VGA over CAT5

[micah8892]

We recently installed two plasma screens in our foyer area to carry our announcement loop and live feeds from the service. We are using the Kramer VP719XL Switcher/Scaler and Extron MTP Versa to convert to CAT5. Our runs are about 350ft. It works great for us.
Because we have a school in our church as well we are currently undergoing a project to place a similar set up in each classroom. Our delima is the ability to provide independent feeds to the classrooms. Will ask for help on that subject in a different post.

[kac4him]

micah8892 this might be what your looking for also
Ive seen a cat5 matrix switcher i thought it was a kramer but i couldnt locate on their website anyone have any experince with one

[benwilhelm]

I get most of my baluns from MCM Electronics. They sell some of they're own but for VGA they sell MuxLab.

Ben

[JohnHeyer]

We use extron for video distribution throughout our campus but just installed a new center screen projector in the main sanctuary and went with a Kramer to send VGA to the catwalk from the balcony. It looks delicious!!!! I was blown away by the quality of the signal. I have heard that you can do HD via CAT5.

[jonack]

I do a lot of install work on the side and there have been a couple of places that have used the VGA over Cat5 and the biggest problem with it is people who use cheap Cat5 cable. Belden makes a cable specifically for this application, it is a matched twisted pair cable that is cut to the exact length within inches. This is important for several reasons, the first being that when the VGA to Cat5 converts the signal, the cables inside the sleeve could be 2' to 10' of a length difference for every 100' of cable. No biggie when that is carrying data, but when you are carrying a VGA signal big difference. Use a cheap cable, you get a cheap, smeared signal. We use either Kramer VGA or get a VGA to component cable (VGA to RGBHV) and run component cables. We know that it will carry the signal further and with better accuracy. I have yet to see a VGA to Cat5 conversion system without some type of color smear particularly over a very long distance. There might be one out there, but I don't really want to take the chance. If you are like me and hate to try to solder those tiny little pins on the VGA connector look up a company called BTX, they make VGA (male and female) connectors with phoenix (screw down) connectors. Very easy to use and install, they work great! Hope that helps! Or you could just say the heck with it all and put up an over head and slide projector and start asking everyone to copy everything to over heads!

[Gary-Y]

I was recently told that when using Extron, it was actually desireable to use old cat 5 (as opposed to 5E, 6, or 6E) since the actual length of wire was shorter as a result of fewer wraps. Is this accurate? We're considering using Extron to convert the AV signals to cross an atrium and feed some overflow rooms. -gary

[stann]

re: MuxLab, I'm dissapointed that their baluns are rated for STP cable only; not UTP cable which is cheaper and more available. I'm presently searching for an established retail source in the Niagara/Canada region and have come across Thorvin Electronics Inc. of Oakville/Ontario. I visited there depot and found them well stocked in a variety of AV product. Their recommendation for balun is a product by Smart-AV (audio video integration), which runs on standard UTP cabling. Does anyone have experience with this product? Can your please respond with your comments/advice; thanks.

[jlhyde]

I use Magenta Research and Gefen almost exclusively now. They have never let me down. Some of the others mentioned have caused me to have to replace them. Even under warranty it's not worth the hassle.

[Randy Bosma]

Would it be better to use Cat 6 for these video runs? It seems logical that with the amount of data that you're pushing down that cable, the higher capacity of 6 over 5 or 5e would be worth the expense, and futureproofing to boot.

[benwilhelm]

Originally Posted by Randy Bosma

Would it be better to use Cat 6 for these video runs? It seems logical that with the amount of data that you're pushing down that cable, the higher capacity of 6 over 5 or 5e would be worth the expense, and futureproofing to boot.

Just a point of clarification. With baluns, in most cases data isn't being sent down the cable as it is an analog signal and it's just messing with the impedance to take advantage of a different cable. However, using Cat6 is advantageous because of the higher twist count compared to Cat5e or Cat5. The higher twist count will, in short, allow a longer cable run. So if the length is an issue, I'd do my homework in the first place, but I'd be more likely to use Cat6. Cat6 does cost a little more though. So if distance weren't an issue, I'd probably still use Cat5E. However, if they system you're using requires STP, then you're talking about a considerable jump in price to Cat6 STP. Cat5 STP however can be found reasonably priced.

B

[benwilhelm]

Originally Posted by Gary-Y

I was recently told that when using Extron, it was actually desirable to use old cat 5 (as opposed to 5E, 6, or 6E) since the actual length of wire was shorter as a result of fewer wraps. Is this accurate? We're considering using Extron to convert the AV signals to cross an atrium and feed some overflow rooms. -gary

I'm getting to the edge of my knowledge here... Yes, you're right with the higher twist count, the length will increase, however, that same higher twist count should in turn give you the ability to do a longer run, and I think in the end, the ability to do a longer run wins out if ever so slightly. As for Extron, I imagine we're talking about an active solution, and that would make more sense to me that it might prefer or be engineered to handled 5 or 5e. As someone already said, in the end, if you're looking to do it right for sure, it's worth looking at Belden's MediaTwist stuff.

B

[JGrandt]

Originally Posted by MediaGuy

Nobody has mentioned Extron as a source... We have a powered pair from Extron that sends our VGA about 350 feet, and it's tons better than the composite signal running parallel to it - not just in VGA vs. composite quality, but in brightness, etc. - all around.

This week I am ordering a system from Kramer to install in our Multi-Purpose room. we need a wallplate to plug in a laptop to a projector mounted on the ceiling. The over length of the run is 50+ feet and that makes me nervous with signal quality over a long VGA cable. PLUS, it's much harder to run VGA cable down a wall than Cat-5. I have a wallplate that already has cat-5 in it. We're going to pull that plate and just reuse the cable to run VGA over it. No one uses Cat-5 in a public setting anymore. It's all wireless.