G+_Jason Perry Posted February 8, 2015 Share Posted February 8, 2015 I am looking for input As my family grows so does the honey do list. I am looking at going from one place to occupy people in front of a TV screen to multiple locations. As a result I am looking at moving more than I expected into a wiring closet and finding a way to distribute things to different locations. This is bringing HDMI into a new realm for me. I am looking for ways to set things up. My current thoughts are Run HDMI cables along side my current network cables Use some sort of HDMI bridging tech like HDMI over ethernet or coax Or running everything into a plex myth tv hybrid system and using that to distribute everything. Here are my current issues I have organization issues and it needs to be neat so if I have another lot of cables going to my utility room it has to fit into a patch panel If I am running HDMI over something else I am not familiar enough to know how it would integrate am I still running a whole new network? and what are the limitations? Distance isn't a huge problem for me I cant see a run going over 100' and the majority of the runs probably will stay between 50' and 75' Lastly it needs to be wife proof (sorry to any tech savvy women out there) it needs to be as far away from being like a computer as possible and as close to a tv as possible. What are your thoughts, comments, and warnings on the subject? What have you done. Oh and just as a side note I am currently getting TV through Bell TV which for everyone south of the border uses dish network hardware. I have looked at the hopper box but haven't bit yet because I really didn't have the need. I am also going to be checking out other TWiT shows to see what shows like home theater geeks have. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G+_Eddie Foy Posted February 8, 2015 Share Posted February 8, 2015 I haven't used the HDMI over cat5/6 but seems from what I've read better then using long HDMI cables. (plus you can make smaller holes and terminate at location) Its not over IP, just using the cable to run its own protocols. Nothing to do with computer networking. I believe it also needs a double run of Cat5/6 per TV. But if its a Plex/Myth, wouldn't just be network traffic to the TV/Roku/etc? Or is the Plex/Myth going to drive the video out the video card(s) to the TVs? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G+_Jason Perry Posted February 8, 2015 Author Share Posted February 8, 2015 Thanks for the HDMI over eathernet info Eddie Foy. I think that option is out for me unless i have a long runand i opted to go the run HDMI everywhere route. If I used a media server to accomplish what I am after it would just be network traffic. I would just shove a low power chrome box type computer behind every computer. And this is what I would prefer but I may hear about it from my wife. I can hear it now why do things have to be so complicated, why cant I just turn on the TV. Heaven forbid something goes wrong too then I am hearing 'this would have never happened if it wasn't for all this stupid crap' Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G+_Eddie Foy Posted February 8, 2015 Share Posted February 8, 2015 If you go server route I do recommend the Roku. I love mine. Happy with the Plex Server on the NAS. The Roku menu is very simple, the remote has 12 buttons. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G+_Jason Perry Posted February 8, 2015 Author Share Posted February 8, 2015 Do you know if you can split the feed if if I did HDMI over cat 5 / coax? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G+_Eddie Foy Posted February 8, 2015 Share Posted February 8, 2015 As in send the signal to 2 different end points? That would depend on any DRM in the content. HDMI has the HDCP, which typically blocks that. HDMI is not just a video/audio signal, but a bunch of handshaking too. If HDCP, then first come first get. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G+_Jason Perry Posted February 8, 2015 Author Share Posted February 8, 2015 I have found references that you can daisy chain the signal from device to device but I would want to do point to multi point to consider it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G+_Jason Perry Posted February 8, 2015 Author Share Posted February 8, 2015 Good to know. Thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G+_Jason Perry Posted February 8, 2015 Author Share Posted February 8, 2015 Found this want to read up some more http://m.hdtvsupply.com/hdmi-to-coax-splitter.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G+_Brian Blankenship Posted February 8, 2015 Share Posted February 8, 2015 Check out HDbaseT (HDMI over ethernet). Parts and systems here: http://www.monoprice.com/Category?c_id=109&cp_id=10914. The guys over on the Missing Remote podcast can shed more light on the hardware and what it can do, http://www.missingremote.com/podcasts Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G+_Ben Reese Posted February 8, 2015 Share Posted February 8, 2015 I'm thinking about cutting Cable TV so I'm a bit interested what everyone else is suggesting here too. I currently have a home server with Plex installed then I have an Amazon Fire TV Box in the living room and a Fire TV Stick in the bedroom. Both Fire TV devices will do Amazon video, Netflix, Hulu, Plex, etc. If I need more options, they will run XBMC (Kodi) as well. My desire is to make my home server a DVR as well (hitting compatibility issues between the TV tuner card and Windows Server). You mentioned satellite service, which would complicate things a bit when trying to get service to each TV. Is there a TV tuner card that works for satellite service? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G+_Jason Perry Posted February 9, 2015 Author Share Posted February 9, 2015 For anyone looking at OTA check out the HD HomeRun by silicone dust. It takes the OTA signal and streams it. If you are looking at integrating an ip stream into your plex experiance there is a way but from what I hear you are basically making a simple plug-in. I would love to se a KH tutorial (wink wink Fr. Robert Ballecer, SJ) As for anyone looking for a DVR mythTV is the big one. I haven't given it a go yet because I haven't coughed up the money for a decent machine and tuner card. From everything I have read you can spread the workload over multiple computers and keep a unified interface. And not to be too biased but Roku is the way to go, but I have zero dedication to the apple experiences. Its sad that I have put as much research into this and tested as much out as I have and dont feel I can put a system together that is refined enough for my parents to use. But now that I read over this has A/V ever been simple? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G+_Jason Perry Posted February 9, 2015 Author Share Posted February 9, 2015 Okay just found this too. Peaked my interest because at first glance it looks like it integrates with my network. http://www.HDTVSupply.com/hdmi-cat5-distribution.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G+_Jason Perry Posted February 9, 2015 Author Share Posted February 9, 2015 For some reason I get the feeling the website I posred the two products from are purposely withholding information to hock more of their stuff Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G+_Jason Perry Posted February 9, 2015 Author Share Posted February 9, 2015 Here is a tutorial to turn a chrome box into a plex set top box http://www.cuttingcords.com/home/2015/1/2/turning-a-chromebox-into-a-full-fledged-plex-home-theater-client Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G+_Jason Perry Posted February 9, 2015 Author Share Posted February 9, 2015 PS cuttingcords.com is a nice website to start with. Jist dont limit yourself it doesn't go over mythTV and OTA Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G+_Travis Hershberger Posted February 9, 2015 Share Posted February 9, 2015 Jason Perry Nope, home A/V has never been simple. My grandparents are never going to "get it", even my parents barely know how to play a DVD. The best thing I've found to simplify the process is actually the Logitech Harmony line of remote controls. You do need to use a computer to get one setup, and getting all the model numbers to put into the software is a pain. Once you have it setup correctly everything is touching a single button and it takes care of everything else for you. Want to watch TV? Press the TV button. Watch a DVD, press the DVD button. etc. Setup isn't for those afraid of tech, but once setup it's as easy as it gets. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G+_Jason Perry Posted February 9, 2015 Author Share Posted February 9, 2015 Travis Hershberger, great option until your parents do something like, go into the room, turn on the tv sit down pick up the remote, and wonder why it isnt working. Only it there was two way communication between the devices and remote. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G+_Jason Perry Posted February 9, 2015 Author Share Posted February 9, 2015 If anyone finds a good and current MythTV resouces other than their own resouces please let me know. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G+_Ben Reese Posted February 10, 2015 Share Posted February 10, 2015 I don't think tried MythTV, but maybe now I'll have to give it a shot. Right now I've had the most success with NextPVR, though I've also tried Media Portal. The difficulty is that Time Warner sends basic cable as Analog channels still and I haven't been able to get NPVR to recognize the Analog tuner on the card. If I switch to OTA only though, that won't matter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G+_Ben Reese Posted February 10, 2015 Share Posted February 10, 2015 I also haven't tried Roku, but I really have had a pretty decent experience with both Amazon products - especially since I'm an Amazon Prime user. Almost since Amazon started their App Store, I've been snagging the Free App of the Day. Occasionally they'll have a decent game that works in the Fire TV, such as many of the Sonic games that I now have. I'm also looking for a setup at church. We just got a TV that plays a slide show from recent church events or teen outings, but it just has a thumb drive plugged in. I'm hoping I can find a cheap solution that easy for others to use (similar to the Wife Test mentioned) and give it the ability to pull from a network share. XBMC/KODI on something seems like the best option unless there's a cheaper and easier option. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G+_Ben Reese Posted February 10, 2015 Share Posted February 10, 2015 The more I look at it, though, the more I think that Dish/DVR is going to be your biggest problem. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G+_Jason Perry Posted February 10, 2015 Author Share Posted February 10, 2015 Ben Reese, I cant say I have given Amazon a fair shot so I cant knock it. If I find a friend with one I will have to spend some quality time with it. As for your church project I may check out chromecast. Its cheep and really its in a league of its own. There is nothing to it, there is no interface it just receives streams. And there is a $6 credit to the play stire right now. If you connect it to its own power source and not the tv it will power the tv on and start displaying the stream. The only issue is you would have to ser if there is an app that would work for you. Or you can just stream the desktop and run s slide show on the computer. Only problem with that particular case is there is no sound if that matters. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G+_Jason Perry Posted February 24, 2015 Author Share Posted February 24, 2015 William Bello A do it yourself double root canal? :) I wish cable cards were an option in Canada. It's box or bust up here. I have been watching all the different classes of products and I cant wait for manufacturers to settle on one standard. Though I am rooting for Zigbee I would rarher see WiFi win over a closed source standard like z-wave. Till then I'll hack together a solution. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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