HDMI over Cat5 or not

[sparer]

Hi,
I am going to buy some long HDMI cables to run into walls and so on. There will be 5 cables 10, 15, 15, 20 and 20 metres in length. What is the crossover point where I should consider using Cat5 and baluns. Am i to expect significant degradation to the signal over 20 metres using HDMI cables alone?

Thanks
Richard

 

[Sam Gangee]

Probably but it depends entirely on the signal source. Don't, for example, pay £1000 for an HDMI cable and only £50 for an HDMI splitter!

 

[Lucid]

It does partly depend what's on each end. I've had it where the source or the display was a bit fussy, so running a long passive cable (15m+) wouldn't work. I had to use an active cable in each case. That type of cable has some equalisation electronics to compensate for loss over distance. Other times I have run 20m passive @ 1080p 60Hz with no issue at all.

Certainly in my book 15~20 metres is about the break point. If it doesn't work then the result will be plain to see..... No picture!

 

[ironsidebod]

If it were me right now I'd not be putting hdmi into walls. The new hmdi 2.0 is due (yes it'll take a while to mature/be available etc) and things can shift pretty quickly in A/V especially in the early life of new standards.

It makes much more sense to use Cat6 (or 7 if you've got plenty of cash) and then use the balun of choice. Should things change, you've got an easily accessible balun to change at either end and can still use the existing cables.

Cat6 will be good for a long time.

 

[sparer]

Looks like i'm running Cat5's then. I'll probably be running 2 per TV. Am I likely to get away with unsheilded CAT5e for <20m?

 

[ironsidebod]

No, don't use Cat5, more often than not you need two cables to do 1080p, if you use Cat6 you only need one - you should run at least two cables anyway but Cat6 gives you more flexibility especially as resolutions increase.

I wish they'd concentrate on frame rates but that's another debate

The Cat5e should be shielded anyway, keep it away from mains cables (50mm distance) and if you absolutely have to cross ensure that it's done at 90 degrees.

 

[Sam Gangee]

Actually, CAT6 is less flexible than CAT5 as it's thicker.
I'd simply run 2 x CAT5e and have done with it.

 

[phatboy]

Cat6 is less flexible, but capable of better data rates and has less crosstalk, so I would go for this over cat5e. Don't confuse cat5 with cat5e, if someones wants to sell you cat5 its very old stock!!!

 

[ironsidebod]

Actually, CAT6 is less flexible than CAT5 as it's thicker.
I'd simply run 2 x CAT5e and have done with it.

I meant flexible in terms of use, nothing to do with the physical cable properties.

You can do more things with Cat6 and going forward now prices have dropped it's the only sensible approach if you consider things may change. If you don't care about ripping out Cat5 later then fine but for ~£15 extra on 300m I'd go Cat6 every time.

 

[sparer]

Anyone point me toward a decent supplier of cat6? Cheap but decent quality.

 

[Sam Gangee]

The price is mostly dependent on the price of copper. Lower price = less copper.

http://www.satcure.co.uk/accs/page21.htm?#catreel

 

[ironsidebod]

Try here, reasonable prices and next day delivery:

https://www.comtecdirect.co.uk/

 

[Sam Gangee]

What's the cost of delivery?

 

[ironsidebod]

£4.95 on orders over £50 for standard next day.