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USB vs Component at 5 meters

C

Cagle

macrumors regular
Original poster
I have a HDPVR component video capture device but the source device is 5 meters away from my computer. Is it best to sit the HDPVR next to the source and run a 5 meter USB cable from it to the computer or have the HDPVR next to my PC and run a 5 meter component cable from the source to the HDPVR?

In short, will either cable have any shortcomings at these distances?😎
 
In theorie USB would be better, but 5 meter is so short that it doesn't really matter.

But digital comes further than analog (for example, VGA cables have around a max of 50 meters before the quality degrades, but when you place a box ,which converts the VGA to digital and sends it over ethernet cables, between the source and device you have an unlimited distance).

Maybe you will see differences when you use really really cheap component cables.
 
From what I've read USB is only rated for 5 meters so I would keep the USB run short and let the component cables go the longer distance.


Lethal
 
arjen92 said:
In theorie USB would be better, but 5 meter is so short that it doesn't really matter.

But digital comes further than analog (for example, VGA cables have around a max of 50 meters before the quality degrades, but when you place a box ,which converts the VGA to digital and sends it over ethernet cables, between the source and device you have an unlimited distance).
Click to expand...

What box?
 
LethalWolfe said:
From what I've read USB is only rated for 5 meters so I would keep the USB run short and let the component cables go the longer distance.


Lethal
Click to expand...

a good quality component cable costs about $75 to $100 for 5 meters, a 5 meter usb cable is about half that. i'd have to figure in the cost of a toslink cable too, 20 bucks. Man, I should just move my desk.
 
arjen92 said:
These: http://advanced.m.nextag.com/vga-to-ethernet/stores-html
Click to expand...

They don't convert analog to digital. They are known as "baluns" and convert an unbalanced signal to a balanced signal allowing much longer transmission distances over UTP. You can get them for all sorts of inputs, but they all work the same way. We use them all the time at work because you can get sparkies to string cheap Cat5e rather than paying big $$ for "an AV installer" to run expensive cable all over the place.

Even the pro companies are moving to using these sorts of devices. Kramer Electronics make good ones.
 
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