ARC over Cat5e possible?

Jon1234

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Hi all,

What I want to achieve is audio from my TV to my AVR and want to know how if I can do this over Cat5e?

The reason being is that my AVR is in a utility room on the other side of the living room to the TV. There isnt really an option to run an HDMI between the two locations. However i do have 2 unused Cat5e cables that run between TV location and AVR through the walls and ceiling. The AVR is connected to my projector by HDMI so its use there is fine.

I have no need to push video from the AVR to the TV, the TV has Netflix, Amazon, Freesat. However whilst watching any of these, having the audio through the AVR and hence the 5.1 speakers would be good.

Obviously with an HDMI then ARC could achieve this I believe (bit new to all this hence the uncertainty). However with Cat5e rather than HDMI I believe an HDMI extender could be used for HD/4k video to the TV (which i dont need) but how can I get audio from TV to amp (which is what I want)? Would an HDMI extender achieve this?

Any advice would be welcomed :)

TV has an ARC HDMI port and AVR is a Sony STRDN1080 is that's relevant with the 5.1 system being the Wharfedale dx-2. The Cat5e run between TV and AVR is approx 14m.

Thank you.
 
In theory yes you can support ARC over a suitable Extender - problem being that Extenders which support ARC can be costly and ARC relying on CEC can make it a bit of a lottery at times.

Another option would be to use Optical Out f the TV and Extend that over Optical.

Joe
 
Thank you Joe. Would that be likely chepaer over optical? Guessing a google will throw up some options of kit needed.
 
Brilliant, thanks Joe. An optical extender seems to be exactly what I need. Phew, no need to rip the ceiling out after all.
 
One much cheaper option that MIGHT work you could try first. I have found coaxial digital audio to be VERY robust and cable tolerant, basically if you have 2 cable it works !

You could try just using 2 cables of the CAT5 cable for a coaxial digital connection first ? If you only have optical out of the TV I got a convertor of Amazon for £12.
 
One much cheaper option that MIGHT work you could try first. I have found coaxial digital audio to be VERY robust and cable tolerant, basically if you have 2 cable it works !

You could try just using 2 cables of the CAT5 cable for a coaxial digital connection first ? If you only have optical out of the TV I got a convertor of Amazon for £12.
Can you just talk ne through how this work work a bit more please?

By which i mean what adapters would I use and how would it be terminated into the AVR?
 
1) Get hold of a cheap single phono to phono lead a couple of meters long. Cut it in half and strip the cables to bare wire for about 10mm.

2) You are basically going to use 2 cores of the ethernet cable to make a long phono lead, between the TV and AVR

3) Take the plugs off each end of the ethernet cable. Identify 2 core you are going to use.

4) Use terminal blocks to join the same core of the ethernet cable at each end to the inner wire of the cut phono cable. Repeat for the outher core of the phono cable.

5) If your TV only has an optical audio out see if you have a blu ray player with a coaxial audio output to test it before you by an converter. I use

Amazon product ASIN B00LPHJMII
Good luck.
 
1) Get hold of a cheap single phono to phono lead a couple of meters long. Cut it in half and strip the cables to bare wire for about 10mm.

2) You are basically going to use 2 cores of the ethernet cable to make a long phono lead, between the TV and AVR

3) Take the plugs off each end of the ethernet cable. Identify 2 core you are going to use.

4) Use terminal blocks to join the same core of the ethernet cable at each end to the inner wire of the cut phono cable. Repeat for the outher core of the phono cable.

5) If your TV only has an optical audio out see if you have a blu ray player with a coaxial audio output to test it before you by an converter. I use

Amazon product ASIN B00LPHJMII
Good luck.
Thank you, very helpful.
 
Most welcome, please report back as to how it went. I do not know how wiring savy you are, but if you have an electrical tester and another long cable you can use that to check your wiring.
 
I've got the same issue, TV in a separate room than the receiver with cat5e between them. Decided to use an optical extender. However, I don't have a solution for controlling the volume. Any suggestions?
 
In theory yes you can support ARC over a suitable Extender - problem being that Extenders which support ARC can be costly and ARC relying on CEC can make it a bit of a lottery at times.

Another option would be to use Optical Out f the TV and Extend that over Optical.

Joe
I did this(optical extended to optical) but because my receiver is in another room I can't control the volume. Any suggestions?
 
If you have WiFi there may be an App for the AVR - or you can use an App which unifies a few devices.

If you have a second spare CAT cable you could extend IR over CAT.

If you can still find them some of the Harmony programmable remotes have an RF option which will work ‘room to room’ to control multiple devices.

Joe
 

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