If you've been on the hunt for a multifaceted
extender to handle just a bit more than HDMI, look no further. Gefen's HDMI RS-232 Extender is able to casually transmit HDMI, RS-232 control commands and IR signals up to 150-feet at 1080p (300-feet at 1080i) over standard CAT5 cabling. As expected, the device is HDCP-compliant, and it'll play nice with any IR unit you feel like attaching. Unfortunately, such convenience demands a serious premium, as this five-pound box will erode your savings account by $599.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Chris Barker @ May 8th 2008 5:54PM
I'm sure this is nice but it is a bit pricey.
I just ordered the $99 Apogee HDMI over Cat5 device, a well reviewed RF IR gadget that uses rechargeable a AA or AAA battery in your existing remote, and HDMI splitter all for about $140 total. If this gets me HDMI to my kitchen TV so I can watch HDTV from my FiosTV I'll be a happy camper.
This will replace an aging Sony DTV video distribution box that does the job but at decidedly low def.
Michael @ May 9th 2008 12:05AM
That's a pretty cool device, and as the poster above me mentioned, there may be devices which do this for cheaper.... but my question is, will it sent the signal over a network, or must the CAT5 cable be a direct connection from one box to the other?
If a home is networked with outlets in every room, and this thing works over a network, imagine how well this would allow you to send your HDMI signal from your receiver to any room in the house! (Ok, so I imagine if you can afford this $500 box, you can afford another Blu-ray player for the other room, or you can afford to get another of whatever source you want for that other room... but I'm sure there are times this could be very necessary!)