S-video + stereo audio over Cat5 without addtitional h'ware

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  • Anonymous
    Automated Home Guru
    • Nov 2000
    • 173

    S-video + stereo audio over Cat5 without addtitional h'ware

    Hi all,

    having been somewhat disappointed at the cost of the retail Mk2 units I decided to experiment with just connecting up the s-video and audio outputs of my Media Centre PC to the Cat 5 cables in my house and thence to my TV S-video and audio inputs (length of cable approx 25-30m). I butchered some poor quality S-video and phono leads bought from B&Q for the job and soldered them to a Cat5 lead with RJ45 plug which connected to patch panel/socket one at each end.

    Result? Gobsmackingly good. Bright, clear pictures on 2 out of 3 sets (20" and 26" LCD for reference). The third set (42" plasma) suffered from what appears to be mains RFI banding at a couple of points on the screen - most annoying, though worthy of note is that the picture is otherwise excellent. In all cases it's a huge improvement over the RF distribution I have been using.

    My solution was therefore much cheaper than anticipated in the end. I bought an S-video splitter amp from Maplins for 73 quid and fed it to the 2 lcds and as my system is MCE based, I'll use my X-box as an extender connected the Plasma to overcome the interference there.

    A bit of a ramble, but I hope this will encourage others to experiment before forking out tons of cash needlessly.

    Mutley
  • Anonymous
    Automated Home Guru
    • Nov 2000
    • 173

    #2
    Re: S-video + stereo audio over Cat5 without addtitional h'w

    Further to the above post, the splitter amp (1 i/p 4 o/p) from Maplin was actually £39.99 and works a treat.

    Comment

    • Anonymous
      Automated Home Guru
      • Nov 2000
      • 173

      #3
      Re: S-video + stereo audio over Cat5 without addtitional h'w

      Originally posted by Mutley
      The third set (42" plasma) suffered from what appears to be mains RFI banding at a couple of points on the screen - most annoying
      Seems to me that's exactly the reason for the KAT5 units

      Bob

      Comment

      • Anonymous
        Automated Home Guru
        • Nov 2000
        • 173

        #4
        Re: S-video + stereo audio over Cat5 without addtitional h'w

        Maybe,

        but my point is, try a simple lash-up experiment before forking out huge dosh!

        Comment

        • katman
          Moderator
          • Jan 2004
          • 247

          #5
          Re: S-video + stereo audio over Cat5 without addtitional h'w

          Originally posted by Mutley
          Hi all,

          having been somewhat disappointed at the cost of the retail Mk2 units I decided to experiment with just connecting up the s-video and audio outputs of my Media Centre PC to the Cat 5 cables in my house and thence to my TV S-video and audio inputs (length of cable approx 25-30m). I butchered some poor quality S-video and phono leads bought from B&Q for the job and soldered them to a Cat5 lead with RJ45 plug which connected to patch panel/socket one at each end.
          Drat, and double drat!

          Why didnt I think of that?

          Does this mean that I and many other manufacturers have wasted lots of time and money developing products to distribute high quality signals over cheap cable when we could have just used a bit of cheap cable in the first place.

          I dont think so!

          Originally posted by Mutley
          Result? Gobsmackingly good. Bright, clear pictures on 2 out of 3 sets (20" and 26" LCD for reference). The third set (42" plasma) suffered from what appears to be mains RFI banding at a couple of points on the screen - most annoying, though worthy of note is that the picture is otherwise excellent.
          Ah!

          Thats why I spent so long developing KAT5. So that you can get PERFECT pictures on 3 out of 3 sets. The interference is probably also there on the other two sets as well, it just isnt as noticable because of the smaller screen size. The interference you are seeing is crosstalk between the chroma and luma signals caused by sending unbalanced signals over a cable designed for balanced signals.

          Originally posted by Mutley
          In all cases it's a huge improvement over the RF distribution I have been using.
          Composite Video would have been an improvement over RF.
          If it was really as simple as you describe then I would be selling a pair of units for £49-99 which would cost about £2-50 in parts.

          There are two reasons why I am not....
          1. it isnt as simple as that.
          2. I dont rip people off.

          If you are happy with your 66% success rate then so be it, but please dont imply that KAT5 is a rip off when you have no personal experience of a product that is rated very highly by all those who are using it.

          Regards

          Keith
          KAT5.tv - affordable high quality AV Distribution
          http://www.kat5.tv

          Comment

          • Anonymous
            Automated Home Guru
            • Nov 2000
            • 173

            #6
            Re: S-video + stereo audio over Cat5 without addtitional h'w

            Just saying - don't presume you have to use expensive electronics - give it a go wires only. Could save a fortune in black boxes.

            Mutley

            Comment

            • rayboy
              Automated Home Lurker
              • Sep 2005
              • 9

              #7
              Re: S-video + stereo audio over Cat5 without addtitional h'w

              I don't think Mutley was trying to say you're ripping people off, just hoped the products out there were cheaper than they are at the moment.

              Looking at it from a consumer's point of view, £170 can buy you a lot of stuff in today's pile it high sell it cheap days of internet sales. I know, it's a small market you're in, and you deserve to earn some returns on your investments of time and effort, I agree with that. It's just from a consumer's point of view, it is nontheless a lot of money for a "black box" designed to do one very specific job. People will always compare it to a £30 DVD player that can play dvd, mp4, mpeg4, wma, and jpeg. Or a £200 HDD recorder with DVD burner built in.

              I sincerely wish the Kat5 sales figure shoot through the roof very quickly, partly because it will only help to reduce cost of production, therefore the final street price. :wink:

              Comment

              • Anonymous
                Automated Home Guru
                • Nov 2000
                • 173

                #8
                Re: S-video + stereo audio over Cat5 without addtitional h'w

                Mutley

                I'd like to have a go at this. Can you post up a wiring diagram please?

                TIA ... Mick

                Comment

                • vidiot
                  Automated Home Lurker
                  • Mar 2006
                  • 1

                  #9
                  Re: S-video + stereo audio over Cat5 without addtitional h'w

                  I've used a less expensive solution with good results. No IR, no soldering, long cable runs. ~ 30 pounds for each unit. Of course, you need two.


                  Sales & service of audio & video equipment. Custom design & manufacture of a wide range of electronic equipment.

                  Comment

                  • werdna
                    Automated Home Lurker
                    • Dec 2006
                    • 1

                    #10
                    Re: S-video + stereo audio over Cat5 without addtitional h'w

                    I have just arrived on this site.
                    No bias and no axe.

                    and I see a reprimand for Mutley, when it appears he didn't deserve it.

                    Katman,
                    What came over you?
                    Mutley gave us his experience, how he achieved it and with the downfall of partial success on reception for the third screen.
                    You accuse him of things he never said nor implied.

                    I hope I don't get slagged off for crimes I never did!

                    Comment

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