macmann Posted June 22, 2011 Share Posted June 22, 2011 I have an equipment closet with most of my a/v gear in it. i would like to distribute high def video/audio to 3 different locations in the house all less than 200 feet away. Will a standard matrix switch work for this purpose? For instance, I have a direct tv receiver I would like to add in this closet and send the signal over to these tv's. Will this work together? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
henniae Posted June 22, 2011 Share Posted June 22, 2011 The key question that needs to be answered is what cabling do you have from your EQ closet to each TV? This will determine what type of audio/video distribution your will need as well as what type of AV switch you will need. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
macmann Posted June 22, 2011 Author Share Posted June 22, 2011 I have 6 Cat 5e cables to each location plus 2 coax cables. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
macmann Posted June 22, 2011 Author Share Posted June 22, 2011 I have used baluns in the past and most have been junk. Picture qualities have been unacceptable. I am not sure if newer technology is out there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
superikey Posted June 22, 2011 Share Posted June 22, 2011 How about the Just add Power HDMI Matrix solution/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
macmann Posted June 22, 2011 Author Share Posted June 22, 2011 anyone know how expensive they are? Do you have to use their specified switches? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ILoveC4 Posted June 22, 2011 Share Posted June 22, 2011 I wouldn't use JAP on a small job like that. It's strength is versatility with big numbers. SnapAV makes a 4:4 HDMI matrix that can be had for a great price, and outputs over two cat5. Look into that product...from what I've read hee that would be my recommendation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EagleMoon Posted June 22, 2011 Share Posted June 22, 2011 SnapAV makes a 4:4 HDMI matrix that can be had for a great price, and outputs over two cat5.How great a price? Is there already a C4 driver for it?I run my projector over SnapAV HDMI baluns. I've never seen any problems at all and I'm pretty picky. The SnapAV component baluns to a smaller TV are not so great though I can't be certain it's the balun's fault. I've tried several different units and several different Cat5 cables and always have faint, thin, flickering lines in the picture. Maybe it needs STP Cat6, but I see them some even with a short 6' patch cable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ichbinbose Posted June 22, 2011 Share Posted June 22, 2011 SnapAV makes a 4:4 HDMI matrix that can be had for a great price' date=' and outputs over two cat5.[/quote']How great a price? Is there already a C4 driver for it?I run my projector over SnapAV HDMI baluns. I've never seen any problems at all and I'm pretty picky. The SnapAV component baluns to a smaller TV are not so great though I can't be certain it's the balun's fault. I've tried several different units and several different Cat5 cables and always have faint, thin, flickering lines in the picture. Maybe it needs STP Cat6, but I see them some even with a short 6' patch cable.SnapAV provides a RS232 driver that works great. As for price, the MSRP for the switch and 4 balums is $2,300.00 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
macmann Posted June 22, 2011 Author Share Posted June 22, 2011 Can anyone verify the picture quality will be as good as a standard hdmi cable on a short run using the snapAV system? Any picture loss around 200 feet? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
macmann Posted June 22, 2011 Author Share Posted June 22, 2011 I checked control4's driver database and did not find any drivers. Has anyone made one? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EagleMoon Posted June 22, 2011 Share Posted June 22, 2011 the MSRP for the switch and 4 balums is $2,300.00Good lordy....you gotta watch a lot TV for that. We have friends who have TVs all over the house and frequently have at least one of them on. My wife and I (just the two of us) have the theater that we use for maybe 2 hours a night at most and not every night at that. When she's in Dallas, I frequently never use it.We have one other TV in the house that generally only gets turned on when I'm trying out something with my system or the one week a year when family visits with little ones. We only have it because it was in another house and we moved it here; we would not have gone out to buy a new one. Clearly, we are not the target market for expensive video distribution systems, just for moderately high-end home theater. So I guess I won't be buying a SnapAV matrix switch anytime soon, though I'm sure it's high quality. Thanks for that info though, it's a good data point to have. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
macmann Posted June 22, 2011 Author Share Posted June 22, 2011 If there is no driver for it, no one can use it so it's a moot point to begin with. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ILoveC4 Posted June 22, 2011 Share Posted June 22, 2011 the MSRP for the switch and 4 balums is $2' date='300.00[/quote']Good lordy....you gotta watch a lot TV for that. We have friends who have TVs all over the house and frequently have at least one of them on. My wife and I (just the two of us) have the theater that we use for maybe 2 hours a night at most and not every night at that. When she's in Dallas, I frequently never use it.We have one other TV in the house that generally only gets turned on when I'm trying out something with my system or the one week a year when family visits with little ones. We only have it because it was in another house and we moved it here; we would not have gone out to buy a new one. Clearly, we are not the target market for expensive video distribution systems, just for moderately high-end home theater. So I guess I won't be buying a SnapAV matrix switch anytime soon, though I'm sure it's high quality. Thanks for that info though, it's a good data point to have.My dealer quoted me "about a grand" for the switch with 4 baluns. I know that Snap A/V is an integrator favorite because they provide them with phenomenal margins.I need a bigger switch, otherwise I would be using it in my home.If there is no driver for it, no one can use it so it's a moot point to begin with.There is a driver written and it works great. It is controlled via RS232. I wouldn't recommend a product that didn't have a driver without stating that first. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
macmann Posted June 22, 2011 Author Share Posted June 22, 2011 Where can I download the driver? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ILoveC4 Posted June 22, 2011 Share Posted June 22, 2011 Where can I download the driver?I believe it is in Composer. If not, I'd contact Snap A/V. I know the driver is out there. Worst case your dealer should be able to snag it from the dealer forum. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EagleMoon Posted June 22, 2011 Share Posted June 22, 2011 My dealer quoted me "about a grand" for the switch with 4 baluns. I know that Snap A/V is an integrator favorite because they provide them with phenomenal margins.Geeez....that's some healthy margin if the dealer can sell at 40% of MSRP and still make money. Or, depending on one's persuasion, one might think of more descriptive adjectives than "healthy"..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ichbinbose Posted June 22, 2011 Share Posted June 22, 2011 SnapAV provides a RS232 driver that works great. As for price, the MSRP for the switch and 4 balums is $2,300.00so this driver is not in driver works until you place it there Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ichbinbose Posted June 22, 2011 Share Posted June 22, 2011 My dealer quoted me "about a grand" for the switch with 4 baluns.Dan was this before or after snap a/v increased there cost to dealers? When this unit was released there was a fantastic discount available that is now gone. So the switch now costs nearly double (to dealers) than what it did when it was released. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ILoveC4 Posted June 22, 2011 Share Posted June 22, 2011 My dealer quoted me "about a grand" for the switch with 4 baluns.Dan was this before or after snap a/v increased there cost to dealers? When this unit was released there was a fantastic discount available that is now gone. So the switch now costs nearly double (to dealers) than what it did when it was released.This was a few months ago. I have no idea about any price increases. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MSI Posted June 22, 2011 Share Posted June 22, 2011 I use a Video Storm Matrix Switch and the quality is amazing. Seamless with Control 4. I ran 2 Cat5 to each TV location and to my ipod dock.http://www.video-storm.com/proddetail.asp?prod=CMX88You can also try Intelix for the Balunhttp://www.intelix.com/products/balun_audiovideo.htmI also looked into Audio Authority for a Matrix, but my dealer recommended the Video Stormhttp://www.audioauthority.com/product_list/Matrix_Switcher Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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