# Long HDMI cables



## cl2sparky (Jan 3, 2017)

99cents said:


> I have three runs, each one about 40'. Is it okay to run HDMI that long? Is there an alternative? It's for TV's used as menu boards.


Cat-5e with adapters. 

Sent from my XT1254 using Tapatalk


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## MDShunk (Jan 7, 2007)

Even though cables that long or longer are sold, there's a couple of reasons not to. 1) Cables over 10 meters are discouraged by the HDMI standard and, 2)it's hard to pull connectorized HDMI cable in pipe. Just use Catx baluns and be done with it and never have to worry about it. It also future proofs the install. Run the latest flavor of UTp and it's there forever. The baluns are proven. Results from long HDMI cables are mixed.


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## LJSMITH1 (May 4, 2009)

We have run 50' HDMI cables without an issue. Specifically, these:

www.monoprice.com
https://www.monoprice.com/product?p_id=12719


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## MDShunk (Jan 7, 2007)

I just checked Monoprice (the defacto spot for cables and adaptors) and I'm shocked to learn that a pair of decent baluns and a couple little HDMI patch cables are actually cheaper than a 50' HDMI cable by a good margin.


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## active1 (Dec 29, 2009)

50' fine as long as the cables not a POS.
Used to be the longer HDMI cables were larger conductors.
The have pencil thick professional stage / show ones.
That's really where you see em is temp set ups.
Not so much for building wiring just between equipment. 
In longer lengths some can be a passive cable.
Meaning it has some micro electronic junk in the connectors.
Also they can be directional when it has the built in HDMI communication plug. 

The problem with using HDMI vs Cat
Pulling the cable heads thru everything
A damaged cable or connector can't be reasonably field repaired
The connectors get damaged very easy

HDMI was really brought out for copy protection and is a POS IMO.
Same with the toy audi fiber optics TOSLINK.


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## splatz (May 23, 2015)

At 50' you're almost always better off using a decent quality HDMI cable. The cheap HDMI to Cat 5 / Cat 6 converters are marginal performance and reliability and don't last. 

At 100' it could go either way, that can be a long way to pull HDMI in conduit and you're pushing the capabilities of the cable. It's probably best to use high quality converters but a 100' HDMI cable will still be cheaper.


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