I have just purchased a new A/V Receiver that has all the bells and whistles.
It will be hooked up to my Hi-Def Flat screen in my den. My desk top office computer is in another part of the house about 50 feet away. I want to run all the wiring I will need now or in the future to play movies, sound, etc.. Since I want to only do this once, what cables should I run? HDMI?, CAT 5,6,7? and How many? , "S" video?, Telephone RJ?, Coax RG 6?, Optical audio? Please help guide me. Thanks
First off does your computer have a HDMI output? And secondly to that Does it have a Blu-ray player of something that you won't otherwise buy as a component?
If you have a Blu-ray player then it is a MUST to use HDMI to get the ture HD signal of 1080p. No other cables can get that, with that said I would suggest you go on ebay to find some. My dad bought monster Cable for $120 at Best Buy and then I found the same ones (in the old package for $30). That was for a 6 ft cable if your looking at 50 ft plus( I would get at least 10-25 extra feet JUST IN CASE).
If you are using a router (and not wireless) I would get Cat5 cable this should be around for years to come again 10-25 extra feet).
If wireless get an N router if your TV and other items can run on it. If they are designed to run on a G router get a G. Then N routers are designed to work backwards but I don't think it works to well.
If you want to just run audio from computer in to A/V. Get a "converter" to go from a headphone jack (plugged in the back of the audio out on the computer) to RCA. Then run an RCA cable (red, yellow, and white) hook up the red and white and run them to the back of the A/V and hook them up to one of the inputs (CD, Phono, etc...).
If you are going to run coax get RG^ quadshield. I have found it cheaper to buy a wheel of cable and the crimpers myself and the ends. This equals customer length and better connections.
Hi Brian,
My computer does not have HDMI but I am sure it will be upgraded in the future. When I looked at HDMI cables I only found cables up to about 30 feet. I haven't looked real hard yet. Also with the CAT cables I see that there are CAT 5, 6 and 7. I am not sure if the 7 is the best or unnecessary. I also have read where some people run two sets. I don't know why. Thanks, again
One HDMI cable.
One component or COlorstream cable set with red green blue video cables.
One S-video cable.
One composite (yellow) video cable.
One VGA (computer monitor video) cable.
One cable for antenna or direct connection of a cable box. This has a screw on plug and RG-6 is the best grade for the cable.
If you plan on using the TV speakers some of the time rather than fire up your sound system, add six sets of red/white audio cables, one to accompany each of the above video cable sets.
If you have two or more sources of the same kind for example two HDMI sources, your A/V receiver will select which one you are using so only one cable of each kind needs to go from the receiver to the TV.
While some receivers accept the composite or S-video and convert it to go to the TV as colorstream or HDMI, usually the TV does a better job of conversion. So having cables of this kind going from the receiver location to the TV gives you the choice if you find out that your TV does a better job of converting.
Actually Component will do 1080p with no problem. You just need HDMI if wanting 1080p/24. The key is, the TV set would have to be able to accept the 1080p over component. As for the OP question, if you get a Blue Ray player, then you can do network streaming. There are boxes out there such as AppleTV, and others that can stream media from your computer through Network connections (Wired cat-5e or WiFi).
Now, if you get one of the newer Internet capable TV sets, it would stream again media from your computer. There are sets out there that have WiFi built in, or such as the Sony, you have to purchase their addon for WiFi.
Not everyone wants a computer by their tv, or unable to do so in some cases. As for cheap, they are not that cheap. It is cheaper to use a media extender in cases such as this, which all Blue Ray players including the PS3 does.
After thinking about all the wiring and headaches of a 50' run through an existing structure, I had also thought that it may be easier to just get one of the inexpensive lap tops on the market and run it through my Wifi. Gregzoll recommended going through a Blue Ray player or a PS 3. I do have a Toshiba Blue Ray but I am not familiar with how to use it to get programs and You Tube, etc off the internet? I was also thinking of getting a PS 3 but also do not know how that will give me everything available on the internet? Can you explain. Thanks, Richard
All of the info you want on your Blue Ray & the PS3 is available at the manufacturers websites. As for the laptop, it would have to be running Windows Vista Pro or higher, same with Windows 7. Using a computer on a TV is not going to give you the same resolution that a Blue Ray or Media Player would do (ie 1080p).
As for running the Ethernet cabling, as long as you are able to either run below, or through a attic (if this is the place you are talking about in your other thread, run in conduit, and then come up by the floor ducts between the floor and the duct sheet metal). If you don't want to mess with running cables, go with WiFi.
What reasons are you wanting to hook your computer up to the TV? Watching movies, playing computer games, access to the internet, and/or playing your mp3 collection?
Your are going to have a hard time controlling your computer in another room at 50 feet away. If you can give us the intent of what your wanting to do it would help.
Cyberguys.com has conversion boxes that let you run an HDMI jumper to one box, then Cat5 up to like 150', then to the second box with an HDMI jumper to the TV.
I like HDMI because it is one cable for full HD video and also audio in one. Super clean.
I just got a new receiver myself and it has an HDMI output to the TV and five HDMI inputs. That's it. It is awesome.
The MESS of cables I replaced with a few HDMI cables was staggering.
I used to think receivers with a thousand analog, digital and optical ports on the back was cool. One with six is way cooler. LOL
A previous poster mentioned that HDMI is needed for full 1080p output from a Blu-Ray player. While component cables will actually pass 1080p just fine, Blu-Ray players will only output full resolution over HDMI, for copy protection reasons. HDMI allows the player to guarantee an encrypted link (HDCP) from the player to the TV, whereas component cables could easily be connected to a recording device.
Kinda stupid, really, but that's the industry for ya. And HDMI is super convenient, compared to a mess of individual component video and audio cables.
Component Video and VGA will do 1080p but most modern equipment will not pass the signal from BluRay and some regular DVD's. This is due to copy protection schemes.
You might get a blank screen, or you might get a standard definition rendering of the movie.
Thanks Everyone,
My main reason for running cables from my office to my new receiver was to download pictures from my hard drive, YouTube Downloads or to watch a movie or music that I had downloaded while at my desk.
Since my house is a split level with a 1/2 basement, there is no easy way to run cables from the Den on the first floor of one side of the house to the office on the second floor on the other side of the house. As one response stated, it would be very hard to control my media 50' away.
My new A/V has 9 HDMI inputs and is 3D and windows 7 compatible. It will be much easier in my set up to just add a cheap $300 laptop and then I will have access to all that I need right at my finger tips and more flexibility.
In that case, Boxee, AppleTV, Roku, any other media server will allow you to share shared network folders & drives from your office computer. I have a Sony BDS-370 player, which does everything that we are talking about. As for Component output on a BD player, it will show 1080p, just will not do 1080p/24, which is only capable with HDMI. The HDCP will behave properly as long as the device you use as a switcher, or pass through is capable of allowing copy right protection through it, which most newer devices will do these days.
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Related Threads
?
?
?
?
?
DIY Home Improvement Forum
3.1M posts
319.6K members
Since 2003
A forum community dedicated to Do it yourself-ers and home improvement enthusiasts. Come join the discussion about tools, projects, builds, styles, scales, reviews, accessories, classifieds, and more! Helping You to Do It Yourself!