HMDI and IR extenders...

[Austin3000]

Hi,

I want to move all my AV equipment (amp, Cable, PS3) out of living room and under the stairs which is just behind the living room so not too far. The equipment will be connected via one HDMI lead with inputs switched by the amp.

I want to have full control over the equipment from the living room with a hard wired IR extender that is as discrete as possible.

The HDMI cable and IR extender wires will need to run approx 8 metres from equipment to TV so im thinking of running 2 lines of shielded Cat6 and using something like this: http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&am...

Will this be suitable or will the picture suffer?

Im a but stuck for the IR extender though. Ideally I want a small IR reciever that can be embedded i an a wall with 10 metres of cable and 2 senders at the other end to stick on the AV equipment but I can't find anything that meets my requirements.

Cheers

[cjs]

8m. Why not just buy a 10m HDMI cable? A lot less grief.

I have used QED roomlinks in the past, bit expensive but work well.

http://www.qed-cable-shop.co.uk/Custom+Install/QED...

Edited by cjs on Thursday 13th August 09:51

[Plotloss]

Use a HDMI cable.

Buy a remote with an RF>IR Gateway.

Such as the Harmony 1100 or one of the Pronto Professional line.

[Austin3000]

cjs said:

8m. Why not just buy a 10m HDMI cable? A lot less grief.

I have used QED roomlinks in the past, bit expensive but work well.

http://www.qed-cable-shop.co.uk/Custom+Install/QED...

Edited by cjs on Thursday 13th August 09:51

10m Cable is £175 (£50 for cat6 solution) and I would imagine there would be more chance of interence in the HDMI than in sheilded Cat6. It has to pass over wiring for the celing lights.

The QED room link looks good. Doesnt say how long the cables are though.

Actually, I think the RF>IR gateway and remote is a far more elegant solution...nice one, thanks!

[Plotloss]

Use HDMI rather than UTP/FTP.

Cheap HDMI Baluns, such as those linked are more susceptible to RFI than a good HDMI cable.

[mrmr96]

Austin3000 said:

10m Cable is £175 (£50 for cat6 solution)

Eh? From the same manufacturer as the Cat6 extenders is this:
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/10m-24awg-HDMI-CABLE-v1-3b-1...

A 10m 24AWG HDMI cable for £39.95

[Austin3000]

mrmr96 said:

Austin3000 said:

10m Cable is £175 (£50 for cat6 solution)

Eh? From the same manufacturer as the Cat6 extenders is this:
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/10m-24awg-HDMI-CABLE-v1-3b-1...

A 10m 24AWG HDMI cable for £39.95

Sorry, I should have been clearer...the cheapest 10m one I can find with sheilding is a QED one thats £175.

The one on eBay is unshielded and as its going to run extremely close to some ceiling cabling I dont want interference.

[Austin3000]

Plotloss said:

Use HDMI rather than UTP/FTP.

Cheap HDMI Baluns, such as those linked are more susceptible to RFI than a good HDMI cable.

Fair enough, can you recommend a good shielded HDMI cable then?

Been a tight northerner I was trying to save a few quid

[Plotloss]

Shielding wont do an awful lot to reject RFI from transformer inrush and the like.

Well constructed HDMI cables run their conductors in a twisted pair configuration to reject RFI.

[mrmr96]

If I were you, I'd buy that £40 10m HDMI cable and try it. If you get interference then solve it. If not then you've saved a stack of money.

[TomOSmith]

I can't remember who, but I'm pretty sure I've seen some HDMI + IR to Cat5/6 balums, which should work, though you may also need IR distribution once back in the cupboard.

[[AJ]]

Plotloss said:

Use a HDMI cable.

Buy a remote with an RF>IR Gateway.

Such as the Harmony 1100 or one of the Pronto Professional line.

This sounds certainly the most sensible option and for the sake of an extra £50-£100 for the QED cable, you'll be minimising potential problems in the future.

Edit - Then again, I'm sure there would be a less expensive HDMI option than the QED if you look about. It may end up no more expensive than your original idea.

Edited by [AJ] on Thursday 13th August 14:30

[Quick silver]

Austin3000 said:

Sorry, I should have been clearer...the cheapest 10m one I can find with sheilding is a QED one thats £175.

The one on eBay is unshielded and as its going to run extremely close to some ceiling cabling I dont want interference.

To be on the safe side & presuming by your explaination that the ceiling cable is going to be crossed & not run parallel with, would localised sheilding suffice?

[headcase]

I use these http://cpc.farnell.com/_/690209/hdmi-lead-p-to-p-1... all the time, never had a problem with them and wont exactly break the bank, if you do a search on that website you will find anything you need for the job