[astro355]

Since the remodel is spreading to the entire house, I will be redoing the living walls to:

-remove the knob and tube wiring
-adding more outlets
-correctly routing the cable and surround sound
-reframing the windows
-adding insulation
-etc, etc, etc

it occurred to me that I could mount the flat screen on the wall instead of using the cumbersome entertainment center we have. While looking at the back of the flat screen, I noticed that there is a VGA plug and then read in the owner's manual that it can be plugged into computer. Cool! But of course the problems is that the computer is 20 feet away from where the flat screen will end up. And of course, I would then also want to run an audio feed the same distance.

So I been looking at adding a couple VGA face plates from the computer desk to the flat screen. Anyone have some ideas and/or tips on how this could be best handled? And yes, I assume that the audio feed would run next to the VGA cable. I've read about wireless setups and also data converters that use ethernet cables. I'm not sure about how much money would be too much but I liked to hear as many different ideas as you have.

Thanks,
Jim

 

[astrofur]

VGA is an analog format that is very suspectable to interference. the heavier the cable the better off you will be.

perhaps a converter that does some actual converting, to a digital signal of some sort, would be acceptable. but most of them that i have ever seen just simply put the VGA signals directly onto the intermediate cable which... simply does not cut it.

that said, i'd avoid, at all costs, any solution that puts the VGA signals on an unshielded cable. also avoid any converters that simply stick the VGA signals directly onto the eight very lightly shielded wires found in an Ethernet cable. picture quality on any mode above 640x480 will suffer greatly. ghosting is a big problem as well.

when i think wireless and VGA i think $$$. these type of device probably work pretty well but i can see them as being inherently expensive, and possibly limited on how high of a resolution they are capable of handling.

there are some nice heavy duty 25 and 50 foot VGA cables ready made for the purpose. cheap too, should not cost you more than $20-30 off the internet. the very best way is to have a cable direct from the computer to the TV with nothing between, no junctions or wall plates or anything. it might look unsightly, be a pain in the *** to install, limit you to one location for the computer, etc, but thats the best way to eliminate interference. i have seen installations that do 1024x768 just nicely. i don't see why such a cable wouldn't handle 1280x720 the same. which is 720P, the highest mode any large TV is generally going to accept via the VGA-in port.

as for audio. just plain 2 channel right? you can get a simple adapter that'll turn the 1/8 inch mini jack on the computer into a pair of RCA plugs. from there it would be easy to run a cable to a stereo (or the TV itself)

:2:

 

[Munken]

I got this "RGB IN" at the back of my TV for PC/DTV.

 

[JaxSPL]

Noticed Munken also has HDMI inputs.. Upgrade your video card to HDMI output. You can go, from what I have read, up to 300ft before needing an amplifier.

Astro355, I would see if your flat screen has HDMI also and do the same. I've ran 50ft of VGA cable in a conference room I redesigned. I used some very heavy vga cable. The picture colors were off quite a bit. Red was pinkinsh. White was pink. Black was grayish. Blue was, well, blue. The screen didn't look good at all and I couldn't tweak it any to get it right. Changed the cabling to HDMI and never had the problem again.

You can get HDMI capable cards pretty cheap right now. Compusa has an EVGA with DVI, HDMI, and VGA outputs for $19.99. It has 512meg RAM in it, which really isn't bad. They also have some that are 24.99 to 49.99.

I need to upgrade mine, at home, I have S-Video from computer to TV. Of course I don't have a TV that has HDMI yet, so that would have to come first. My setup pretty much looks like munken's AV3 plugs.

 

[tedanderson]

I just got done doing one of these types of installs.

Cost wise it's cheaper to run the cable from end to end without wallplates using a pair of these:

Also, if you go with the wall plates, you might not have enough clearance behind the TV for the plug to extend out and if you have a plate behind your computer you run the risk of breaking it out of the wall if you have high amounts of activity from behind your desk. You can also get a VGA cable that has a built-in audio cable so that you don't have to run it separately.

Also, be careful not to underestimate your cable length. You can always stuff what you don't need back into the wall but if you can avoid it, you don't want to have to add an extension.

 

[Woodweasel]

Well it sounds like your gonna have the walls pretty much tore open with the work you mentioned. Getting the cabling from the Flat Screen to your comp should be pretty straight forward. Do you have an attic you can access? I have installed about 7-8 flat screens and in 2 of them I ran the HDMI from behind the flat screen about 10-15' to the comp. Just cut in a low voltage "old work" box, went up in the attic, drilled a hole in the top plate above the cell it was in did the same thing over at the computer. The only issue youll have at the comp side is the fire block inside the wall. Usually the TV is about the blocking. I just find it, cut out a small area of sheetrock to uncover the stud and then take a large spade bit in a drill and chew out material to let the cable slip by. I usually take a short piece of EMT to shield the cable in the stud, just in case you want to hang a picture there and dont drive a nail into the cable.
The only problem is going to be a chunky price tag for a 20'+ HDMI Cable!

 

[94 Van Guy]

check here for long, 20 ft. HDMI

http://shop.ebay.com/i.html?_nkw=hdmi+c ... m270.l1311

 

[AstroAustin]

I would suggest shopping at http://www.MonoPrice.com
They have all kinds of neat options for wall plates and connecting computers to TV's.

 

[JaxSPL]

Home Depot sells a product made by Leviton called recessed entertainment box. I has 6 holes in it for the quickport plug in thing (BNC, RCA, F connectors). No HDMI or VGA in this, yet, but you can adapt another product y the same company into this one.

I like the one Austin linked.

 

[Leeann_93]

I'll second monoprice.com - I love them. Great prices, sturdy and well-made products.

I have a Mac mini hooked up in the bedroom to a 19" flatscreen via HDMI. Simple adapter for DVI-HDMI, then a cable from HDMI-HDMI.

 

[astro355]

Here's a pic of the back of my flatscreen.

There's a couple hdmi's plus a lot of other stuff.

So with using the wall plate that AA posted, will the number of connections (in the same line, hdmi for example) affect the signal strength/quality?

And yes, the wall will be completely open and if there is some issue that I may run into, routing into the basement will be my second option.

And since these would be considered low voltage lines, is there a safe distance I should keep them from high voltage wiring? There will be new outlets going into the walls also. I can route the 14-2 differently if its going to create any interference with the hdmi or rc.

 

[95CargoVan]

I install Home theater for a living. We get the request for VGA every once in awhile. The problem is (like you said) that we're getting spoiled with our laptops. When you hook a VGA cable to it, it becomes too cumbersome. There is a product made by a company called IOGear. It's a wireless VGA, I ran across it about a year ago....We haven't installed a wired VGA.

It's rated at 30'. I've never had a customer say they were getting eny type of interference form it, and we've got quite a few of these installed in corporate settings that have much more interference than a residence.

They have 2 models...1 does video only..the other does audio and video.

Here's a link.

http://www.iogear.com/product/GUW2015VKIT/

 

[wizical]

move your pc closer to the tv dude
get yourself a logitech presentation mouse and keyboard (about $100)they are wireless
and operate up to 30 meters away !!
i have one and use it with my 57inch
tell you this!!! its the bees knees man :rockon:

 

[astro355]

I wish I could move the computer closer to the TV, that one is out of my hands *cough*wife*cough*. I already have a wireless keyboard and mouse. I'll have to run wire to make this happen unless I do the wireless setup. Which really isn't a bad idea.

 

[Jasen]

Everyone over looked the cheapo way to do it. You don't need the computer close to you Barcalounger with the built in mini fridge. Get a wireless keyboard and mouse. Then you can just leave the confuser over by the TV plugged in with hard line.

 

[Munken]

That's what I have in the living room, the computer is hidden, the wireless keyboard and mouse in the coffee table drawer and 42" screen with picture in picture, I can look at Falcon Crest and A/S.com at the same time. Work great. :thumbup:

 

[Leeann_93]

Everyone over looked the cheapo way to do it. You don't need the computer close to you Barcalounger with the built in mini fridge. Get a wireless keyboard and mouse. Then you can just leave the confuser over by the TV plugged in with hard line.

We didn't overlook it - read 355's post about cough*wife*cough :lol:

 

[Jasen]

:doh:

No wait, it stills work, leave to confuser where ever, and still use the wireless key board and mouse.

 

[astro355]

Yes, I wish that was the easy way to do it. The end result will require that at least the computer monitor and computer speakers stay in their current position and also still work while I'd like to use the flat screen also. Luckily, the wireless keyboard and mouse make that part easy.

 

[Gary]

Well Jim I have just one question I want to ask you...............

Are you after spending all this money and time,you sure you want this ugly mug to show up on a flat screen 50' TV??.

:rofl: :rofl: