HDMI/DVI/VGA output from server in basement to HDTV

[felixrosbergen]

Hi All,

I have my Windows Home Server in the basement but i want to be able to see the screen/desktop in the living room. The server has DVI/VGA output and the TV is max 1080i and has component video inputs.

What should i use to transmit the picture? I have a DVI to component adapter harness that came with the video card.

In the wall I have running from the server to the TV:
- 4 cat5e
- 2 cat6 (1 in use for LAN to run the SageTV HD theater)
- 4 RG6QS ( 1 in use for normal analog CATV signal as backup for SageTV). 2 other Coax's are planned to run audio from the soon to come Nuvo in the basement to a soon to come A/V receiver at the TV location.

I can run new wires easilly if needed.

Basically the plan is to run CQC with the CQC interface viewer on the server and then extend the server video output to the TV and either extend USB for local keyboard mouse as well or use IR to control the CQC interface.

Suggestions are most welcome. I've been looking at component video baluns, but don't know if component cabling is ideal for this.

 

[sic0048]

Does the display have a VGA input? Or is it only component. If it is component, then you'll first have to convert the VGA or DVI signal to component. Then you'll need to get the component video to the display. Since you already have RG-6QS run, it would be easy to try to use those wires first. I didn't have much luck using RG-6 myself, but maybe your cable is better quality. If that doesn't work, then you will have to get baluns to run it over cat5e wire or get precision coax or long premade component wire to run between the two.

If your display does have a VGA input, then you only need to extend the VGA signal via some balun or extender. Something like this would work. I use one of these longviews to extend VGA from my server to a kitchen touchscreen.

 

[felixrosbergen]

sic: the Display does not have VGA in. It has 2 open components (RGB) and 2 open composite (yellow, white read)/S-video inputs.

The server video card came with a DVI to component adapater if i recall correctly. I suppose the cleaneast way is to add some RG6QS runs so I can use 3 for the component, 2 for the audio from the Nuvo, 1 for CATV. I don't want to go buy RG59 just for this and like you said i don't know if the RG6QS i fot will carry baseband signals well. My cable is the normal RG6QS that Monoprice sells, it's rate/swepth for 3ghz but doesnt appear to have solid copper core. I don't think that matters since basement is low frequency anyway i thought.

I have hear of people instead of using baluns just get the RCA quickports and then connect the cat5e wires to that. How is this different from a balun or is this really the only things a balun does? If thats all it does then i can do this easilly myself, but if the balun has active components to enhance the singal or something that would be different. My boss is actually running HD TV from his Tivo in the basement to his TV using this method (just took a cat5 wire and wired each pair to a RCA plug) and for another run has a balun but can't tell the picture quality difference and his balun has blown up multiple times.

If i end up doing RCA quickports i'd probably run out of slots on the 12 port quickport backplane. At least with a balun it woudl only take up 1 slot (cat5e).

 

[beelzerob]

Hehe...this is on my list of things to do today too. I just finally got playback going on my media PC for a ripped DVD, so now I have to get that video signal from the basement to my TV. However, I ran about 10 pieces of RG59, so that's how mine is getting there. I know you don't want to run it, but I'd wager that enough RG59 for you to do the job would be cheaper than a pair of baluns.

Edit: And ya, my video card came with a dongle for component output (as well as the DVI and VGA output). And you're also probably better off without the VGA input for the TV, as a lot of times the TV still only does limited resolutions at that port. Mine only did non-widescreen inputs (strangely) off VGA.

 

[felixrosbergen]

ok..i have 3 availabel Rg6's there, 2 of which are intended for audio, but i could repurpose them as a test to carry the component video over RG6QS (rather than RG59). If that works well then i'll run the extra 2 coax's. Although not nearly as much of a pain as fishing wire, taking down the basement ceiling insulation and putting it back up is not fun. At least all my cable runs are held down with velcro, so once the insulation is done it's pretty easy. I may bring the server upstairs and do a local hookup to ensure that the TV displays the output signal from the server ok.

When showing PC based output to a TV over component, what resolutions can i expect to run? As stated before the TV will do up to 1080i. I would like to show CQC screens and well as maybe surf the web on the TV using wireless mouse/keyboard via USB extended over cat5.

 

[beelzerob]

When showing PC based output to a TV over component, what resolutions can i expect to run? As stated before the TV will do up to 1080i. I would like to show CQC screens and well as maybe surf the web on the TV using wireless mouse/keyboard via USB extended over cat5.

Really that depends on your video card and drivers, but all "recent" cards should give you the option of 720p or 1080i. I bought my geforce6600 over 2 years ago, and it gives me those options (with the latest nvidia drivers). Of course, my tv can actually take 1080p, but it takes more effort and I've not found it to be worth it.

 

[sic0048]

I also found 1080 not to be all that great for regular computer work. The icons, screens, and type are just too small. Obviously you want to try to output your video at that resolution, but I don't think it is really worth it for a normal computer screen.

 

[CollinR]

You sure you have RGB component? Thats rather rare and requires 5 wires.

If yoiu have normal consumer component (YPbPr) on the TV and video card I would just use 1 Cat5 cable and some baluns. You can even use 2 of my 4in1 baluns to carry video and SPDIF coaxial. This runs around $100.

 

[felixrosbergen]

You sure you have RGB component? Thats rather rare and requires 5 wires.

If yoiu have normal consumer component (YPbPr) on the TV and video card I would just use 1 Cat5 cable and some baluns. You can even use 2 of my 4in1 baluns to carry video and SPDIF coaxial. This runs around $100.

I must be confused on terminology, by RGB i meant the color of the cable. . It's a new video card in the server and a 4 year old Sony 51" DLP. So it's probably YPbPr as you say.

 

[royalj7]

There is a connection type called RGB that has 5 wires and usually is terminated in a BNC connector, I think that is what Collin is talking about. On using the coax for your component, just a couple notes: if the RG6QS isn't solid copper core, you could have some problems. I know I did. I tried to use some regular coax I had for a makeshift component cable, terminated it and hooked it up from a DVD player to the TV. The picture had this slight "rolling" lines that was just annoying. Finally got the correct cable (RG59) and pooof, lines went away. Second, make sure the three cables are as close to the same length as you can make it. Since it's a short run it probably won't matter, but I've read about 50ft runs being off a foot or so causing slight color variations at the TV.

--Jamie