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What cables to connect computer to TV 100 feet away?

Hi,

I want to connect the video and audio of my computer to my DVDR, so that I can watch webtv in a comfortable chair via my television, instead of sitting at my desk chair.

Is it a big problem that the DVDR is about 50 feet from the computer as the crow flies, and if I hide the wires in the attic instead of running them down the hall, it's almost 100 feet??

What method should I use??

I can buy a new video card with S-Video, or composite output, or anything you suggest. I've read that S-Video is better than composite. At least one web-store sells a 100 foot S-video cable. Does that mean it will work at 100 feet?

The Philips DVDR only has RCA component input and composite inputs, and S-Video input. No HDMI or DIV.

The DVDR (which gets over the air tv via its digital tuner) already provides the signal to several analog tvs, so that part is working. I only need the part from the computer to the DVDR.

Regarding the sound: Forgetting about the cost of cables, or their availabity, just as an academic question: Do I need coaxial cables for the sound, which is at audio frequencies and almost at line level, or would lamp cord with RCA plugs on the end be just as good?

It says "Heavy 22AWG wires for lower signal resistance and stronger signal integrity." If 22 gauge wire really has all that, wouldn't 16 or 18 gauge lamp zip cord be even better? Or on some other occasion if I had to go farther than 100 feet?

Is it a problem that the video output is meant to be amplified, but the audio output is probably sufficient to drive small speaker all by itself? Will the sound volume come out too high, or will the loud parts be clipped off?

I appreciate any help you can give.

Reply to
mm
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Good quality coax can be used, and I suspect you can even buy (perhaps custom) cables with ends already madeup though they may be expensive.

For sound, you *should* use either coax, or perhaps twisted pair (not zip cord) but if you use twisted pair, you have to drive it balanced which would require transformers at each end. (You can drive twisted pair unbalanced, but the results may not be acceptable--I've some CAT-5 that carries unbalanced video, about 130 ft long, and it works, but it is clearly suffering from some signal degradation.)

For audio, and video, 100 ft (or even more) is not terribly far.

Reply to
PeterD

I do this often. I use a pair of S-Video with Stereo Audio Baluns and a 100 foot long CAT-5 Ethernet cable. This is a product designed to do exactly what you want, and it does it very well.

I use an ETS PV902 and I recommend it for its excellent performance:

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A less expensive and more readily available alternative is available from svideo.com. I haven't used this product but it probably works as well as the one I use.

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Reply to
Fin West

That's good to hear. Someone on a video card newsgroup told me that it couldn't be done!

Reply to
mm

This is nice. It says if I have a problem, they'll put an engineer right on it. That's more than anyone else has ever offered me, even my parents.

But they don't give prices online yet. They're working on a shopping cart, it says. I think this site is mostly for big customers.

This looks great; thanks a lot. And it says up to 1000 feet, not just 100!

But are you and Peter saying that this transformer/cat-5 method would be much better than using 100-foot twin-coaxial RCA cords for sound and a 100-foot S-video cable for picture?

I have found places that sell both of these cables. One site comes recommended, but I still don't really know how high the quality is.

BTW, the wall plate on the second site, for one, both sides, looks identical to the wall plate on your first site.

I have to go back and tell the guys in the video card newsgoupr about this, especially since one guy said it couldnt' be done.

Reply to
mm

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