# DirecTV HD using only Ethernet (not coax): how?



## Citivas (Oct 25, 2006)

We need to install DirecTV service in an office in our building that has no easy access to a coax cable. We already have DirecTV service on the floor but for technical reasons it would be prohibiting disruptive and expensive to run a new coax cable into this particular office. However we do already have a free cat6 cable running to it.

My question is whether there is a way to use this cat6 cable to allow the office to have HD-level DirecTV service and ideally DVR service. My IT department already uses a third party product that allows DirecTV receivers to be setup in the equipment closet and remotely control and send channels to TV’s via cat6. But they say the product is limited to SD channels only and cannot work with DVR boxes. It seems crazy there wouldn’t be a capacity for this given all the Whole Room functions over Deca. We basically have a dedicated gigabit cable and network available to use. Is there really no solution for this? Or if so, can you please provide details or a link?

Thanks.


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## Wisegoat (Aug 17, 2006)

You could get an HDMI over Cat6 kit and put the DVR at the IDF. You would then extend the HDMI over the Cat6 to your TV.

Gefen makes one that should work:
http://www.gefen.com/kvm/dproduct.jsp?prod_id=7955

We would need to know more about your floor configuration, distances to and from the Cat6 and DirecTV lines, etc. But I think this would work for you.


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## lesz (Aug 3, 2010)

You could place an additional receiver or DVR where there is already a DIRECTV connection and use a wireless HD transmitter to send the signal from that new receiver or DVR to the remotely located HD TV.

I've been using a MyWirelessTV transmitter for about 6 months. Video quality is excellent. 
http://www.actiontec.com/products/product.php?pid=219
The kit with both transmitter and receiver can be found, I think, for less than $200, and additional individual receivers can also be purchased.

Also, as an alternative to adding another receiver or DVR, you can use the transmitter to send the signal from from a receiver or DRV that you already have, but that would mean that both TVs would have to be watching the same programming.


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## Citivas (Oct 25, 2006)

Thanks.

To clarify, it will definitely be necessary to have the user of the office be able to control the box from his office (i.e. change channels, use the program guide, etc.) and to watch programming that is not mirroring a different room. I don't mind if the box is in a remote room but there would need to be some kind of IR repeater that is either piggy-backing on th e cat6 or wireless.

For the HDMI over cat6, the site doesn't make reference to how they are handling the device control remotely -- is there an IR repeater involved? It may be more than 160 feet as well, which is the max distance for this device, but I'm checking on that.

The alternative is to spend thousands of dollars ripping up a drywall ceiling, pathcing, painting, etc, to get a coax to the room.


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## lesz (Aug 3, 2010)

Citivas said:


> Thanks.
> 
> To clarify, it will definitely be necessary to have the user of the office be able to control the box from his office (i.e. change channels, use the program guide, etc.) and to watch programming that is not mirroring a different room. I don't mind if the box is in a remote room but there would need to be some kind of IR repeater that is either piggy-backing on th e cat6 or wireless.
> 
> ...


The wireless transmitter that I spoke about above comes with an infrared remote repeater. Instead of using the repeater that comes with the transmitter, however, you can also just set the DIRECTV receiver or DVR to use RF remote. Thus, by setting up the wireless system with an additional receiver, it would be possible to control the unit from the new location and to watch programming that is independent from that on other receivers. With my set up, I get a strong signal going through several walls and up one floor, but, if using a wireless setup is a consideration, I would suggest checking the specs for the unit that you would be getting to make sure that it will perform at whatever distance it would have to transmit the signal in your location. For the different wireless transmitters that I checked out, there was a wide range of maximum transmission distances claimed in their specs.


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## bigglebowski (Jul 27, 2010)

Do you have 1 or 2 cables available? A lot of the devices that use cat6 as a medium and that are going to repeat IR need 2 cables. There are transmit/receive units out there that can do HDMI over one cat6 but wont have remote control ability. Cant remember specs but these dont transmit full resolution as far as the 2 cable ones too.

What you might want to look into is "HDMI over IP with IR" This will be more expensive but will be a told you so moment for your IT people.

Or to use the cabling outside of your "network" search for "HDMI over cat5 with IR" This would NOT be on the data network it would just use the twisted pair lines in the cable to transmit at greater distances than traditional cabling. 

The DVR part is irrelevant since these devices are only transmitting what goes to the display and the remote control commands. If this office is not that far away as lesz mentioned you may be able to just use the RF remotes that comes with the newer DTV equipment.


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## funnyfarm299 (Mar 3, 2012)

"bigglebowski" said:


> Do you have 1 or 2 cables available? A lot of the devices that use cat6 as a medium and that are going to repeat IR need 2 cables. There are transmit/receive units out there that can do HDMI over one cat6 but wont have remote control ability. Cant remember specs but these dont transmit full resolution as far as the 2 cable ones too.
> 
> What you might want to look into is "HDMI over IP with IR" This will be more expensive but will be a told you so moment for your IT people.
> 
> ...


I work for a custom installer, and our supplier has recently come out with a balun that can push 1080p signals over HDMI on cat5e, with full bidirectional IR. I can't post links (post count too low), but the supplier is SnapAV.

You don't want to try and run full HD over an office network. Too many variables.


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## bigglebowski (Jul 27, 2010)

funnyfarm299 said:


> I work for a custom installer, and our supplier has recently come out with a balun that can push 1080p signals over HDMI on cat5e, with full bidirectional IR. I can't post links (post count too low), but the supplier is SnapAV.
> 
> You don't want to try and run full HD over an office network. Too many variables.


Nice find. there are so few that do one cat5, here is link to that one, note the length:

http://www.snapav.com/p-268-b-200-1cat-hdir.aspx

Agreed on the over network part but, its just the fact it can be done. It can be done wireless too, but sometimes you just cant control other signals that may interfere either now or later.


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## Vin (Mar 29, 2004)

lesz said:


> I've been using a MyWirelessTV transmitter for about 6 months. Video quality is excellent.
> http://www.actiontec.com/products/product.php?pid=219
> The kit with both transmitter and receiver can be found, I think, for less than $200, and additional individual receivers can also be purchased.


I recently set up this system (got mine for <$70 on ebay) to transmit HD from an HR24-500, an HR21-100 and a Roku box via a 3-way HDMI switch and it's been working great but for some reason I can no longer get it to pass the signal from my Roku box. I spent quite a bit of time the last two nights trying to troubleshoot but haven't had any luck.

My first thought was that it was a problem with the HDMI switch but even bypassing the switch and connecting the Roku box only, I still can't get a signal on my bedroom TV one floor above. I confimed the HDMI cable is good (it works with either of the HD DVRs) and I also confirmed the HDMI output from the Roku box is working by connecting it directly to my TV's HDMI input.

The problem appears to be HDMI handshake related as it started the other night when I put HBO Zone (channel 509) on from the remote TV since I've had issues in the past with this channel that results in a message saying something to the effect 'connect your TV with component video cables, not HDMI'. The first time I ever saw that message I was watching on a TV that was connected via component cables. I eventually realized that disconnecting the HDMI cable from the DVR or turning on the other TV that was connected to this DVR via HDMI resulted in the message disappearing and the program being displayed on the component video connected TV.

Anyway, putting on channel 509 from the wirelessly connected TV turned out to be a big :nono2:. I got the message that I had seen in the past regarding the fact that I 'needed to connect the TV via component video' and the picture on the TV started flickering....changing to either of the other 2 sources connected to the HDMI switch also resulted in a flickering screen. This was resolved eventually by resetting the HDMI switch and the wireless transmitter/receiver but the Roku box (which I've also reset many times to no avail) has yet to become usable again via the wireless system and even results in the need to reset everything again when switching to that input on the switch.


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## mattgwyther (May 22, 2007)

HMC-34 with a Samsung HDTV as the RVU client?


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## Rtm (Oct 18, 2011)

I didn't read all the replies but I would assume when DirecTV releases a RVU unit for the HR34 that will be about your only option.


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