HDMI Breakout Adapter or Cable

[Lifesaver2000]

I have done some searching on this subject, but not finding any information on my specific need. Hoping someone here can help (if such is possible).

Many years ago I ran four good quality, quad shielded cables from my computer desk to where my TV is in the living room, the cables being about 30 feet long. With these I am able to have stereo audio from the computer to my audio system, and an S-Video connection to the television. For many years a I have enjoyed watching online video in the comfort of my living room, including things like free Hulu videos and even rented movies.

Earlier this year I upgraded to an HDTV. I am still able to watch videos from the computer, but as one might expect the video quality of the s-video connection leaves something to be desired. I want to be able to keep doing this but with higher quality video, since there are a lot of things that are not available (for free at least) with the TV or Blu-ray player's apps.

I am considering getting a new computer which just happens to have an HDMI output, so here is my question: Is there any type of cable or adapter that will allow the HDMI signal to be split into the four existing cables, then reconstituted on the TV end back to HDMI?

I am well aware of other possible solutions, such as sending video over the home IP network (already doing that some where possible) and the possibility of simply running a long HDMI from one room to another, but I want to rule out the easy solution before going the next step, and those things are not the subject of this post. I also know there are other solutions for getting some of the video content we want directly on the TV, but there are some things we have on the computer that we want to be able to see directly on the TV screen.

Any answers to my question appreciated.

 

[jayn_j]

If I understand correctly, you have 4 quad shielded cables for a total of 16 wires, all in shielded jackets. You could try experimenting with HDMI to cat5/6 extenders. Something like this: http://www.monoprice.com/products/p...=10110&cs_id=1011012&p_id=6532&seq=1&format=2

I wouldn't guarantee it would work since getting the correct twisted pairs matched properly is important. Try to treat each twisted pair in each bundle the same as a twisted pair in the cat-5/6 cable. For example, the twisted pairs in a cat5 cable are green/green-white, brown/brown-white, orange/orange-white and blue/blue-white. The cat5 wiring spec tells how to assign these to the RJ45 connector, and I would try to follow that with the pairs in this bundle. It is also important to ensure that the cables are the same length as this will affect timing.

Best of luck on this project.

 

[Lifesaver2000]

Thanks for replying.

I guess I didn't make it clear. The four cables are quad-shielded coaxial cables. That would be a total of four center conductors with four shields, so a total of eight conductors all together. That wouldn't give me enough for the two cat-5 cables needed for that item in the link, even if the shielded cables could be used as a substitute for ethernet cable.

The thing is though, I already have two cat-5e cables running from the computer location to the TV location, so that device might be an option after all. I can actually connect one of the two devices currently using ethernet by WiFi, so that frees up one cable, and I might figure out something else for the other (using the coax cables?) so that could be one option.

Another idea that converter box brought to mind is a box that converts HDMI to component video and digital audio, which would be just right for my four cables and still give me HD video at the TV. Should be good enough for computer screen output.

 

[drorb]

I use a different solution: I modulate component video and digital audio using Linear products and combine these 'house' channels with OTA for whole house distribution.

 

[jayn_j]

The thing is though, I already have two cat-5e cables running from the computer location to the TV location, so that device might be an option after all. I can actually connect one of the two devices currently using ethernet by WiFi, so that frees up one cable, and I might figure out something else for the other (using the coax cables?) so that could be one option.

Another idea that converter box brought to mind is a box that converts HDMI to component video and digital audio, which would be just right for my four cables and still give me HD video at the TV. Should be good enough for computer screen output.

Sorry for the misunderstanding. I guess I read what I expected.

As for the HDMI to component, it is back to monoprice again: http://www.monoprice.com/products/p...=10114&cs_id=1011410&p_id=8125&seq=1&format=2
Problem is that the audio breakout is analog. Most people who need this sort of adapter are stripping out the audio at the receiver and just passing video to the display.

BTW, they also have VGA converters as well for the older computer. Personally, I took the old computer, added 2 TB of disc and made it a media server in the theater. That way, I can browse, play games and rip BluRays directly to the projector without messing with long runs and walls.

 

[Lifesaver2000]

I saw that about the HDMI or VGA to Component having L/R audio, but I also saw a different box that converts L/R audio to coaxial digital, so that should get me covered. Since HDCP is not a consideration, then that would overall be a pretty simple way to get the computer HD video out to the TV. I have checked and my distance seems to be less than the maximum on both of these, so I should be good to go.

Of course, if anyone out there knows of an HDMI extender that will work over four coaxial cables I would still love to hear about it. I did find one that will work with a single Cat5e cable, so that is another option.

 

[jayn_j]

Well, I don't see the point in analog audio going back to optical. You have already done the a/d conversion, and stripped out everything except L+R analog. Converting it back to digital gains you nothing. You could run the audio through the cat5 and avoid the extra two conversions. Look at the new computer as well. Many sound cards have an optical output.

 

[Lifesaver2000]

The point of converting the L/R to digital is just to be able to send it down a single cable. If the computer has a digital audio output then that would of course be better. But the idea is to be able to send HD video and at least stereo audio down four coaxial cables (three for component video, one for the audio). An optical output on a computer would have to be converted to coaxial digital audio though, but I don't think that is too big of a deal.

If I decide to use the Cat5e cable, then the plan would be to use the HDMI via cat5e extender, and let that carry both the video and audio the whole way.

 

[al]

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B005SIMSAE/?tag=satell01-20

 

[Lifesaver2000]

Al, that looks like what I need, but didn't realize it would be so expensive. Considering the prices on some of the other converters, I was hoping for around $50 to $75.

It is starting to look like I just need to break out the old coveralls and plan to spend an afternoon on my stomach crawling under the house, and just add an HDMI cable to the existing runs. Just not as young as I used to be, so not looking forward to it, but that would be the best solution I suppose.

Thanks everyone for the input and discussion. Hopefully by next fall I'll have the new computer and I'll report back what I decided.

 

[al]

It may be expensive, but it is rock solid compared to running long HDMI cables, or cat5 baluns. That has been our experience anyway, Good Luck!

 

[mike123abc]

I faced a similar problem earlier this year. I had 5 quad shielded coax cables (component plus R/L which I later just used R with digital audio). I evaluated the expensive HDMI over coax and decided to run 6 cat 6 cables instead. It gave me HDMI over 2 of them, an I/R remote over another one and 3 gigabit Ethernet drops for my ballooning collection of internet video boxes.