Xtraview, pah! what are my options?

(Maybe this is in the wrong forum, but I don't want this to disappear into Off Topic Neverland. @Mods: feel free to move it to a better home)


So this follows up on some other posts regarding DSTV HD.

Many folks want to distribute their HD signal to other rooms, maybe not just for their DSTV PVR but for their Blu-ray player/PS3, Xbox Live HD movies (are there any yet?) etc.

The big problems are firstly HDCP (High Definition Copy Protection) and secondly HDMI. HDCP because it requires compatible equipment to be attached, and HDMI because it has a limited distance that the cable can run (15m (?) seems to be the longest I've seen, and that is really expensive!)

To overcome HDCP, PeterCH has given a link to HDFury which strips out the HDCP from HDMI and outputs a DVI signal. This is one solution as there are plenty of distribution systems available for DVI. You'll need to make a plan about the audio tho'.

The other option is to try to keep the full network HDCP compliant, so no stripping is required. I'm not sure if this would work, but I've seen some HDCP compliant HDMI splitters (this is a really simple one - http://www.cablesunlimited.com/Specifications/specI3587.pdf), and it can be connected via a pair of these for the remote TV. Two CAT6 cables are required - one for the video and audio data, and one for HDCP.

Anyone else got any other options?

Aha! Google is indeed your friend.

Found this option. http://gizmodo.com/5015936/monster-digital-express-hd-system-their-first-wireless-hdmi-kit

This will evidently use existing Coax cabling (the same as we use for RF distribution - or a better quality version?) to distribute the signal, so hopefully no new wiring is required.
More info on UWB over Coax here: http://rfdesign.com/next_generation_wireless/radio_understanding_uwb_coax/

Unfortunately this solution will cost around [-]$600[/-] $300... so not really cheaper than just buying a new HD PVR, but still is a proof of concept.

HDCP is High-bandwidth digital content protection by the way

Thx for the links here though, seems interesting, but a expensive.

ld13 said:

HDCP is High-bandwidth digital content protection by the way

Click to expand...

thanks for the correction...

I can't believe that nobody has any input on this.

Today I got a quote from Taiwan for the Cat6 solution... around USD165.00 FOB. Not too bad I s'pose... how much does cat6 cost per metre?

Cat6 retails for about R5.00 a meter.
RG6 (normal RF cable) R1.60 - R3.00
RG59 R5.00 - R7.00

/resurrect thread... because it interests me... and nobody else seems very interested.

So a dual cat 6 solution for a two room HD solution could be as follows:

• One 2 way HDMI Splitter per source.

• Some HDMI cables

• An HDMI switcher for the remote TV (in order to select the source, these are usually IR remote enabled- so you'll need a remote extender)

• A Beacon CAT6 HDMI transmitter

• Two appropriate lengths of CAT6, with connectors

• A Beacon CAT6 HDMI receiver.

Found this

http://www.hdcabling.co.za/product_info.php?products_id=54