HD TV and 5.1 surround distridution

[silverfox08]

Hi, I'm in need of some advice

Im wanting to distribute my HD Sky and 5.1 to 2 other HD tv's that are in my house.

Im finding it hard to figure out how to run the 5.1. Im going to run cat6a cable everywhere for the HD picture but I also want to get the full sound setup.

Does anyone know of an easier and cheaper way to do this than run optical cable from a optical splitter (if there is such a thing)????

Many Thanks
Matt

[dwhite]

You can send the digital audio over cat 5 as well. That was a quick google but not found a uk supplier yet.

For splitting theres this. I wouldn't reccomend the cheaper unpowered splitters as they may cause problems with you sending it so far.Alternatively if you have digital coax output on the skyhd (only thomsosn don't), that will give you an extra output, so that could go to the local TV and the optical split using what I linked to.

Three amps with 5.1 setups in different rooms then. I always fancied going 5.1 in the bedroom but I doubt the missus would be happy.

[silverfox08]

Thats great. I have an account with a company that supplies that make and model but never knew that did it.

The splitter looks good however not sure if that it will support the run I need. The full lenght will be about 50m as I need to going into the loft first but now that I know that they is such a product I will look into to it more.

I have 7.1 in the living room and 5.1 in 2 others luckly my girlfriend just lets me get on with it and she doesn't even mind me making holes in the walls to run cables (as long as I fix them after).

putting 5.1 in the bedroom was the easy one as all i had to do was drill a hole in each corner of the ceiling and run the wires via the loft.

Thanks for your help.

[dwhite]

I'm not sure you have to worry about the range of the splitter, as that will assume your sending optical over 10m, while you presumably will actually be only ending the optical a couple of metres to your cat5 baluns. With cat5 taking it the most distance.

[silverfox08]

you have a very good point. your right the Cat6a cable will be used to run the lenght.

I just need to try and find a cheap supplier for the optical to Cat6 converter and also a roll on Cat6a cable.

Thanks for your help

[aj_walters]

have you looked at the Gefen range of kit?

Gefen Inc. - Specializing in HDTV, HDMI, DVI, USB, Cables, HD-SDI, VGA and KVM Solutions

They seem to have a bit of kit for most things, I have used the HDMI extender and it just works !!

[M.D. Klapwijk]

Why not using sp-dif over a coaxial cable?

or cardsharing?

[oliphillips]

Is the the same silver fox from bst who i mostly see in the Sat section? If so hi, i'm oliphill187 over there.

Hope you got the 5.1 thing sorted!