12-15m distance: Active HDMI or HDMI over Cat6 extender Balun?

[bigboss]

I will need a 12-15m cable to connect my projector to the AV receiver. Which is better of the 2?:

Active HDMI cable or
HDMI over Cat6 cable extender balun?

 

[Dave_]

Personally I'd go with cat6/baluns.

Easier to run and hide, capable of longer distances etc. Plus no active electronics in the middle of the cable to go wrong, i.e easier to change a couple of baluns out than an HDMI cable (especially if its buried wall or running under floors etc)

 

[cheeseboy]

in theory, a decently built HDMI cable should be ok for 15m, no need for the actives. having said that, I'd echo bigboss and go with the ethernet cable. Cat 5e would be fine if you wanted to make it a bit cheaper.

 

[bigboss]

Thanks! It's only £24 for a pair of Cat6 cables at that length. Hopefully it will support 4K in the future as well.

 

[michael hoy]

Cat6 for me too.

 

[Xanderzdad]

BB - why do you feel the need to move away from decently specced HDMI cable. I've used this company for a 15m cable previously and it works perfectly. I may be missing something but I think Cat6 etc is overcomplicating it and adding in additional variables to go wrong (as well as adding to the cost).

This one is specified to work for 4k http://ukhdmi.com/15m-hdmi-cable_QQ101582

 

[bigboss]

HDMI.org guarantees the cables to work as intended only up to 10m. As it's an install with little recourse to changing cables, I want to be absolutely certain that the cable will work.

From HDMI.org website:

How do I run HDMI cables longer than 10 meters?

There are many HDMI Adopters working on HDMI solutions that extend a cable’s effective distance from the typical 10 meter range to much longer lengths. These companies manufacture a variety of solutions that include active cables (active electronics built into cables that boost and extend the cable’s signal), repeaters, amplifiers as well as CAT5/6 and fiber solutions.

 

[bigboss]

I might just get away with a 10m cable. I'll put in a couple of ethernet cables in any case, for future proofing.

 

[Dave_]

I would also suggest that you test it actually works OK before its installed too then.

 

[bigboss]

I would also suggest that you test it actually works OK before its installed too then.

Will do *drinks*

 

[Xanderzdad]

Very easy mistake to make - umm not me of course! [sheepish grin]