Re: Home Theater extension cables [Re: boxer]
JBjorgen
carpal tunnel

Registered: 19/01/2002
Posts: 3582
Loc: Columbus, OH
Unfortunately, the funds dried up before we got anything, so we're still running a lousy composite video connection. I may donate it eventually (it's for our church.)
_________________________
~ John

Top
#255442 - 14/10/2005 19:30 Re: Home Theater extension cables [Re: tfabris]
Neutrino
addict

Registered: 23/01/2002
Posts: 506
Loc: The Great Pacific NorthWest
I too have ran a LCD Projector from my HTPC via a 10meter DVI to HDMI cable with excellent results. The image was great. I ended up selling the Sony-hs51 and going back to CRT. There is just no comparison.

Side note, welcome to the NorthWest! Just remember to tell everyone "It always rains up here, It always rains up here."

Have you had a chance to see much of the country? I can think of few places with as much geographic diversity. It's truly beautiful here.

Top
#255443 - 14/10/2005 19:41 Re: Home Theater extension cables [Re: Neutrino]
tfabris
carpal tunnel

Registered: 20/12/1999
Posts: 31563
Loc: Seattle, WA
Thanks. I've been up to the cascades, and down to the waterfont on Lake Union. That's about it so far.
_________________________
Tony Fabris

Top