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long video runs


computer

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heya,

 

havent got a question really, but I came across this KAT5 device which lets you send video over cat5 cable...

 

I'm thinking for a long run we need to do thats about 50m this might work to send some video.. what you think?

 

they're coming up with an interesting looking switcher too which would be pretty cool...

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Um Computer, what type of video are you trying to send? PAL composite? y/c (s-video) Component? SD SDI? HD SDI?

 

For most types of video 50m shouldn't be a problem at all. Unless this is a computer SVGA type of video.....

 

 

James

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This is not ethernet per se, but a balun (BALanced-UNbalanced) to allow video to run over CAT 5 UTP. www.allthings.com.au also do stuff like this, and I've seen some used. Very nice and definatley cheaper and easier to run under some curcumstances when compared to coax.

 

David

 

PS Most baluns are single channel. Use 1 for composite, 2 for Svideo (Y/C), 3 for Component, 5 for VGA. Dont think they work on SD SGI or HD SGI as they are digital not analog.

 

EDIT: Having said that, Black Box also do a cat 5 extender, Keyboard, Mouse, VGA over one Cat 5 lead.

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I knew it wasnt the ethernet protocol but I meant over CAT5 ;)

 

soon we could have just CAT5 in theatres for both AV and DMX.

 

so how does the device actually work? does it have mini-amplifiers or ADC to DAC s in them or something?

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so how does the device actually work? does it have mini-amplifiers or ADC to DAC s in them or something?

To send video or audio over CAT5 you simply turn it into a balanced signal and feed it to the cable via a power amplifier, used to overcome cable capacitance. You can get a chip which does it all. At hte other end you use another chip to turn it back into a single-ended signal.

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soon we could have just CAT5 in theatres for both AV and DMX.

Hmmm. I'm not convinced. Yes, structured wiring is cheaper and more prevalent in buildings nowadays, but with any impedance change there is always some signal loss (usually in the form of return loss which changes the frequency response of the route). When it costs little more to run a load of coax in an installation I don't see much to gain from using Cat 5.

 

I can understand it for temporary installs, though.

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Cat 5 is great stuff, :D

 

You can send almost anything down it, bar 240v really! ;)

 

We have sent video and audio signals down it for all sorts of problems, with out using adapters and the like, it does work, but boxes are invented to make things more stable and also more expensive!

 

Touch screen systems use cat 5 to send video and audio signals over, crestron being the one I have fitted with this, so that you can preview video and the like, I would not recommend sending video for projectors down it, that is what psf 1/3 is for, but if desperate, it is great stuff to have in the get out of :** laughs out loud **: kit,

 

Mk

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but with any impedance change there is always some signal loss (usually in the form of return loss which changes the frequency response of the route).

Which is why we use active transmitters and receivers.

 

When it costs little more to run a load of coax in an installation I don't see much to gain from using Cat 5.

The theory goes something like this...

 

When you are putting up a new building or doing a major upgrade it is very cheap to run in lots of cables, so called 'flood wiring'.

PSF1/3 costs about 50p/m, CAT5 costs 20p/m

PSF1/3 is only good for video, CAT5 is good for anything

It gets very expensive to run in cables after the event. In offices it is usual to allow £100 to run in an additional telephone/computer point if you have to pull cables.

 

So, by running in loads of CAT5 at the start you...

a) are using the cheapest cable possible

b) are using the most versatile cable

c) are saving money down the line

 

Now I'm not saying that CAT5 is perfect for all installations but in many situations it is a good solution.

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