Long Component Cable

[Krumlov]

Hi guys,

I am building a new house and plan to pipe my living room system to the main bedroom. To do this my plan is to use the component out monitor outputs and stereo audio out. Thus I need five lines to the main bedroom about 22m in length. My plan at the moment is to use RG6 terminated by F-connectors then plugged into an off the shelf wall plate with female-female f-connector and then plug f-connector to RCA adapters to the front before running a shorter cable to both the amp and the TV.

My question is what do people think of this option. It appears to be the cheapest way of doing things. Bear in mind we are talking a small LCD TV here (20-something inch) so I am not super concerned about maintaining premium quality video and audio.

The other options I considered were:

1. Custom made RCA terminated cables (1 component and 1 audio) 25m in length

2. Buy shorter RCA terminated cables and connect them with female-female adapters.

The advantage of the other options is I can just run them all the way to the TV/amp without the need for a wall plate but the downside is the cost which I am not sure is justified.

So what are people's thoughts on this problem?

BTW I will be using an IR transmitter running back to the living room to control everything.

[spent2much]

I have a similar issue.

I Plan on using a component to cat5 video extender from jaycar (cat QC3684). Haven't tried it yet to see if the quality is maintained or not.

Much easier to run a single cat5 than a component cable imho.

[Krumlov]

I Plan on using a component to cat5 video extender from jaycar (cat QC3684). Haven't tried it yet to see if the quality is maintained or not.

Much easier to run a single cat5 than a component cable imho.

Interesting option but it does not send analogue audio unfortunately. Any other ideas from the forum regulars?

[Basil1503559642]

Interesting option but it does not send analogue audio unfortunately. Any other ideas from the forum regulars?

Hi

RG6 is the way to go cost wise but if your building a new Home i would be biting the bullet and getting HDMI cabling in there somewhere despite the cost, its only a matter of time(5-10 Years?) before component is dropped from HD specs.,when that happens it won't be included in new products. China/Taiwan/HK is the place to source long run HDMI cables and plates, some of the Ebay O/seas sellers will get it for you,USA is out of the equation now with the collapse of the A$.

All this of course is just MO.

Edited November 4, 2008 by Basil

[Krumlov]

RG6 is the way to go cost wise

I have roof access so would be able to run a HDMI cable in the future. If RG6 is the way to go then what about the terminations. How does my plan of terminating with F connectors then using F to RCA adapters sound?

[Benje]

Interesting option but it does not send analogue audio unfortunately. Any other ideas from the forum regulars?

You could run two sets of cat5, and use a composite balun (red, white, yellow) as well as a component balun. Or, you could just use the composite balun and accept a composite picture. I have done this, and whilst I could now add a component balun as well, my wife and I are more than happy with a 32" LCD composite picture in the bedroom.

Of course, with two runs of cat5, you could do HDMI with baluns. So, if this is a possibility for the future, I recommend you run at least two or perhaps three cat5 circuits 'just in case' for future proofing. Then in the short-term, just buy the composite baluns and see if you are happy with that. If the picture is not adaquete, then do the component as well. And, you can do HDMI if you have to.

I use AVICO baluns. Jaycar has several options. There are some interesting NILES ones as well, including a component with digital audio in the one unit. Some of these baluns now come as 'face plates' as well, which should improve the WAF, especially in the bedroom.

Edited November 4, 2008 by Benje

[Krumlov]

You could run two sets of cat5, and use a composite balun (red, white, yellow) as well as a component balun.

Guys I think this might be the solution now that I have thought about it some more. Cable chick has the wall plate versions so I think I will run two of them (one for component and one for audio). Neat, cheap and effective!

[Basil1503559642]

I have a similar issue.

I Plan on using a component to cat5 video extender from jaycar (cat QC3684). Haven't tried it yet to see if the quality is maintained or not.

Much easier to run a single cat5 than a component cable imho.

Hi

There in the latest "Birthday Bonanza" flyer,Page 5 LLS. Its probaly the way to go RG6 can be a bugger to bend at acute angles.

Jaycar Flyer

[darent74]

http://www.kordz.com/connect_balun.htm

run 4 cat 5e or Cat6 cables to each room.

Ist cable

component or composite, you could use RGB and a digital audio if you use the CAT-CMX version

, if you want only composite with stereo use the the RGB connections and just put Red to Red, White to Green, Blue to Yellow

Later on if you want hdmi over cat5e , just use these

http://www.kordz.com/connect_cat6-hdmi.htm

so now your using 2 of the cat 5e /6 cables.

You say you want to run IR , well the 3rd cable could be used for IR Extender

see here http://www.clink.com.au/ir/kits.htm and http://www.clink.com.au/ir/faq.htm#maxdistance

an alternative to this would be an RF to IR solution, which would require no cable.

The last cable would be for a data connection.

Sooner or later you might want to stream some sort of data ( media extender )

If your building, do it before hand. The cost of the cat 5e or cat 6 is cheap, it works.

I did test a few systems like this recently and spent last weekend sorting out this for my house. The picture and sound are fine.

22m isnt far, they are rated up to 50.

I would recommend Cat6 over Cat5e for the video feeds. For the rest you could just go Cat5e.

The general difference between category 5e and category 6 is in the transmission performance, and extension of the available bandwidth from 100 MHz for category 5e to 200 MHz for category 6.

This includes better insertion loss, near end crosstalk (NEXT), return loss, and equal level far end crosstalk (ELFEXT). These improvements provide a higher signal-to-noise ratio, allowing higher reliability for current applications and higher data rates for future applications.

If your going to live there for a while, worth the upgrade.

Cat6 is also harder to terminate than 5e, uses different Connectors. The cable is thicker.

not a bad article http://searchwindowsserver.techtarget.com/...1255699,00.html

If you look at the pins you can see in one of the diagrams how the pins are not all in the same line

Cat 5e

pin layout x x x x x x x x

Cat6

pin layout * * . * * . * *

One nice trick is you can buy RJ45 connectors that can take a block in the back, the block has the pattern shown in the pin layout to help with the termination of the wires.

The method described can allow u expandability , even if you never use all the cables, they are there, dont cost much to implement and do work.

Just one solution i suppose.

you might also want to consider running Cat5e or 6 for the whole house back to a central location,

maybe you have already sorted it out.

Probably seem to have gone a lot further than just the room, but hey, if your drilling holes and running cable go the whole hog mate, do the whole house.

Networks are my day job so this stuff is great to play with.

Edited November 7, 2008 by darent74

[dfferent]

2c

Run cat 6, use baluns, plenty of choice and future proofing.

With baluns you will also be able to get 1080p over HDMI still.

Impossible to find a 22m HDMI cable that will do that.

[Basil1503559642]

Hi

You learn something new every Day,HDMI over Cat, my Brothers neighbour in Sydney is revamping his HT room and i'm sure the quote(Pro. installers) earlier this Year for cabling was using long-run HDMI. I'll let him know there are alternatives.