What to do about 26AWG HDMI?

[dpilati]

So I prewired my house with 26AWG HDMI for a 75ft+ run. It works fine as a direct connect with my HTPC but does not work with a matrix (4x4 monoprice).

I have 2 sources that I have to have everywhere - HTPC and cable box. Maybe I can get rid of cable box but it is wife fear....

I have 2 current TVs with another coming soon. The basement has 24AWG on 15ft run. No problem anticipated. I have component also run but I'd like to stick to 1 tech.

I could do HDMI for HTPC and component for cable box. Then I need to split HDMI from HTPC into currently 2 outputs but will need 3 soon enough (unless I do extender which I am not crazy about).

So is there an option to use a matrix on a long 26AWG run? I could do 2 cat5's if I had to (involving some patchwork). Would a splitter be more forgiving on a long run? Amplifier?

I currently have a new matrix on the way as the last one couldn't seem to work consistently with a 3ft 28AWG run from sources and a 6ft 28AWG output. I'd rather stop all the guessing although I realize that is par for the course with HDMI.

If it matters - sources are SA8300HD and new PC with i5 on board graphics, TVs are 1 yr old LED LG and 2 yr old Samsung LCD.

 

[mdesmarais]

If the run can work direct, then the cable can't be too bad. . . quality of HDMI outputs are highly variable though- you can meet the spec but still suck. ;-) A different/better/more expensive matrix might very well do the trick.

 

[gatchel]

It's not just the quality of the cabling or the signal but also how the HDCP is handled. HDMI is and can be a huge nightmare to do anything with other than connect devices directly to each other. Read up on HDCP Here:

http://www.freedom-to-tinker.com/blog/felten/understanding-hdcp-master-key-leak

 

[Sacarino]

Maybe I can get rid of cable box but it is wife fear....

Don't know if you're using MCE for your HTPC but if you are - the Ceton card has performed flawlessly for me - I ditched several cable boxes and haven't looked back.

I would second that HDCP might be your problem - if the matrix you have doesn't support a secure handshake, then you're toast. You could still push digital content through it (ie, DVI-HDMI cable, for instance) but anything that explicitly requires HDCP to be in place will result in a blank screen.

 

[apostolakisl]

I have two 50' hdmi from my AV room to my family room TV. My Dish vip works perfectly with either wire, but my home server has static on it. It turns out that if I run the signal first to my yamaha receiver and then out of that to the the TV, all is fine. As it turns out, this is what I want anyway since I want my movies to play the sound over the dolby digital surround system.

So, I am speculating that the HDMI card on my server has a lower ouput signal strength than the Yamaha and Dish. You might consider putting a switch of some sort that reamplifies the signal, which is what I assume the Yamaha is doing.

 

[jmark71]

+1 on the HDCP issues.

I had the Monoprice matrix for a short time but ended up ditching it for a more expensive HDMI matrix (Octava 4x4) which hasn't given me any real issues with my setup. A bit of a plug, but I'm really happy with Octava in general - I recently had some questions about their serial interface and they were very prompt in responding and when I thought I had an issue with the connection (as it turns out I didn't), they even offered to exchange my unit even though it was well outside of the warranty period. In the end, I think you get what you pay for and while I LOVE Monoprice for most things, I'm not a fan of their 4x2 or 4x4 matrices (had both - sold one, returned the other!)

 

[dpilati]

Thanks for the info. I've read all the reviews of the monoprice matrixes and it seems like some people have more success than with other matrixes. $600 is a hard pill to swallow since I don't even really need 4x4. What I need is 2x4 (and I could survive with 1x4).

On Octava's site, they list a 3x4 switch/amplifier. That is "just" $349. What is the difference between a switch and a matrix?

Are amplifiers available? - just to boost the signal.

At some point I can fish and struggle and get a really thick HDMI cable. It would be better than spending $600 on a matrix.

I don't think it is HDCP since I don't even get a blank screen - I get "no signal detected" and this is even with the HTPC showing windows without any media playing.

 

[jmark71]

Hmmm - this does seem to indicate a signal issue and not an HDCP issue. Since the long run works without the MP switch, I'm guessing the MP switch degrades the signal (even slight degradation of HDMI would probably cause issues for a 75ft run). I was looking at that 3x4 switch on the Octava site and didn't quite understand whether it's an actual matrix or not, but I did see this other equalizer unit (http://www.octavainc.com/HDMI%20extender.htm) which may do the trick. At $100 it's probably worth a shot - simply hook the equalizer to one of the outputs of the MP switch and then plug your long run into the equalizer.