HDMI and USB extenders advice

[mgmazzei]

Friends, I need some help on Extenters. I am updating my PT system. I need HDMI extenders boxes and usb extender boxes for my mouse, keyboard and monitor. I have an old gefen box (CAT51000HDS) that has everything, BUT it's for VGA monitors, This box also has usb for mouse and keyboard, ver1.0. very old box and discontinued. I'm not sure that will work anymore with this new MAC Mini.
I tried using just a 20ft extension HDMI cable from my MINI to the screen in the studio...got no signal... My computer gear is in another room. I only need about 30 feet. Most Gefen boxes are for 300ft and very costly!! I've seen different extenders... which ones?? I have the ethernet lines which would be used for this. Can you recommend any products that would run HDMI, and usb mouse and keyboard....
Thanks
Mike

[Ben Jenssen]

Can't help you, I'm afraid.
Just curious; I can't for the life of me imagine a situation where you'd need 30 ft cabling for displays and controls?
Why can't you have the mac in the same room?

[mgmazzei]

It just works for me and it's the way my studio and computer room was constructed. I have passways running cable to the computer room. I ordered an ethernet box for my Screen and usb box for the mouse and keyboard. It's not for audio, so it should work.

Mike

[bewk]

I've had good luck with Startech's HDMI extenders. They have a range of products varying in price. Maybe try an HDMI booster since you don't have to go too far.

I installed this USB extender in a client's studio and it's been rock solid for several months. They cheaped out on the original and paid the price in the end. Sometimes the mouse or keyboard (or both) wouldn't work and it would require shutting down, cutting power to extender, restarting, etc. More often several cycles of this. The amount of time spent trying to make it work cost them the price of working unit several times over. It's not the most exciting piece of kit but well worth getting one that works.

-Chris

[bewk]

Originally Posted by Ben Jenssen

Can't help you, I'm afraid.
Just curious; I can't for the life of me imagine a situation where you'd need 30 ft cabling for displays and controls?
Why can't you have the mac in the same room?

Quite common for workstations to be wired in machine rooms to keep gear consolidated for interconnectivity as well as keeping machine noise down in control rooms. Extenders/KVMs are the only way to do this efficiently.

-C

[Ben Jenssen]

Originally Posted by bewk

Quite common for workstations to be wired in machine rooms to keep gear consolidated for interconnectivity as well as keeping machine noise down in control rooms. Extenders/KVMs are the only way to do this efficiently.

Shure. I've had some noisy equipment to deal with over thirty years, and I know the value of a low noise floor in control room. But a modern mac mini shouldn't be that much of a problem.

[mgmazzei]

Thanks Chris,
I purchased a Gofanco ext for my HDMI. It's $50.00 and works using cat 5e. I'll see tomorrow if it works..I only need 1080 for the screen... this box should work. I also purchased another box for my USB for $50.00. Both will run up around 100ft. using cat 5e way more than i need.. Gefen is really excellent gear. I have their cat 5 1000 box. No HDMI but it might work the mouse and keyboard. I'll keep your link and if these inexpensive boxes don't work, then I'll spring for the Gefens.

Thanks

I have always used a computer room for my gear. All the AVID gear and amps are also in there. I'm using many drives and another PC computer for orchestral samples. Chris is correct .. it is common for studios to have a machine room..

[bewk]

Sure thing. Glad you found some alternatives to try out. Please share your findings once you've given them a go. Always good to have some solid alternatives competitively priced.

Same here. I moved all my gear outside of the control room years ago and I don't plan on ever having the rig in the room again.

[albee1952]

For HDMI, I have used simple powered HDMI splitters(around $36) and run 50' HDMI cables with no issues(at 1080P). Never tired this with a 4K signal. As for USB, I have used 50' powered USB extension cables(they have a lump near one end that amplifies the signal) and they work fine(used one for a remote keyboard/trackpad and another to use an Akai trigger unit for midi signals). No problems in either case

[mgmazzei]

Thanks to all for your expertise... greatly appreciated... I purchased a Gofanco HDMI Extender over CAT5e/6. Works great.... I then purchased a USB extender again over the cat 5 cable. .. it gives me 4 usb's...only need 2 right now. So far, everything works... today.. no sure what will happen tomorrow or several weeks from now.... we'll see how long they last..I had used Gefen products on my old MAC.. Again, they are fantastic products, but I really did not need the long runs they advertise.
Many thanks guys, for your info...
Mike