How Do You Make HDMI Cables?

[upstatemike]

I have someone who wants me to help them install a new plasma TV. It will be wall mount installation and we will have to fish the wires up from the basement through an old plaster and lathe wall. Using 6 foot flex bits, the best we can hope for is maybe a 1/2 inch hole so pre-made wires are out of the question. He wants to use an HDMI cable from the start to avoid having to go back and fiddle with it again in the future.

Anybody know of a good source for HDMI cable, connectors, and tools? Since the cabling will be inside the wall the wire will have to be CL2 rated (so I can't just cut the end off a pre-made cable and re-attach it). Also any pointers to info on termination techniques would not go amiss.

 

[Berg]

I can't help you on the assembly of cables, but allow me two comments;

- I am not sure you will be getting the same quality by building your own, that you would using a high quality manufactured cable, but I don't know ...

- I haven't used this cable ( http://www.audioholics.com/productreviews/...sRapidRunp1.php ) but it is on my list to try the next time I have an install that is similar to yours.

Hope this helps.

 

[upstatemike]

Wow. That is a very cool product. Thanks for the link! Not sure I can use it in this case however because there is no HDMI end available.

 

[Steve]

What about just using an extender like this? You could then just have a hole big enough for a cat5 cable in the wall and use the factory HDMI cables. The box looks like its small enough to mount outside the wall tucked behind the tv?

 

[Threadhead]

I can't help either with making the cable, but I may be able to help with the wire fishing.

Get these: Greenlee Fish Stix

For fishing wires inside finished walls, especially if you have fire stops like every wall in my house does, these are without question my #1 goto tool. They make a glow-in-the-dark version that makes finding them inside a wall cavity almost too easy. And if you need to fish inside a wall with insulation, then the fish stix are your saviour.

They have them at the BORG.

 

[jrfuda]

HDMI Pinout: http://www.hardwaresecrets.com/article/283/3

Here's a place that sells the connectors, but you have to buy 100 of them: http://www.4uconnector.com/online/itemagri...num=4&&sample=#

I found several more like that, they're all importers and require large lots...

You are probably better off splicing and rejoining a premade wire. Here are some CL2-rated HDMI cables:

http://www.ramelectronics.net/html/KD-HDMI-Cables.html

http://www.cablestogo.com/product.asp?cat_id=3307&sku=40280

It's not specified on their site, but I bet some of Parts Express' nicer HDMI cables are CL2 rated (confirm with a phone call) and will save you some money.

Just amke the splice as close to one end as possible (probably the end closest to the source) and ensure that you are VERY precise with your cuts and rejoining. While searching for this information, I read that HDMI is very susceptable to timing issues if lengths of every strand are not exact, espsecially when HDCP is implemented.

 

[upstatemike]

Great resources. thanks to all!