HDMI cable construction - Contractor Talk - Professional Construction and Remodeling Forum

nicholaaaas · 04-26-2009, 05:59 PM

I was wondering if anyone has found any resources on the actual construction of HDMI cables... I'd much rather make my own than buy them. Thanks

walkerj · 04-26-2009, 06:07 PM

At this time, you can't make your own HDMI cables.

I, for one, wish I could.

RoyalTech · 04-27-2009, 05:48 PM

i buy all mine from monoprice.com

good as anything at a big box at a fraction of the price

Inner10 · 04-28-2009, 08:35 AM

Sure do!

I should post a pic I have a few I've taken apart. Its a 19 pin bread board which is refered to as micro souldered (its not micro if you are really good you can soulder them...but I mean really good!), smaller then your typical IC legs. I think only 14 of the pins are used for communication and power. They are around 24-28AWG sheilded twisted pair, and twisted pair stranded with a master foil and braid sheild. Onece you see the cable you will understand you will never in your life want to make one up!

There has been trade-show talk for the past 2 years about a feild terminate-able butterfly type HDMI connector with screw connectors....I don't think its gonna happen.

I have alot of problems using longer cheap HDMI cables, they lack the bandwidth of the good ones. For interconnects 12 feet and under there are a host of cheap solutions, for long ones don't cheap out. If you are using CAT-5/6 baluns use the shortest highest quality cable you can get to avoid drop-outs/flicker.

gallerytungsten · 04-28-2009, 08:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RoyalTech

i buy all mine from monoprice.com

good as anything at a big box at a fraction of the price

+1 on monoprice.com. Good products, good prices.

JonM · 04-28-2009, 10:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gallerytungsten

+1 on monoprice.com. Good products, good prices.

+2

nicholaaaas · 04-28-2009, 05:21 PM

from what i was further able to read... part of the high bandwidth is achieved with specific location of each of the conductors... looks like i'm out for luck for the time being. it's damn near time for everything to have fiber capabilities. i can't wait for an entirely fiber network

Inner10 · 04-29-2009, 12:10 AM

Unfortunatly the communications companies put way too many resources into copper, you guys in the states are light years ahead of Canada as far as fiber goes. Very few places run fiber around here, Owlink has a proprietary fiber adapter for HDMI which is pretty snazzy, not practical though.

HomeMedia Pros · 05-15-2009, 10:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nicholaaaas

I was wondering if anyone has found any resources on the actual construction of HDMI cables... I'd much rather make my own than buy them. Thanks

Greetings,

There are two reasons why someone would want to make HDMI's. However it is not practical given the time it takes and cost of pieces.

1. I have when you have 18ft of cable need but the only things available are 15 and 25. You have to roll or hide the excess.

2. In new construction home not knowing how many you would need from the wall to the equipment closet and what sort of damage the sheetrock and painters would do to it.

Hence we practice the following solutions: For #1 we will use CAT5 to HDMI converters on both ends. We actually would use CAT6 and for 1080P operations would use two CAT6 models. Some of them also allow you to send IR signal back to where equipment is so you can hide it. for #2. We use Smurf Pipe (orange 1-2inch pipe running from where we need HDMI to where we need it to connect to gear. In some homes every TV location has a PIPE to central distribution. So if we need Fiber, RCA, or anything you can think of we have it.

Lastly for the people using MONOPRICE. Great Product, Excellent Price, BUT !!! you stay away from 28AWG. They are fragile at the connection point and with the cables own weight and amplifier heat they tend to develop a curve/bend at the connector. Long story short, we have had service calls to justify stop using these cables. Larger AWG is fine. The best ones are the ones where they have a place for a screw to hold them in place connected to the equipment.

P.S. If you ever worked with HDMI over FIBER? This resolves #1 as well. But way more expensive than CAT5/6 alternative.

Inner10 · 05-15-2009, 02:45 PM

Quote:

you stay away from 28AWG

Despite the brand I've only had problems with 28's, and with Cat5/6 baluns I've had the most success with the 0.5M 24awg cables. I've stopped using 28awg cables for anything more then a 4 foot patch cable.

I also put in cord-line conduit if the install is unfishable, who knows what cable with comeout nextweek.

maunual · 05-17-2009, 09:39 PM

I have bought from Monoprice but mostly now from CableGiant.com.