Connecting PC to TV in different rooms

[akoifman]

Hi,

I am plannig to purchase a TV/PC bundle: software, PC TV Tuner card and the remote. My PC is in another room from my TV.

1. How do I connect the PC to TV? If I have to run wires (for video and audio) it is about 50 feet long. Is this the best way?

Thanks,

Alex.

[Eric3a]

I use an RF modulator such as this one:
http://www.buy.com/retail/product.asp?sku=90120322&loc=111&sp=1

I already had 2 coax running to the room where my compuer is, so I just took the output of the modulator to inject it back to my main distribution panel to feed all TVs in the house.

Eric

[ScAtMaN]

If you just want the ability to play back the recordings on the TV you might like to take a look at the Hauppauge MediaMVP. This way the PC does all the recording and the MVP plays it back, it does pictures and MP3's too. The two are networked with cat 5 cable so that gives you a long long length to play with plus with a hub you can add further mvp's - one for each tele. The only problem with this is that you wont be able to set recordings or manage the PC from the tv.

[akoifman]

Hi, thanks for your reply. Can I do streaming video with Hauppauge MediaMVP?

Another post suggested Ce Labs 2000SD Stereo RF Modulator (""). But is cost almost the same as Hauppauge MediaMVP.

Thanks,

Alex.

[ScAtMaN]

Kind off.
There has been work on this forum to enhance the software that comes with the MVP to mimic BeyondTV and get it to change channel and stream live tv through it.

Check out THIS (http://forums.snapstream.com/vb/showthread.php?t=14121) thread for more info.

Its a bit of a hack at the moment but should really improve when version 3.5 of beyondtv is launched with all the developer tools.

If you go the RF route you will see exactly what is displayed on the PC but you still need a way to control it remotely.

P.S. your link above does not work ;)

[Eric3a]

Yes the modulator might cost as much as ONE Mediq MVP, but that's kind of the point: You can have about as many TV's as you want on it.
Personally I have 6.
I realize 6 Media MVPs wouldn't do the same thing and would be more powerful, but I don't need them and outputting to all TVs is a real bonus.

You can do things like start a movie. pause it, change room, unpause it.
Eric

[akoifman]

Hi,

How do you remote control with the RF box? With the new SnapStream remote?

Thanks a lot,

Alex.

PS. I already ordered the bundle. Need to resolve the outstanding issues soon:rolleyes: .

[Doc Holiday]

I have had great luck with the following:
http://www.partsexpress.com/pe/showdetl.cfm?&DID=7&Partnumber=180-268

I know some people will disagree with me but I think the PQ is great. It's not the best but it does what I need it to.

Also about the remote. Just get one that is RF and you should be fine. I use the Remote Wonder from ATI. The Firefly looks like a better product right now though.

[Eric3a]

I used to use the Remote Wonder, but now you'd have to pry the Firefly away from my cold hands...
Eric

[Doc Holiday]

So it's that much better? What do you like most about it?

[akoifman]

Hi, do you think it is better than a coaxial cable of 50'? I think of connecting the PC WinTV out to the TV with a coaxial cable. Unless, S-VIDEO A/V PATCH CABLE 50' is better.

Thanks.

[Zogg]

coax is designed for long runs. I use a 30-ft. S-video cable and RCA audio cables with no problem, and they aren't high dollar high grade cables. However, I only use them on occasion to watch a Divx movie on the TV, and it would be a pain to have them running through the house all the time.

If you are looking for a permanent connection I'd go with the modulator. You can find inexpensive modulators at partsexpress.com ($40 for one channel). Or get a network device like the MediaMVP and stream it.

Z

[Gunn]

My computer is also in a different room than my TV. I have about 35ft. of S-video and RCA audio cables running under my homes crawlspace and to the TV. I used a Monster brand S-video cable and the picture is great.

I also got an extension cable for the Hauppauge silver remote IR receiver. So it sits on the TV and runs back to the PC to control it. Works great.

[ntm]

How clear is the picture on the other tv's that you broadcast to....I ask this because I remember years ago using a similar device called TV Gene or some such ..it broadasted only on UHF frequencies and quality was poor...

Appreciate if you could fill me in on this one....


Many thanks

[Doc Holiday]

I would think that the PQ from the s-video cable would be better. I can't say for sure though because I haven't used coax. If you are picky you can split the s-video into two coax runs and then combine them together again using BNC ends on the coax.

I have done this with s-video runs of 200+ feet with little PQ loss. This was done for a video projector in a very large room.

Here is a link:
http://www.cablestogo.com/product.asp?cat%5Fid=2025&sku=40023
I am sure you can find them cheaper somewhere else.

edit: Cheaper link:
http://www.mycableshop.com/3rd_Level/CSV2BNCF.htm

[Zogg]

You're going to get a better picture with S-video rather than the modulator, no doubt, but the modulator signal can still be very good, usually on par with analog cable tv.

It's really a tradeoff: S-video to one TV with long cable runs to deal with but better PQ, or modulator to all TV's using the coax that's already there with average PQ.

Z

[ntm]

Thanks for the feedback...I notice that modules only work on UHF CHannels or Cable Channels....but saw one that will output to VHS Channel 3...Wonder how good that is...since some TV's dont have cable connections to them but all have standard TV antenna

[Eric3a]

Modulators that output only to channels 3 and 4 are usually cheap poor quality items (in the $20 range). Quality is usually not good, especially if you're going to feed multiple TVs.
Eric

[Rich A]

I have a whole house A/V distribution set up with a 3 channel modulator combined with the CATV. It works well, and the quality is fine for TV viewing at the different TV locations in the house.

But it's only going to look good, if you have a decent A/V system with well shielded high quality coax and a very low noise amp and modulator.

Even then, it won't be as good as a good S-Video connection. The advantage of a distributed RF signal via coax is that it is automatically available at any TV position in the house that is hooked up to the cable.

I also have one of those Hauppauge Media MVP boxes that sends A/V across CAT5 cable. Frankly I was amazed at the quality that gave me and the fact it had no trouble serving 9 mb/s full frame DVD Mpeg. The problem with that is that you would have to buy "receiver" for each TV you wished to stream to. (and have a CAT5 wired to it as well) But the quality of that was as good if not better than a short S-Video run.

The modulator route opens up a lot of things for you. For example at any TV in the house I can tune to channel 88 and watch the HTPC running BeyondTV. Or switch to channel 92 and watch the output of the ReplayTV or via that device's inputs the front or back yard security cameras. Or channel 94 that is currently hooked up to a 2nd ReplayTV. (as soon as SnapStream comes out with 3.5 and multiple tuner capability I'll be giving those ReplayTVs to my kids)

Hurry up Snapstream !! <grin>

[V_D_O]

PC's VGA output -> VGA splitter -> VGA to RF modulator -> Coaxial cable to TV is how I do it. Even when combined with RF signals from my analogue cable, satellite receiver and VCR on the same cable (had to choose frequencies *very* carefully!), split into two and running 50', the PQ is still more than adequate for BTV. Of course, its not a patch on the VGA from the splitter to the main TV or even S-video to the same. And the outside TV is close enough for me to use the PVR PC's FF remote with no problems.

[Rich A]

PC's VGA output -> VGA splitter -> VGA to RF modulator -> Coaxial cable to TV is how I do it. Even when combined with RF signals from my analogue cable, satellite receiver and VCR on the same cable (had to choose frequencies *very* carefully!), split into two and running 50', the PQ is still more than adequate for BTV. Of course, its not a patch on the VGA from the splitter to the main TV or even S-video to the same. And the outside TV is close enough for me to use the PVR PC's FF remote with no problems.

What is the modulator you are using that takes VGA input? I was kinda looking for something like that myself, but ultilmately ended up using a multiple input modulator, but with only composite video type inputs. Fortunately for me the PC being used as an HTPC has it's own on board TV out (composite). But I surely would have preferred the higher quality of VGA direct.

[V_D_O]

Ah, sorry I wasn't clear enough. I use a scan converter to convert the VGA to composite video, then a modulator. Both are fairly easy to find on the internet.

[genesis]

Don't think anyone mentioned wireless A/V yet.. my dad has a radioshack wireless A/V set he got for $99CAD, and it's picture quality is fine on our SDTV. Used it to watch DVDs and there was no noticeable decrease in picture quality. No complicated setup, or running wires. Only complications come if you're using 802.11b/g since they both operate at 2.4ghz.

A cheap alternative could be the x10 lola wireless a/v sender. Worth about $60US, it's wireless A/V plus a pretty decent remote. I've used my remote with BTV, but haven't had much of a chance to try the wireless A/V so I can't vouch for it's quality. 50ft may be pushing the limits of the remote's range though, depending on obstacles in between.

[Eric3a]

Wireless off course.
I have a Radio Shack model. Sound and pic are fine but I get huge interference from my microwave. Makes it unusable.
Eric

[Rich A]

Don't think anyone mentioned wireless A/V yet.. my dad has a radioshack wireless A/V set he got for $99CAD, and it's picture quality is fine on our SDTV. Used it to watch DVDs and there was no noticeable decrease in picture quality. No complicated setup, or running wires. Only complications come if you're using 802.11b/g since they both operate at 2.4ghz.

A cheap alternative could be the x10 lola wireless a/v sender. Worth about $60US, it's wireless A/V plus a pretty decent remote. I've used my remote with BTV, but haven't had much of a chance to try the wireless A/V so I can't vouch for it's quality. 50ft may be pushing the limits of the remote's range though, depending on obstacles in between.

I had one of the X-10 wireless units. Believe it was one of their better ones. Some things you'll find. People walking between the transmitter and receiver can cause momentary interuption of signal.

And a micro wave running in just the right place (position relative to the receiver) will drive it absolutely bonkers .. We'd be watching a movie and one of the kids would fire up the micro wave and the blitz on the screen would make us jump out of our seats and shut off the tv quickly.

I've been told I "glow in the dark" by the way. :eek: