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Electrical Wiring

hdmi inwall cable

16 years ago

Hi, Can anyone fill me in on the difference between regular and inwall rated hdmi cable . And, is it a bad idea to run a non "inwall " rated hdmi in the wall ? If so ,Why ?? Thanks ,JerryH

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Comments (6)

jcthorne
16 years ago
Be aware that HDMI over standard copper cable is limited to 15 feet in lenght. Over that and you will have transmission problems. There are special active cables and fiber conversion cables than can transmit further.
randy427
16 years ago
My guess would be that the 'inwall' cable has a tougher outer protective layer in order to survive the stress of installation.

From WIKIPEDIA:
Cable length
The HDMI specification does not define a maximum cable length. As with all cables, signal attenuation becomes too high at a certain length. Instead, HDMI specifies a minimum performance standard. Any cable meeting that specification is compliant. Different construction quality and materials will enable cables of different lengths. In addition, higher performance requirements must be met to support video formats with higher resolutions and/or frame rates than the standard HDTV formats.

The signal attenuation and intersymbol interference caused by the cables can be compensated by using Adaptive Equalization.

HDMI 1.3 defined two categories of cables: Category 1 (standard or HDTV) and Category 2 (high-speed or greater than HDTV) to reduce the confusion about which cables support which video formats. Using 28 AWG, a cable of about 5 metres (~16 ft) can be manufactured easily and inexpensively to Category 1 specifications. Higher-quality construction (24 AWG, tighter construction tolerances, etc.) can reach lengths of 12 to 15 metres (~39 to 49 ft). In addition, active cables (fiber optic or dual Cat-5 cables instead of standard copper) can be used to extend HDMI to 100 metres or more. Some companies also offer amplifiers, equalizers and repeaters that can string several standard (non-active) HDMI cables together.
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Cables are a huge money maker for many retailers as you just discovered. Obviously you're no sucker or you wouldn't be questioning it. I personally buy my cables from Monoprice.com for significantly less and have never had a problem....we're talking HDMI and optical for the $10 range. I personally am not a fan of power conditioners, just not a need in most US environments. You may wish to consider a surge protector if in a lightning prone area, again they are all over the price scale at the local retailer, but can be had for much less....always do a Google "shopping" search on any item of interest....try it using the items in your quote. Curious why you are interested in Plasma...currently the LCD panel is the HDTV of choice. You can usually beat any local retailer on big items like Flat Panels; at Amazon.com...they usually come with free "white glove" delivery that unpacks and places the unit right in it desired location just like a local delivery from any retailer would do. Oh and no sales tax most places. Here is a link that might be useful: Monoprice.com
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dandylandy, I think you already know the answer and yes, it will probably involve going back into the walls. I won't place any blame here because I don't know the particulars of your installation. That said there are installation techniques that could have helped your current situation. If a clear route can not be obtained where future cables could not be easily be pulled through, use PVC or flexible conduit to allow for future upgrades (or replacement of a bad cable) of a large enough diameter to allow for multiple cables. If that is not possible run two of each required cable to allow for future expansion or alternates for cable problems. Additionally, don't run out of the wall directly but used termination wall plates where the in-wall cable plugs into the backside of the plate and a short replaceable cable is used between the wall plate and television. I would first check to see if maybe only the outer metal shield was bent and that the actual connector to the wiring is still intact. A short extender HDMI cable may be able to be attached securely to the damaged cable and provide a solution. If not, then yes you need to run a new cable. By the way, yes you need HDMI for 3D (ver 1.4 more or less), and yes, the connector can not be replaced.
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Here's the technically uninformed opinion of a lifelong owner of AV equipment who's set up a lot of stuff in a lot of places (me!). Based on experience, not education - HDMI cables carry digital signals. Digital anything is binary - either it's there or it's not. A digital video signal that's incomplete will shudder, have pixellations, will stop to cache, or stop altogether. A disturbed digital audio signal will have sonic equivalents - will shudder, have gaps, or stop. I grew up in an analog world, as most other people aged 40+ did. An analog signal path can add or subtract what's being transmitted. Not so digital. But even a digital "system" may have analog parts- wires running to speakers from an amplifier are an example. For speaker wires, use large gauge (smaller number) wire. Typical problems of HDMI cables are breaks at the connectors. So if it's working, it's fine. I buy cheap ones too, they work as well as ones costing 10 times as much. Either the complete signal is transmitted or it's not, when it's not, there's no ambiguity. Then the task is to find out why.
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fotostat
16 years ago
You'll have absolutely no problem running 1080p over long lengths of HDMI cable. I currently have a 50 foot run to my projector.

What you need to do is forget about the stores that want to charge $70 for a 6 foot HDMI cable just to bone the customer. Go to monoprice.com, their cables are excellent and still inexpensive. If you are a little worried about it, check out avsforum.com and it's 500,000 members who seem to always agree that monoprice is the way to go.

And no, I do not work for them, I am just happy to get HDMI cables for $8 instead of $70 like the guy at Circuit City and Best Buy wanted to sell me.

They sell in wall cables of larger gauge for longer runs, check it out.
thewgp
16 years ago
Another vote for monoprice - they're reliable and cheap! HDMI cables of any length are a ripoff currently at big-box stores.

Granted, any cable at any length is usually a ripoff at retail stores, but right now, HDMI is especially so. They're banking on your "well gee it's new so it must be expensive, right?" instinct. Don't fall for it!
gblentz
16 years ago
I haven't used Monoprice... I went with a 10M (33ft) HDMI cable from Blue Jeans and have no problems with it. AVS forum members seem to like both. The jacket on the Blue Jeans cable indicates a CL2 rating, so it would be fine in-wall.
wiremanlu48_juno_com
15 years ago
The main difference is the rating of the outer jacket - in-wall cables have to have smoke-limiting properties that regular HDMI cabling doesn't have to have. The performance is largely the same. Paragraph 6 of the linked Audioholic article spells it out better.

Here is a link that might be useful: in wall cabling

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