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Big Dave

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Nov 27, 2007
313
23
Crestview, Fl
I'm thinking of going HD in my bedroom. I would like to design something that would allow me to connect my cable box in the living room to the tv upstairs in my room(doesn't have coax outlets). I'm wondering where I can find some good info on wireless HDMI. Anyone got a reading list for me?
 

Alucardx03

macrumors 6502a
Feb 10, 2008
580
3
I'm thinking of going HD in my bedroom. I would like to design something that would allow me to connect my cable box in the living room to the tv upstairs in my room(doesn't have coax outlets). I'm wondering where I can find some good info on wireless HDMI. Anyone got a reading list for me?

Wireless HDMI is really not at the point that it's feasible. First, the tech is still in it's infancy, so it's very expensive and very unreliable. Second, it wouldn't work at the distance you're describing. In the end, you'd end up paying $1000 for something that wouldn't work well.

I would highly advise against it. Instead, I would look into a slingplayer and slingcatcher.
 

Superman07

macrumors 6502a
Aug 28, 2007
704
2
Not sure if this is wireless HDMI per se, but it may do the trick.

http://catalog.belkin.com/IWCatProductPage.process?Product_Id=459782

I suppose you could always look into a combination solution such as CAT5 to ethernet adapter, and then ethernet over power. I imagine that would probably cost ~$250 but it could get the job done.

http://catalog.belkin.com/IWCatProductPage.process?Product_Id=495008
http://www.hdovercat5.com/servlet/Detail?no=63

I suppose you could always try plugging that into a N+ wireless router as well to see if it has enough range/speed instead of using the powerline type adapter.
 

itickings

macrumors 6502a
Apr 14, 2007
947
185
I suppose you could always look into a combination solution such as CAT5 to ethernet adapter, and then ethernet over power. I imagine that would probably cost ~$250 but it could get the job done.

http://catalog.belkin.com/IWCatProductPage.process?Product_Id=495008
http://www.hdovercat5.com/servlet/Detail?no=63

I suppose you could always try plugging that into a N+ wireless router as well to see if it has enough range/speed instead of using the powerline type adapter.

Unfortunately, I can't see that combination working at all.

The HDMI adapter linked just sends raw data over point to point RJ45 CAT5/CAT6 wires, wheras the Powerline is for Ethernet connections. The same goes for other Ethernet equipment, such as routers - no go with that converter...
 

Superman07

macrumors 6502a
Aug 28, 2007
704
2
Unfortunately, I can't see that combination working at all.

The HDMI adapter linked just sends raw data over point to point RJ45 CAT5/CAT6 wires, wheras the Powerline is for Ethernet connections. The same goes for other Ethernet equipment, such as routers - no go with that converter...


So you're saying Device<-->HDMI/RJ Adapter<-->Powerline<-->House Power<--->Powerline<-->HDMI/RJ Adapter<-->Display

would not work? I don't understand why not.
 

itickings

macrumors 6502a
Apr 14, 2007
947
185
So you're saying Device<-->HDMI/RJ Adapter<-->Powerline<-->House Power<--->Powerline<-->HDMI/RJ Adapter<-->Display

would not work? I don't understand why not.

Basic version
Just because two cables are the same, it doesn't mean that they necessarily are used in the same way.

The HDMI<->CAT5-adapter linked will use the same kind of cables as the Powerline, but it will use them in a completely different way.

Less basic version
The main thing to understand is that neither RJ45 nor CAT5/6 actually = Ethernet (or even network).

CAT5 and CAT6 mean nothing more than cables that conform to certain formal specifications, and RJ45 that the connector is of a certain kind. It is possible to use RJ45 and CAT5/6 in many ways. It can be used for Ethernet, it can be used for traditional phone lines, it can be used for alarm signaling, and also for raw data and other things.

The Powerline won't magically transport the signal from one RJ45 jack to the other. That would be very complicated (read impossible) and expensive to do reliably. Now, what the Powerline device does instead, is to receive Ethernet data (and only Ethernet data) through its RJ45 jack, which it translates so that it can be sent through the power lines to another device which in turn can translate it back into Ethernet data to output on the RJ45. This way, it can route normal network connections over the power lines since they conform to Ethernet.

In case of the HDMI<->CAT5-adapter linked, it will just use two CAT5 wires to transfer data. It won't care at all about Ethernet. It uses CAT5 wiring because it is cheap, common, and pretty good for high speed transfers.

OK, maybe should have stuck with the basic version... :p
 

Superman07

macrumors 6502a
Aug 28, 2007
704
2
Yes, so aren't you simply just changing the transport mechansim of the orignial HDMI signal? The only two devices that know what to do and aren't acting as "dummies" are the output device and the display that then reinterprets the data.

Doesn't the HDMI-->RJ45 just convert the HDMI pinout to the corresponding pins on an RJ45 jack to then move the data further down stream?
 

itickings

macrumors 6502a
Apr 14, 2007
947
185
Yes, so aren't you simply just changing the transport mechansim of the orignial HDMI signal? The only two devices that know what to do and aren't acting as "dummies" are the output device and the display that then reinterprets the data.

The HDMI signal is transformed into something that is shoved out through CAT5 cables, and then retransformed into HDMI by the corresponding adapter. The transformed signal going through the wires will not make any sense to anyone or anything but the other HDMI-adapter.

More to the point, the Powerline gizmo can't relay the signals because it doesn't speak gibberish, it only speaks Ethernet. Don't confuse the Powerline devices with CAT5 cables, because they are not.

Doesn't the HDMI-->RJ45 just convert the HDMI pinout to the corresponding pins on an RJ45 jack to then move the data further down stream?

A bit more advanced than just pinout, but for this discussion; yes. And that is exactly the problem - it only transforms the signal to send it through the wires/stream, it does not transform the signal to send it through a network. The Powerline device handles networkable data, not arbitrary signals.
 

izibo

macrumors 6502
Oct 6, 2004
265
0
Surely adding another coax (even if you were to hire someone to do it for you) would be cheaper, easier, and likely more effective.
 

Big Dave

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Nov 27, 2007
313
23
Crestview, Fl
Surely adding another coax (even if you were to hire someone to do it for you) would be cheaper, easier, and likely more effective.

I agree with you but unfortunately I am renting the house. I may build a house in a year or so and then I can do proper wiring. I may postpone until then and keep tv out of the bedroom.
 

steveza

macrumors 68000
Feb 20, 2008
1,521
27
UK
Wireless HDMI is really not at the point that it's feasible. First, the tech is still in it's infancy, so it's very expensive and very unreliable. Second, it wouldn't work at the distance you're describing. In the end, you'd end up paying $1000 for something that wouldn't work well.

I would highly advise against it. Instead, I would look into a slingplayer and slingcatcher.
I would go with the Slingplayer HD option. You can get wireless HDMI and it works really well but you will need to pay for it: http://www.sony.co.uk/article/id/1222694809110. I've seen this at the Sony Shop in Westfield, London and it worked flawlessly from right across the shop with all the other electrical gadgets in the way.
 

izibo

macrumors 6502
Oct 6, 2004
265
0
I agree with you but unfortunately I am renting the house. I may build a house in a year or so and then I can do proper wiring. I may postpone until then and keep tv out of the bedroom.


If this is a temporary setup, I would strongly urge you to skip the TV for now. I'd think of it two ways:

1) You'd be spending a big chunk of money for a messy setup to watch TV in your bedroom for only a year. Sure, slingboxes are neat, but it can be a bit of a headache to get running and there can always be little hitches along the way.

2) This would be a good opportunity to try living life without a TV in the bedroom. I gave it up about 4 years ago when I bought my condo and my sleep was dramatically better. It's kind of nice to have an electronics free zone.
 

d21mike

macrumors 68040
Jul 11, 2007
3,320
356
Torrance, CA
I agree with you but unfortunately I am renting the house. I may build a house in a year or so and then I can do proper wiring. I may postpone until then and keep tv out of the bedroom.

Tell the landlord you need cable outlets in the upstairs bedroom. Should not that expensive for the cable company to do it. They would probably split it from the outside.

If he says no. Then buy a 50-100' cable and run it alone the base boards. May not look great but you are only going to be there 1 year. For this I would really only go wired.
 
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