Running cables to upstairs - advise please

[Dan L]

Hello folks,

Over the next couple of weeks I would like to sort out some cabling to run from my lounge to the bedroom which is directly above. I will be wall-mounting a plasma screen in the bedroom - fo ease I will be locating it on the wall directly above the lounge TV/equipment. It is an external wall with easy access to the outside.

I was hoping to try to feed the cabling required down the inside of the wall - make a hole in the plasterboard then drop them down - however I had a though that there probably is no gap where the bedroom floor/lounge ceiling meets the external wall - would this be a correct assumption?

If this is the case, I'm guessing my only other option is to drill through the external wall, run the cabling up to the bedroom, then drill through the bedroom wall and terminate them upstairs. I am planning on using 3 x UTP ethernet cable to carry the signals I need:

1 x VGA
1 x Component
2 x analogue audio (low powered line-outs from the PC & Xbox360)

...one of the ethernet cables will carry both audio signals (4+4 wires) to save using another cable.

My only worry is that I will have ethernet cables running up the side of the house. The wife may not be too happy about that. What can I do to hide them? What can I use to attach them to the wall? Is there another method I could explore? Cable length should not be a limiting factor.

I also need to source some wall terminal plates - namely audio (3.5mm jack sockets & phonos) and component connectors. Any suggestions for suppliers would be greatly appreciated.

Many thanks
Dan

[mhuk05]

How about a photo?

CAT5 cable is unshielded so be careful where you run it.

[badkarma]

http://www.cabletidy-direct.co.uk/ check under cable bridges, something like this might do the job. You'd need to fill the ends with silicone or the like to prevent ingress of water and could paint it a similar colour to your walls for a bit of camoflague

You could use STP cat5 for better noise immunity. Also does cat5 have enough cores for VGA ?

[Dan L]

Originally Posted by badkarma

http://www.cabletidy-direct.co.uk/ check under cable bridges, something like this might do the job. You'd need to fill the ends with silicone or the like to prevent ingress of water and could paint it a similar colour to your walls for a bit of camoflague

You could use STP cat5 for better noise immunity. Also does cat5 have enough cores for VGA ?

Yep, only needs 8...I've already made adapters which work flawlessly

Assuming the cables run externally, would noise even be an issue?

[mhuk05]

There is also d-line from tlc-direct

[badkarma]

Originally Posted by danluton

Yep, only needs 8...I've already made adapters which work flawlessly

Tried them at the required distance ? not had much luck PQ wise with vga over a few meters, although I've never tried VGA over CAT5 direct, only ethernet VGA extenders.

Originally Posted by danluton

Assuming the cables run externally, would noise even be an issue?

Doubt it, you should try and avoid a.c. cabling though.

[Dan L]

Thanks for the suggestions guys.

[Dan L]

Originally Posted by badkarma

Tried them at the required distance ? not had much luck PQ wise with vga over a few meters, although I've never tried VGA over CAT5 direct, only ethernet VGA extenders.

Yeah, longer runs of VGA are rubbish, anything over 2 metres and you get loads of ghosting. I tried a test with a 5m length of ethernet cable and the image was 100% perfect. I doubt I'd need much longer than that if I go directly out and up.