VGA + Audio over Cat5 problem

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Spartacus

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We did a project for a customer a couple of years ago (Oct-2010) and it went well at the time.

The project was to setup a bunch of flat panel TVs that would show content from one central PC video source. The PC runs Powerpoint slide shows, video clips, etc. to their customers.

So we bought two Tripp-Lite B132-004A "VGA + Audio over Cat5 Extender 4-Port Transmitter" with the wall plate receivers they have, and all went well until now. Over the last few months, both of the B132-004A transmitters have had ports die off. They each have four ports, they daisy chain together for eight ports total, and we had two extras I think.

You can take a cable from a dead port, put it into a working port and the TV/monitor then works fine. So it's definitely bad ports on the box. Now the spare ports are gone and more dead ports. This happens over time. It's not a humid/hostile environment.

Tripp-Lite says only one year warranty, no repairs/exchanges and are not being very helpful.

Any suggestions on these things or alternative equipment we can use?


P.S. Here's the link to the boxes I'm talking about:

http://www.tripplite.com/en/products/model.cfm?txtModelID=4292
 
Spartacus said:
We did a project for a customer a couple of years ago (Oct-2010) and it went well at the time.

The project was to setup a bunch of flat panel TVs that would show content from one central PC video source. The PC runs Powerpoint slide shows, video clips, etc. to their customers.

So we bought two Tripp-Lite B132-004A "VGA + Audio over Cat5 Extender 4-Port Transmitter" with the wall plate receivers they have, and all went well until now. Over the last few months, both of the B132-004A transmitters have had ports die off. They each have four ports, they daisy chain together for eight ports total, and we had two extras I think.

You can take a cable from a dead port, put it into a working port and the TV/monitor then works fine. So it's definitely bad ports on the box. Now the spare ports are gone and more dead ports. This happens over time. It's not a humid/hostile environment.

Tripp-Lite says only one year warranty, no repairs/exchanges and are not being very helpful.

Any suggestions on these things or alternative equipment we can use?


P.S. Here's the link to the boxes I'm talking about:

http://www.tripplite.com/en/products/model.cfm?txtModelID=4292
Click to expand...

can you use hdmi instead to the monitors ?
 
>>can you use hdmi instead to the monitors ?

The monitors are spread out in different rooms through-out the building and we already ran the CAT5 to carry the video/audio. This seemed like the best way to do it back then.

Could we do an HDMI conversion to CAT5 and then back to HDMI at the TVs?
 
Spartacus said:
>>can you use hdmi instead to the monitors ?

The monitors are spread out in different rooms through-out the building and we already ran the CAT5 to carry the video/audio. This seemed like the best way to do it back then.

Could we do an HDMI conversion to CAT5 and then back to HDMI at the TVs?
Click to expand...

you can buy cat5 to hdmi balens :) those work good. each tv would get a balin ( however its spelled ) and a small hdmi cable, etc etc.

seen it before and it worked great. Can't remember if you have to have 2 cat5 or just one.
 
Let's start with the basics and then we can get into specific products.

How many sources?
What output from the source?

How many displays?
What inputs are available on the displays?
How long is the LONGEST run?

what resolution is needed?

We've done more than a few projects using HDMI-over-Cat5 distrobution using Atlona gear. Flawless @ 720p resolution, and close to perfect for 1080p. 1080p is much more distance dependent. Any more given that most of our customers would rather do the Walmart/Costco route for their displays, HDMI is the only guaranteed imput o the displays. Personally, I can't wait for HD-BaseT to hit the market. When that comes the we'll have a new onslaught of GOLD-Plated Cat5/Cat6 cables.:rolleyes:
 
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http://www.monoprice.com/products/product.asp?p_id=8200

Never used personally, so I have no experience, but reviews seem good. You also said you did cat5 (cat5E?), this stuff recommends minimal cat6 for any long runs. These are pretty cheap, so you could always buy a set and test.

As far as your ports burning out - maybe too much resistance/bad termination or too long of a run over stressing components causing them to die?
 
Track Drew said:
http://www.monoprice.com/products/product.asp?p_id=8200

Never used personally, so I have no experience, but reviews seem good. You also said you did cat5 (cat5E?), this stuff recommends minimal cat6 for any long runs. These are pretty cheap, so you could always buy a set and test.

As far as your ports burning out - maybe too much resistance/bad termination or too long of a run over stressing components causing them to die?
Click to expand...

Those work well, but are limited to 90 feet...
 
Nate7311 said:
Those work well, but are limited to 90 feet...
Click to expand...

"1080i 8-bit to 50m, 1080p 8-bit to 30m, 1080p 12-bit to 25m"

I believe that's assuming cat6. No specs for lower resolutions listed.

Also just realized that the Tripplites are VGA. So this would require some more cabling changes, additional splitter, etc. Not a drop in replacement by any means.
 
dashpuppy said:
you can buy cat5 to hdmi balens :) those work good. each tv would get a balin ( however its spelled ) and a small hdmi cable, etc etc.

seen it before and it worked great. Can't remember if you have to have 2 cat5 or just one.
Click to expand...

Balun - it's an abbreviation for 'Balanced/unbalanced', which makes sense, since VGA/composite video/consumer audio are all unbalanced, and the transformer adapts them to catX-pair based cables (twisted-pair does balanced transmission *very* well due to the very even common-mode noise coupling).

The nice thing about it too is that any signal carried on an unbalanced line can be adapted for use over cat5/cat6. The major limiting factors are the bandwidth of the cat5 cable - obviously, this needs to be enough for the signal (this is why you can't run 2048x1536 VGA over cheap cat5), and the attenuation of the cable run - Cat5/6 cable is pretty good about that, but since these devices are usually unpowered (even though it would be absolutely trivial to use a DC-bias, a la microphone phantom power or PoE to drive in-line amplifiers), you're ultimately going to be limited.

If you can accept lower resolutions, those are easier to push over long distances (lower bandwidth is more tolerant to noise).
 
Looks like all displays have HDMI so may try to go with that.

Thanks for the feedback guys.
 
We use extenders from Gefen.com, mostly DVI tho....about 350ft on one..mostly 200ft on them usually tho
 
For VGA + Audio, we have had great luck with Cyan and Magenta Products.

For example, the Cyan EVATX4 would get you a similar cascadable transmitter. Then the EVA500RX could be your receiver at each display location.

You won't get nearly the same distance for HDMI over Cat 5 and Cat 6. For those applications, we use Intelix product for simple projects. The issue is throughput.
 
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