HDMI distribition

[excollier]

Looking for help please.
I intend to distribute HD satellite to two tv sets, one is 15m away and the second is a further 15m away (it's a pub).
I am intending to use Antiference 15m HDMI to a Labgear 2 way splitter, then Antiference 5m cable to the first set.
From the second port on the splitter, I will use a 1m cable to a Labgear HDMI repeater then an Antiference 15m cable to the second set.
Will this work, the supplier sees no reason for it to fail, any opinions please.

 

[noiseboy72]

Can't see why not, but Sky is notorious for issues when splitting the HDMI signal.

Try it without the repeater to start off with. The splitter will re-clock and re-buffer the signal anyway.

Use 720p instead of 1080i. The picture will look very similar from a punters point of view, but the lower bandwidth will help with signal stability.

 

[excollier]

Thanks for that. I will try both resolutions when I install it next week.
It won't be Sky by the way - who wants to pay them a fortune?

 

[Joe Fernand]

SKY for Business - I guess anyone who wants to show whatever programming SKY offers via its 'Pub' Channel!

Your plan – now way to know if it’s going to work or not until you try a dry run.

HDMI ‘Repeater’ - these go at the Sink (Display) end of the cable run rather than the Source end of the cable; they are designed to ‘lift’ a low signal rather than ‘overdrive’ a Source signal.

If you use a decent gauge of HDMI cable (24 AWG) plus properly designed 1x2 powered DA on the end of the first 15m HDMI cable you ought not to require any other Signal equalisation before or after the DA.

http://www.tmfsolutions.co.uk/Octava_HDDA12A-UK.htm

For a Commercial Install the best option would be to also run 2x CAT6 to each Display – that way if your plan to use long HDMI cables + DA proves to be unstable you can install HDMI over Twisted pair Extenders where required.

http://www.tmfsolutions.co.uk/Octava_HDCATIR-UK.htm

Use Solid core screened CAT6 on all Commercial Installs and avoid routing the cables near to any Wireless transmitter devices.

Joe

 

[excollier]

Well, job done now. The first splitter refused to work on one port at all, and no sound on the second port.
New splitter, same model and make, but much smaller, physically. It initially worked ok, both ports passing a really nice picture at 720p to both screens, with sound. The pub owner switched it off for a couple of hours today, and when he switched back on - nothing! The output port leds were glowing but no picture or sound to either tv set.
I went back to it, checked all the connections, and away it went again full picture and sound restored, don't know why though.
Only thing now is that the led on output port no.2 is blinking, but picture and sound are fine. I am confused, this my first job with hdmi over any distance. Does anyone recognise these symptoms? Any suggestions welcome.

 

[Joe Fernand]

If you are responsible for HDMI kit on an install you will quickly learn that any supposed 'savings' you/your client is making at this stage are going to be quickly eaten up in your unpaid hours sorting unreliable kit! Joe

 

[excollier]

That much I know, but do you recognise what the problem might be please?

 

[Joe Fernand]

Nothing too unusual in what you are seeing - HDMI is a pain and you have gone for budget kit and trying to Max out on cable run lengths.

If (as is the norm) folk are powering some kit On/Off and other kit In/Out of Standby you are adding another complication into the mixx.

What is your supplier saying about the flashing LED?

Do all of the devices have PSU's or are they stealing power from somewhere else?

Joe

 

[excollier]

Thanks, Joe.
The splitter has it's own psu, and connected individually via a line powered repeater, then there is no problem. Only when the splitter is introduced is there any problem.
The no transmission and then flashing led occurred at 5.30 last night, so too late to ask the supplier.
Will see how it goes today, and let you know how it performs. I will get him to power up one stage at a time to see if that helps.

 

[excollier]

I meant splitter has its own psu!

 

[noiseboy72]

One thing that is important when swtiching the kit on is the order you do it in.

Because the HDCP needs to identify each TV, ensure you switch the kit on in the following order:

TVs
Splitter
Receiver

If the receiver is in standby, then it might cause problems if the TVs and splitter are switched off at the mains.

Best bet is to leave all kit in standby OR switch it all off at the mains and turn the TVs on first.

 

[Joe Fernand]

Ensure you are powering everything in the connected signal chain Off (not Standby) whenever you are making any changes – it’ll prevent kit being fried and also stops HDCP and EDID Logic being messed up.

One of the problems in Commercial Installs is your lack of control over how kit is being powered On/Off or In/Out of Standby – some HDMI gear is more tolerant if only part of a system is being Powered Off/On and other items going In/Out of Standby during the course of a normal days use!

As noiseboy72 says EDID/Order of Power on can be a problem - unless you use kit with In-built (Installer programmable) EDID Management!

Joe

 

[Jack2012]

Use 720p instead of 1080i. The picture will look very similar from a punters point of view, but the lower bandwidth will help with signal stability.

The 720p/50 and 1080i/50 formats use exactly the same bandwidth on HDMI.

If the channel is emitted via satellite in 1080i format than you should set the HDMI output of your sat decoder to 1080i, when channel is emitted in 720p/50 then you should set it to 720p. Otherwise you will degrade the signal quality (resolution or frame rate).

 

[excollier]

Thank you all for your prompt help. I got everything working this morning, after the owner switched on and only got one screen working. I switched off the tv sets and the splitter then pulled out the hdmi leads and then put them back in, switched on the splitter again, and then the tv sets, one at a time, all worked perfectly. No flashing led either. Perfect picture and sound on both sets, told him to leave them on for the day.
I will take all the advice given, and work out a strict procedure once I find a way that works well. Thanks.

 

[Joe Fernand]

Like Jack2012 I'd go with 1080i50 as its less conversions going on within your kit and likely to look better than 720p50.

Joe

 

[excollier]

The display shows 720p when it starts, and the owner is very pleased with the result. After watching football on Tring for a couple of years (which is sd and a very low broadcast bitrate), 720p HD looks stunning.

 

[excollier]

Well,I went to the pub and watched th Spurs/Chelsea match last night. All working as it should, and the landlord says he just sets all to standby and it fires up first go every time now, so thank you all for your swift and helpful advice, and merry Christmas.
Now, if I could just get paid for the install......

 

[Joe Fernand]

Never walk out of a Pub without the money - amazingly good at fobbing you off when it's time to pay!

Joe

 

[excollier]

He always paid quickly before when I installed his other satellite dishes and cabling, we'll see

 

[excollier]

All paid up now, landlord happy with fully working system and stunning picture quality.
Thanks again for all the help, I have learned some useful stuff here.

 

[excollier]

After a long break, now I need to add a 3/1 switch at the source end of this system, so I can facilitate 2 x satellite receivers and a Freeview HD receiver into the feed so that one source can be selected at a time. My question is is the Neet 3 port Auto switch worth considering? I tried a cheap one today (Lidl Sivercrest) but no go with that. The Neet switch is powered from the HDMI cable inputs, would it work over the initial 15m run to the splitter or would a mains powered switch be necessary?

 

[Joe Fernand]

Any HDMI device which ‘steals’ power from the Source device (via the HDMI cable) is always a potential fail point in your system – especially if you are also asking the Source to ‘drive’ the signal over a 15m cable and then power a Switch!

HDMI :: Resources :: Knowledge Base

Always best to install an externally powered Switch!

Media Factory - Octava HDS3-UK, 3x1 HDMI switch

Joe

 

[excollier]

The splitter at the end of the 15m run is mains powered, so that takes care of itself. Looks, at that price, that he will have to make do with one source at the feed end, oh well..