Extend HDMI With Ethernet Cables Up To 330 ft

Gefen is offering a range extender for HDMI using CAT-5 Ethernet cables.



The Toolbox KVM Extender consists of two devices, one sender and one receiver box. The sender is connected to a PC via HDMI and USB 2.0 and the receiver via HDMI to an HDTV display. the two boxes are then connected using two CAT-5 cables to transfer HD video data.

According to Gefen, the distance between the PC and display can be up to 330 feet or 100 meters. AN IR blaster can be used to control the PC from the location of the display, while an IR extender enables users to increase the range of the IR control. Data transfer via CAT-5 supports 1080p video, 12-bit color, LCPM 7.1 Audio, Dolby TrueHD, and DTS-HD Master Audio.

"The emphasis here is that you can extend hi-def video with your peripherals from a central location to wherever you wish to control them," said Hagai Gefen, president and CEO, Gefen.

The company said that its technology is based on HDBaseT specifications, allowing the delivery of high definition video with IR and Ethernet over the same industry-standard cable. A second cable is used to extend USB 2.0 signals from the source to the display at up to 480 Mb/s.

The range extender devices are offered for $1200. If you intend to leverage the full range of 330 feet, calculate another $130 - $150 for a 300 ft CAT-5 cable.