# debating on running HDMI cable or cat 5e extender.



## Bob Sanders (Nov 10, 2013)

I would go HDMI.

You *SHOULD* be able to do 50 feet without any kind of amp or extender depending on the quality of the equipment involved, but if not then it's only an additional 25 or 30 bucks for an hdmi extender.

It should be noted that extenders have issues with 3D and 4K tv.


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## humberguy (Jul 9, 2009)

Thanks for the response. I actually preffered to run HDMI cable, i would save myself a ton of labour in the process. I wanted to make 9 runs in my house.


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## taylorjm (Apr 11, 2013)

You want to make 9 runs of HDMI cables through your house? Wow...personally, and with 20+ years in computer networking, I wouldn't do hdmi. I think that's too specialized. I think you need to look at something more generic like cat6. If you do hdmi, you are limited to audio/video signals. With cat6 you can run data, video, etc with the right converters. 

Tough call, and hdmi is expensive.


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## gregzoll (Dec 25, 2006)

Redmere, or just pull a couple of runs of Cat-6. Personally I would pull Cat-6. It gives you more opportunities for future proofing. Always pull through Smurf Tube. If you pull an HDMi and it goes bad. Guess what is coming out to replace that cable. A whole lot of drywall.


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## gregzoll (Dec 25, 2006)

taylorjm said:


> You want to make 9 runs of HDMI cables through your house? Wow...personally, and with 20+ years in computer networking, I wouldn't do hdmi. I think that's too specialized. I think you need to look at something more generic like cat6. If you do hdmi, you are limited to audio/video signals. With cat6 you can run data, video, etc with the right converters.
> 
> Tough call, and hdmi is expensive.


Especially with the fact that they will be using a Redmere cable for those kind of distances.


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## Bob Sanders (Nov 10, 2013)

humberguy said:


> I wanted to make 9 runs in my house.


9 runs is a different ball game. Not sure what the need is for that?

Usually when you have a long HDMI run, it's say.... from the receiver (in the front of the room) to a roof mounted projector in the back.

What is this "9 runs" all about?


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## ddawg16 (Aug 15, 2011)

I went through the same issue on my 2-story addition.....

The issue with HDMI is that you either an HDMI switch or 9 outputs.

I ran 2 Cat 6's to each room....along with an RG6 coax. This gives me the option of using HDMI over the two Cat 6's or just streaming video over Ethernet....or watch what ever is on the antenna. 

Seeing how Ethernet is pretty much standard now for most TV's....I'll just go that way.


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## Bob Sanders (Nov 10, 2013)

Okay... I think I understand what's going on here. You're along the lines of trying to run multiple tv's from a single box (streamer box or cable box)

The norm is to run ethernet to a *box in each room*. A SHORT hdmi run then goes from the box to the tv.

The difference is that HDMI wasn't really built to carry data for long runs. It was built to carry VIDEO/AUDIO INFORMATION for relatively short runs.

Ethernet is for long runs of data.


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## Bob Sanders (Nov 10, 2013)

ddawg16 said:


> Seeing how Ethernet is pretty much standard now for most TV's....I'll just go that way.


For data... yes, but not necessarily for audio/video. That standard is HDMI


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## gregzoll (Dec 25, 2006)

Bob Sanders said:


> 9 runs is a different ball game. Not sure what the need is for that?
> 
> Usually when you have a long HDMI run, it's say.... from the receiver (in the front of the room) to a roof mounted projector in the back.
> 
> What is this "9 runs" all about?


No one I know runs that many HDMI. It is all either having Cat-6 ran with Baluns, or step it up a notch and go with HDMI over Ethernet switching. The last is more then what most would spend. But if you own a large home, business, etc. It is the best way to go.


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## Bob Sanders (Nov 10, 2013)

gregzoll said:


> No one I know runs that many HDMI. It is all either having Cat-6 ran with Baluns, or step it up a notch and go with HDMI over Ethernet switching. The last is more then what most would spend. But if you own a large home, business, etc. It is the best way to go.


Agreed.
I have a central NAS and ONE cat6 to each room. The NAS and cat6 supply the data while a box in each room processes it and hands it off the the audio/video equipment via SHORT hdmi


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## gregzoll (Dec 25, 2006)

As for HDMI cables. I started to just go with the Amazon Basics. Got really tired of getting bad HDMI cables from Monoprice. The price is the same as Monoprice's, but better quality.

Best thing is that the heads on the Amazon's are not as large as the Monoprice version.


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## humberguy (Jul 9, 2009)

Bob Sanders said:


> Okay... I think I understand what's going on here. You're along the lines of trying to run multiple tv's from a single box (streamer box or cable box)
> 
> The norm is to run ethernet to a *box in each room*. A SHORT hdmi run then goes from the box to the tv.
> 
> ...


Yea, sorry i forgot to explain. I will have a server room with all my receivers and communication cables. I will run 2 satellites,tv cable, and a playstation in the server room going to 7 TV's. I run into problems sometimes where i want to watch TV but i have guest over sometimes and can't watch what i want, i would like to have the option of switching the HDMI port on the receiver box from the living TV to the bedroom TV in the server room if i need too.

Also i have one more question. I already started running some wire in my house. I actually ran cat 5e wire not cat 6e. Am i ok with cat5e wire?

I just box 2 boxes of cat 5e and i don't want to put the wire to waste.


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## taylorjm (Apr 11, 2013)

So, you want to have 7 tv's, and the ability to watch something you want on any of those tv's, plus allow the other tv's to watch something as well. Maybe even be able to watch a recorded show on a tv but not interrupt what others are watching.

Um, I think you just described what pretty much any cable, satellite provider has. At&t uverse, verizion fios, comcast, charter, dish network, they all have the ability to let you watch what you want by having a box at each tv. I'm not sure why you are trying to reinvent the wheel!!


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## gregzoll (Dec 25, 2006)

taylorjim, UVerse is limited to how many active recordings or viewings, depending on how far from the VRad. DirecTV you are limited with Genie how many slave units to the DVR.

What the OP needs to do is put down needs and wants. Then depending on who their provider is, design the equipment around it.

They already know what infrastructure they need, but are stuck in the mindset how we thought of doing this stuff 25 years ago.

I do not even know if the OP realizes there is a better way of doing what they want, instead of going with a setup that you would see in a Bar.


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## humberguy (Jul 9, 2009)

What my goal is too do, is to have the receivers in the server room, so i can just mount the tv on the wall and not have all the receivers in that room, and make the tv look clean.


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## gregzoll (Dec 25, 2006)

humberguy said:


> What my goal is too do, is to have the receivers in the server room, so i can just mount the tv on the wall and not have all the receivers in that room, and make the tv look clean.


Then get DirecTV and go with the Samsung flatscreens that work with Direct. If you are using another provider, you are talking about a setup that is going to cost you a lot more then you realize.

Most of these installs start out around $34k just for the materials and equipment needed to do a proper setup.


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## Bob Sanders (Nov 10, 2013)

humberguy said:


> What my goal is too do, is to have the receivers in the server room, so i can just mount the tv on the wall and not have all the receivers in that room, and make the tv look clean.


You can make the tv look clean without complicating the issue by placing receivers 100's of feet away in a server room. You can place receivers/streamers in a cupboard or a drawer, use ir repeaters for control of the machines. It's done all the time.

I think what you first need to do is sit and think about what kind of video you want to your tv's. Do you want regular cable, or satellite... Do you want to have a central server with hard drives with ripped movies/tv shows. Do you want each tv to be independent form the other so you can watch different things on different tv's at the same time? All of this will decide what cable and boxes will need to be placed where.

Keeping your devices in the same room doesn't mean you need to display them (or have a bunch of wires visible). They can work while hidden. In fact my kitchen tv works on a hidden cable box. All you see is the tv on the wall... no wires, no box. Granted I did get a little inventive in that situation.... I took the ir receiver led out of the cable box and mounted inside the tv beside the tv ir LED, but the point is that I have total control over the tv, a short run of hdmi, and with the box inside the cupboard, no wires visible.

But the first step here is to decide what you viewing situation will be because personally, I think you're going about things a bit wrong here.


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## JPL (Dec 12, 2010)

Cat6A is the way to go for hdmi. You only need one for video, one for ethernet(I avoid using the transmit/receive units for Ethernet), and one for control. Cat5e is fine for Ethernet and control. Use 6A for hdmi.


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## gregzoll (Dec 25, 2006)

JPL said:


> Cat6A is the way to go for hdmi. You only need one for video, one for ethernet(I avoid using the transmit/receive units for Ethernet), and one for control. Cat5e is fine for Ethernet and control. Use 6A for hdmi.


Either one will work fine for HDMI.


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## ktkelly (Apr 7, 2007)

Cat5e, while not ideal, WILL work just fine. 

*If you want to do this the right way your options are:*

Use HDBT Lite extenders (MUCH more reliable) than the typical HDMI extenders (Wyrestorm EX-1UTP-70, or Zektor Solocat HDL are good choices).


Either of these will also give you IR , or RS232 control over the source equipment.

_*Then:*_

You need to determine how, and where, you want the various sources to be distributed. 

Most likely you're looking at using a 8x8 Matrix for the switching, or you're going to need to double up on the extenders and do the switching at the display.

_*Additionally:*_

You would need some very good quality programmable remotes to ensure the system is user friendly.


I fully understand what you're trying to accomplish. But you do need to bear in mind, that it will not be wallet friendly.


I do this stuff on a day to day basis...


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