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How to Run Composite Video and Network Data Through an Ethernet Cable
by mixadj on November 27, 2008

Table of Contents

License: Attribution Non-commercial Share Alike (by-nc-sa) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

Intro: How to Run Composite Video and Network Data Through an Ethernet Cable . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

step 1: Cutting/Making the Cable . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

step 2: Readying the Box . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

step 3: Joining Box and Cable . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

step 4: Slap the lid on . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

step 5: Extra- Using an Altoids tin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

step 6: My Experiences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Related Instructables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Advertisements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Comments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

http://www.instructables.com/id/How_to_Run_Composite_Video_Through_an_Ethernet_Jac/
License: Attribution Non-commercial Share Alike (by-nc-sa)

Intro: How to Run Composite Video and Network Data Through an Ethernet Cable
I needed to run Video and Audio to another part of my house. Problem was, I didn't have that much AV cable, nor the time and money to do a good installation. However
I did have plenty of Cat 5 Ethernet Cable lying around. This is what I came up with, Cethernet (pronounced Seethernet) or Composite-Ethernet.

Warning This will not work with Gigabit networks, however if its for home use you probably don't need to worry.

(Bear with me this is my first instructible)

Other than video and audio you can adapt this to run a number of things. When used with a telephone line, it may be referred to as a 3 pair or 4 pair Voice/Data cable.

Now about the parts you'll need. You can of course throw something together by splicing wires, but i decided to go for a cleaner look. As you can see from the pictures
below.

I used these items which can be purchased at your local Radioshack or parts store

(Note: this is just for one end of the cable)

1. Project box from Radioshack (Altoids tins work as well, its easy just to ground everything to the case)
2. 3 Phono Jacks (They come in packs of 4)
3. Ethernet Cable
4. Soldering Iron
5. Solder
6. RJ45 Crimp tool (optional)
7. RJ45 Jacks (optional)

4 and 5 are only if your making the cable, you can also just cut a cable near the end and use that. It would probably be easier for most people. However this project is
geared toward people who have a crimping tool, because I used one. I will do my best to describe what non-crimpers should do, I'll try to do one without crimping soon so
I can get some pics.

Just letting you know you might have to improvise some on the box, but I have found that just wrapping it all in electrical tape will work. Just make sure the wires and
Jacks are insulated.

Image Notes
1. Project Box (Stuck the plate on for looks :) )
2. RJ45 Jack
3. Right Audio
4. Left Audio
5. Video

step 1: Cutting/Making the Cable

I'm sorry I don't have pictures, I only took them after I completed the project. However I will give a general description, and might upload some illustrations later.

For those without Ethernet crimpers and jacks

Cut the Ethernet cable Shielding about 10 inches from the end. Make it at least 5 in. but it depends on how much room you want from the box to the network device.
Then cut a slit in the side of the shielding from where you made your first cut. Then peel the shielding back.

Next, Carefully snip/cut the blue, blue-white, brown, and brown-white wires. These will be your A/V carrying wires.

For those With Crimpers and Jacks

Cut the Ethernet cable Shielding near the end the same distance as in the paragraph above. Then pull the shielding off the cable. off of the cable, cut about 2 inches off
the shielding. Then slip it back on the cable.

http://www.instructables.com/id/How_to_Run_Composite_Video_Through_an_Ethernet_Jac/
step 2: Readying the Box
For those without Ethernet crimpers and jacks
Drill 2 holes on the top lip of your box on the ends, so that if you laid the cable across the box in the holes, you could screw the lid on. Then drill 3 holes in the side of the
box, big enough for the backs of the phono jacks to fit through but tight enough you can thread them through.

For those with Ethernet crimpers and jacks

Drill 2 holes in the short sides and 3 holes in the large side of the box, big enough for the backs of the phono jacks to fit through but tight enough you can thread them
through.

step 3: Joining Box and Cable

For those without Ethernet crimpers and jacks

Place the cable in the holes of the box, then pull out the four wires that you cut earlier. Then screw in the Phono jacks, in the 3 holes you drilled earlier. Screw on the nut
that should have come with the phono jack, and make sure you put the little loop in between the nut and box on the thread. Next solder the Blue, Brown-White, and
Brown wires to the positive posts on the phono plugs(see pics below). Then solder the Blue-White wire, to the little loop on the thread of the designated Video plug. Now
solder patch wires to the Right and Left grounding rings from the Video grounding ring.

For those with Ethernet crimpers and jacks

To be frank the only diffrence is that you run your cable through the box, and pull out he 4 wires mentioned above (blue-white, Blue, Brown-White, Brown) before you
solder them, but make sure you leave the other four running to the end of the cable.

My illustration is wrong in the fact that the Brown, Brown-White, Blue, and Blue-White wires are not crimped into the jack.

Image Notes
1. Probably cant see it but this is the positive post at the very end of the jack
2. This is the ground wire attached to the around the thread. Next to it is the wire
running to the Audio Left and Right
3. I got lazy, turned the rings towards each other and threaded the ground wire
through them
4. Positive Right Audio
5. Positive Left Audio
6. Positive Video
7. Common Ground Wire
8. Trying to restrain this nest of wires.
9. 1 hole
10. 2 hole

http://www.instructables.com/id/How_to_Run_Composite_Video_Through_an_Ethernet_Jac/
 Image Notes
1. I messed up, unless your cutting a good cable, when you crimp these wires
should be nowhere near the jack.

step 4: Slap the lid on

For those without Ethernet crimpers and jacks
Just slap the lid on top your done with this end. Now wash, rinse, repeat, and you got yourself a Composite-Ethernet Cable.

For those with Ethernet crimpers and jacks

Slap on the lid and put the screws in. Now crimp the Orange-White, Orange, Green-White, and Green, wires in their normal places. Its a little tricky, but with a steady
hand it can be done. Now just do this one more time and you have your Cethernet Cable.

I put the illustration back in to help you crimp.

Also for those who want a more modular installation, as grantaccess suggested, you can completely rule out the cable, and just place an RJ45 Jack in each end of the
box, where the cable would be coming in and out. RJ45 Jacks aren't very cheap so it will cost a bit more, but for some uses, such as in permanent Ethernet wall
installations ( again as grantaccess suggested) the cost is well worth it.

Also you could just use an RJ45 Jack in one end of the box, and run a pigtail out of the other end, thereby eliminating 2 patch cables.

I did this because I needed a solution, and I used the sources available to me. If anyone would like to improve, or modify this feel free, just don't violate any of the rules of
this site. Personally I think it would be cool if someone built a repeater box with an Audio Amp maybe using an LM386, or a daul-op amp circuit. Like I said feel free to
improve

Image Notes
1. Project Box (Stuck the plate on for looks :) )
2. RJ45 Jack
3. Right Audio
4. Left Audio
5. Video

http://www.instructables.com/id/How_to_Run_Composite_Video_Through_an_Ethernet_Jac/
 Image Notes
1. I messed up, unless your cutting a good cable, when you crimp these wires
should be nowhere near the jack.

step 5: Extra- Using an Altoids tin

When using an Altoids tin, almost all the wiring is the same, except that a patch ground wire is not required due to the fact that the tin is metal(common sense). With this
method, just make sure you don't set the tin on a metal surface, and if you do insulate it, with electrical tape or a mouse pad.

Image Notes Image Notes

1. Look ma' no ground 1. Darker Pic
2. One more nest of wires 2. From Computer
3. From Computer

http://www.instructables.com/id/How_to_Run_Composite_Video_Through_an_Ethernet_Jac/
 Image Notes
1. From Computer
2. Electrical tape to hold it closed. Wrap all around for insulation
3. Unused video port

step 6: My Experiences
I am using this to run a network cable and audio to my PS3 and sound system from my computer station(computer I listen to music on, and my router). I have no
problems. My room has tons of Electromagnetic waves going around it, with Bluetooth, Wireless Network, and all other forms of EMI floating thorught the air, however I
have little or no distortion in sound or video, when both video and audio are running. Now I wouldn't recommend running this cable more than 70 feet without an audio
amplifier built in(which is possible to put it in a project box and run off a 9V or a wall outlet).

My instance is just one of many where the extra 4 cables have been used to carry other signals. Two other uses that I know of are Voice/Data, with 2 pair being network
data, and 1 or 2 being phone lines, and the Power Over Ethernet, where in the extra 2 pairs 5 and 12 positive and negative are run.

For my suggestions of expansion refer to the bottom of step 4.

Related Instructables

RCA / composit Custom Silver S-Video to

Record How to send a cables Composite Video Capture Capture How To Save
Computer AV switch by video and Audio Audio/Digital/High (video) by batttie through VIVO by Composite Analog
Internet Video 486dx4 signal over Video with a Television -
Frequency/GPS instructables_user_4783
by unclesam Patch Cable by by erckgillis video camera by Pirate TV by
fransch3 zenith828 splnlss

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Comments
50 comments Add Comment view all 81 comments

Blackice504 says: Sep 25, 2009. 5:42 AM REPLY

there is one other problem with this you will only get Half Duplex Network so your connection ( INTERNAL ) would be half speed of a Full Duplexing Network.

so for people that just need a Connection with internet maybe share some files and a printer fine.

High speed downloading + remote desktop on the download machine would be a nightmare ( already a nightmare for the windows OS as it limits its
connections in sp2. but thats another story.

but all in all a good idea.

personaly i would run my video and audio in one network cable and make the video RGB (component) and Digital Audio ( 1 RCA ) + 5.1 or 7.1 Digital Audio.
(makre sure your sound card can do that) or you would just get Stereo.

0utbreak says: Sep 23, 2009. 5:44 AM REPLY

it looks cool but cant it make noice(parazite) if the sound and the video (-) negatives attached together..??

http://www.instructables.com/id/How_to_Run_Composite_Video_Through_an_Ethernet_Jac/
 terrapinlogo says: Jan 30, 2009. 12:10 AM REPLY
would this setup work with my laptop and tv in my room and a pc and tv with dvd player out in the living area? would it transmitt the audio and video through
the network hub or not?

Groxx says: Sep 23, 2009. 1:35 AM REPLY

I doubt it, but I would be extremely interested in the results if anyone tries it. If it's just a splitter + generic amp, then sure. But if there's any kind of data
cleaning (ie, noise removal), which any decent digital amp should do, it'd probably destroy your A/V quality.

If you / anyone does try and succeed, though, please leave a comment and include which hub you use, as that may matter :)

Groxx says: Sep 23, 2009. 1:37 AM REPLY

Oh, and as mixadj notes below, it may damage your router if you try. Again, I'd doubt it as the power is so low, but I'll also claim zero responsibility if
it does ;)

matbh says: Mar 25, 2009. 7:50 PM REPLY

throught a hub??????????????????
i´m not sure about that!

jongscx says: Aug 21, 2009. 10:25 PM REPLY

actually,in the strictest sense, since the hub in this picture would be acting just as a splitter, it should work...

Unfortunately, if you're using something beefier than a hub, say a switch, or even a router... you may be out of luck, as the other cables would be in
use...

f47m1k3 says: Sep 17, 2009. 6:05 AM REPLY

The idea of using a repeater would be a novel idea. However, since youre using UTP, using an amplifier (repeaters are for digital signals) might not be a
good idea unless you upgraded the setup to STP. You might pick up some EMI from AC wiring if you're not careful of where you run it and you would just
end up amplifying the noise along with the signal.

However, that aside, I do like this instructable. Great idea for reducing the cables running from room to room especially considering that 50' of cat5 is
cheaper than 50' of RCA.

stevie1 says: Jul 18, 2009. 3:01 PM REPLY

just a thought but would this work with a wireless router so that it could be wireless??

jongscx says: Aug 21, 2009. 10:21 PM REPLY

...no.

What you're doing here is using the ethernet cat5/cat5e cable for a purpose different than what the router is expecting. As such, the signals, voltages,
etc. would not work well, and at the least, won't be read correctly by the router...

At the most, it would fry your router or/and your video source from the conflicting voltages on the wires...

stevie1 says: Sep 4, 2009. 6:37 AM REPLY

oh, ok thanks for the explanation.

macpower says: Jul 19, 2009. 11:02 AM REPLY

I was on a job where we specked out a room to be wired with A/V and S-Video. When we came in monday morning, they had run cat-5 AND put down a
raised floor. Any chance of rerunning the cabling would've been too much time down. We ran out to our local electronics/camera store and bought a ton of
rca jacks. We crimped them onto the cat-5 and kept on going with the job. Worked like a dream. That showroom is still going strong off the corner of 5th
avenue and 43rd st. in NYC. Best out-of-the-box 3 hours of my life. The union workers that were doing all the other construction were amazed at our
ingenuity and promised that they would talk about that one for years.

http://www.instructables.com/id/How_to_Run_Composite_Video_Through_an_Ethernet_Jac/
 coolsciencetech says: Apr 11, 2009. 4:55 AM REPLY
ok here is a question. Once you have completed the project do you just lay the wire down from your pc to your ps3 or whatever you want to hook it up to?
Also could you run it through the wired network in most houses while on the internet?

mixadj says: Apr 14, 2009. 5:49 PM REPLY

Yes, I have it running around the perimeter of the room. DO NOT plug into a router!!!. unless you have the individual wires with A/V running out from the
jack before it reaches your router/hub/ethernet device

un0 says: May 9, 2009. 7:08 AM REPLY

why can't i plug into my router?

grue says: Jul 18, 2009. 2:41 PM REPLY

because if you do, it will get fried

recordmasta001 says: Apr 3, 2009. 3:06 AM REPLY

could you still use your telephone/wierd network at the same time?

mbach04 says: Mar 30, 2009. 3:44 PM REPLY

Why not just use a video balun? You'll get much less signal loss, and you have two spare pairs when your done. Just a thought.

duncanmacrae says: Mar 11, 2009. 1:25 PM REPLY

Have been looking for balun to achive the RCA Composite to RG45 connection but mixadj approach looks simpler and cheaper. However simple hook up of
connectors doesn't match the impedance of the RCA coax 75ohm cable to Cat 5 or 6 which I understand is 100ohms. May not be critical for short runs. Any
comments?

arbarbarb says: Dec 31, 2008. 3:46 PM REPLY

I'm intruiged. So is this simply a cable extender for a point to point connection? If you plug the Ethernet jack (connected to the video-out source) into a hub
which connects to another hub, which you then connect the TV, will you get the signal on the TV?

This could be useful for broadcasting the signal from my set top box over my network so I can just connect TV's in other rooms to watch the same show
without having to use one of those horrible wireless extenders.

And thinking further ahead, if you used it as a USB extender for a cheap webcam rather than an IPCam would it work?

Great idea! Thanks.

mixadj says: Dec 31, 2008. 10:37 PM REPLY

Whoops, did you mean a digital network hub, or a 1 port splitting into 4. You could split the signal but I don't know how much your signal would degrade. I
mainly use these cables for audio, so if I split it I just attach an amp to the end. I don't know much about video.

mixadj says: Dec 31, 2008. 10:32 PM REPLY

No, this will will not work with a hub, it might even damage it. As for USB, you could run 5V+, D+, D-, and GND through those 4 extra connections,
however USB has a set run length(I don't know off the top of my head, Wiki it). If you had an on site power source of a regulated 5V you could run 2
devices, but I don't know what kind of interference that would have.

presidentof69 says: Jul 23, 2009. 12:19 PM REPLY

Just for reference, USBs cable length is 15 ft without a repeater/powered hub.

dbowlin17 says: Dec 27, 2008. 10:37 AM REPLY

Can this CAT5 cable still be used as an internet source? Also can I use CAT 5e cables?

redpillftw says: Dec 10, 2008. 8:32 PM REPLY

This is a good concept but I spot a few problems here. This is basically just putting end on a cat5 cable. If you go a fairly long length using this method you
will have a degradation of signal quality, naturally. Also, there is a delay in cat 5 between the different twisted pairs. This is why is would be much better to
use a BALUN box. Muxlab makes a nice one and it has internal circuitry that compensates for delays and signal loss without need of any external power!!!! I
think you can run component video about 1000 feet using a balun with out any signal loss. Baluns are great I use them all the time in my work. Nevertheless,
This instructable is pretty cool and I think I am going to use this to connect my dvd player to a projector I have mounted in my living room.

http://www.instructables.com/id/How_to_Run_Composite_Video_Through_an_Ethernet_Jac/
 redstarsrbija says: Dec 18, 2008. 1:30 AM REPLY
ya I was thinking of doing this exact thing for a while now but with component since component cables are so bloody expensive. Then I realized the
signal strength would really suck.... lol i wonder if you can amplify video signals with an old tube amplifier....

mixadj says: Dec 13, 2008. 6:25 PM REPLY

For small home wiring that requires short cable runs, you should have little or no signal loss. Well, noticeably at least. An audio aficionado or HD
enthusiast might say differently.

Colonel88 says: Dec 21, 2008. 4:14 PM REPLY

just dont stick that in a modem port.

nicknack171 says: Dec 13, 2008. 5:58 AM REPLY

o and if your trying to get music and stuff to your tv. if u got a ps3 or a xbox 360 can just stream your music from your computer

nicknack171 says: Dec 13, 2008. 5:57 AM REPLY

cool instructable but im not exactly sure how it works. heres how i think it works you would but your game console by your router.plug in this thing into a wall
jack and then you make another cable with ethernet on one end and rca on the other. then u plug that end into the ethernet port that is connected to the
other jack. then the splitter goes into the tv?

happyadrian says: Dec 4, 2008. 4:12 PM REPLY

SEEMS REALLY USEFUL!
But I'm not exactly sure how you utilize this. Can someone explain the part about hooking up his PS3, sound system, and computer again? Thanks.

grantaccess says: Dec 6, 2008. 6:12 PM REPLY

Hi,

I think he's just running ethernet to his PS3 and stereo audio from his PC to his amplifier. I'm not sure what the video signal is probably video out from
the PC to a TV (just a guess.)

happyadrian says: Dec 6, 2008. 10:52 PM REPLY

oh okay, thanks!

stasterisk says: Dec 4, 2008. 1:54 PM REPLY

I'm not gleaning it from the text - this is transmitting ethernet as well as audio & video signal simultaneously?

grantaccess says: Dec 6, 2008. 6:16 PM REPLY

Yup, all at once. 100BT Ethernet only uses 4 of the 8 conductors - he used the others for AV.

Crucio says: Dec 6, 2008. 5:52 PM REPLY

Hi Star,

That's how I understand it as well. It boils down to using the 2 unused 10Base-T/100Base-TX CAT5 cabling pairs for A/V. That's why he said it won't
work for gigabit, where all 4 pairs are needed.

Briguy9 says: Dec 1, 2008. 2:18 PM REPLY

I got an idea from this instructable. What if you took, let's say, a DVD player, and made this instructable, but with only Video and Audio going through the
cable, and only one output for the Cat5. So then you hook it up to an ethernet jack in your house that you have or installed/can install and take another jack
in your house, convert the Cat5 wires into Audio/Video and hook it up into another TV, and you can watch DVD's from around the house, all the same, from
one player. That, I think, sounds like a good idea. If you don't get it, tell me. I'll post a diagram for everyone to see.

grantaccess says: Dec 6, 2008. 5:21 PM REPLY

I think that you might run into some ground loop problems when trying to run AV signals throughout the house - at least on a case by case basis(wouldn't
work for all homes.) One cool thing to try might be to wire the IR receiver leads from the DVD player into the CAT5 along with the AV signal - then build
the IR receiver into the end you bring from room to room. That way you could control the DVD player from where you are watching.

Having said all of that you can get DVD players for $10-20 on craigslist. Routing the video from your PVR however...

http://www.instructables.com/id/How_to_Run_Composite_Video_Through_an_Ethernet_Jac/
 thinkdunson says: Dec 4, 2008. 9:02 PM REPLY
i don't know for sure what would happen, but dvd players aren't designed for you to hook up more than one load to the video/audio output. i think you'd
end up burning out your dvd player.

grantaccess says: Dec 6, 2008. 5:33 PM REPLY

Splitting a video signal doesn't demand more current from the output device, it simply splits the signal voltage amongst each receiver. As a composite
video signal is split the signal voltage will be reduced and therefore degraded compared to original output. If a signal is split many times or affected
by interference then a distribution amplifier should be added before the splitter(s.)

Briguy9 says: Dec 5, 2008. 2:20 PM REPLY

yes they are. Why do you think people make audio/video splitters? I have one and used it, and it didnt burn out anything.

thinkdunson says: Dec 6, 2008. 8:56 PM REPLY

i've never seen an a/v splitter. audio, of course, yes... but not video. not consumer level anyway.

Briguy9 says: Dec 7, 2008. 12:56 PM REPLY

that's just sad. I'll post a picture of mine if i could find it. You buy them at Radioshack for like $40. It has one input (L Audio R, Video, S-Video)
and three outputs (all the same, Audio Video, S-Video).

That's just really sad. If you want to post on an A/V-based instructable, without knowing what a $40 A/V S-Vid splitter is, or saying that they
dont exist, i think you shouldn't have posted at all.

Check your facts. Seriously.

Briguy9 says: Dec 7, 2008. 12:57 PM REPLY

Sure, it doesn't amplify the signal, but it doesn't make a big difference unless you daisy-chain them.

Faren says: Dec 4, 2008. 2:06 PM REPLY

For doing professional video shoots would the non-altoid-tin solution work just as well as a more costly video balun counterpart? Such as
http://www.avovercat5.com/products/avov2a2.htm but without the second video input. Also, is there any way to do this for HD signals such as
http://www.avovercat5.com/products/avov3ad.htm ? I'm really curious because my local TV station spends a fortune on these little things.

Arx says: Dec 5, 2008. 12:49 PM REPLY

Short answer, No.

Longer answer, sometimes.

With short runs, in relatively low noise environments, it may work well enough that you can't tell the difference.
You'll often get problems with signal reflections causing ghosted video or muffled audio.

You will also be running a signal over unshielded wire, which is prone to pick up noise. With a balun, you get good common mode rejection through the
twisting of the cable. Any induced noise will be induced in both wires, and will cancel.
Without, this won't happen. The twisting is actually slightly worse for your signal in this case, since it gives no benefit, but causes the length of wire to be
slightly longer and more capacitive(due to the fairly tight twist).

cfuse says: Dec 4, 2008. 4:46 PM REPLY

Move to a digital workflow, you'll never look back.

It may cost more than the buy price of some video balun, but the savings made from not having to mess around with analogue annoyances like video
baluns, both in time and money, are worth it. Ditching tape, gaining point to multipoint feeds and getting multi user non linear editing, along with many
other advantages, would make this a no brainer in my book.

Faren says: Dec 4, 2008. 5:27 PM REPLY

How would you suggest going about doing that? I've tried looking down this road before, maybe you can help me clear up some of my confusion.
Firewire cables are quite expensive and not a good solution, BNC can be used for digital video I believe, etc. When you say "digital workflow" what is
the ideal workflow you are talking about that will allow me to feed cable over a hundred feet (or hundreds).

cfuse says: Dec 4, 2008. 10:45 PM REPLY

What I mean by digital workflow is dumping analogue equipment completely.

If your cameras output digital data then it is possible to move that data around the computer network in the same way as you would any file or
stream of data. Once the data is on the network it can be accessed, edited, backed up, etc. from anywhere on the network. You aren't limited to
one person/device being able to access the video, everyone you want to can, even at the same time. Additionally, because the data is being
carried over a network, it's only limited as to where it can go by the network itself. An analogue cable might get you 100m, data can be sent
anywhere (thanks internet).

I obviously cannot give you a solution that is specific to your situation. What I can tell you is that standard ethernet is good for 100m (328 feet)
single cable runs and fibre can typically do 2-4km (1.24-2.48 miles). Anything longer than that and you would probably be better off talking to your
http://www.instructables.com/id/How_to_Run_Composite_Video_Through_an_Ethernet_Jac/
 telco (although people have gotten some crazy distances using wifi).

The deciding factor for most of these things is cost vs. functionality. If you have 20 analogue cameras, you are going to have to replace them all
with digital (eventually anyway). If you are using analogue editing equipment, that's going to have to be replaced. If you suddenly start moving
tons of data around on your network, then it's likely that you'll have to add more capacity, etc. It can get very expensive very quickly, especially if
you are buying professional broadcast quality equipment.

If you are trying to replace a large complex system with another large complex system, then the best approach is to divide it into chunks and
modify one at a time. Do your research. Ask vendors to help you, they want you to buy from them and they'll usually be more helpful as the
potential spend increases. Go and see how other people have done it - most people are happy to discuss it if you ask them. It may be worth
paying someone to project manage the whole thing, depending on the scale.

The whole exercise depends on how big you are and how much money you want to spent. There are a million different ways of doing it, it's all
about price vs performance.

nictinkers says: Nov 28, 2008. 10:55 PM REPLY

Your poor audio quality is because you've made the assumption that all cables are just wires. These things are transmission lines and you have to
understand that they're designed to have characteristic impedances.

You'd get much better performance if you used an impedance-matching transformer. A cat-v pair has an impedance of 100?. The composite video signal is a
75? line and the audio lines are 600?, from memory. When you blithely wire a 600? audio signal to a 100? line, most of the audio signal is reflected back to
your equipment. What I fully expected to see when I clicked on this instructable was how to wind suitable baluns, or at least where to get them.

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http://www.instructables.com/id/How_to_Run_Composite_Video_Through_an_Ethernet_Jac/