with a new tv comes more choices

[greg_slo]

So, in the next few months i plan on purchasing the [newest] Pioneer Elite set (the model with '111' --its the 50"). And soon after, a BR (and yes i know ive said bad things about BR, but for now it seems like a great piece of gear for video fans--and maybe hi-res audio[?]).

Here's the problem: my gear is not near the TV and my pre/pro (Rotel 1068) has no HDMI inputs/outputs.
Here are my questions: Does any one know of 'HDMI over CAT 5' to run between my equipment racks to my TV. the length would end up being just shy of 10 meters)? I can get in to why i feel i shouldn't use a straight HDMI run later if ppl are interested...

I know tributaries has some promising products for this, does any one have any other suggestions. (there is another option i know about but the company has not released the info yet).

ALSO
Im also curious if anyone knows of HDMI to Analog (5/7.1) converters*
or
Analog (5/7.1) switch boxes*

* i ask these since i dont know of any pre/pro or receiver that has multiple 5/7.1 pre-inputs...and what if i had a SACD/DVDA player and PCM/raw/etc. data from a BR...swapping cables would get quite annoying.

~greg

 

[Audiophiliac]

Lots of HDMI baluns out there. Gefen, Muxlab, Tributaries, Ethereal I think makes one...maybe Audio Authority. We have had decent luck with the Gefen products. I will ask why not a straight HDMI run? If its the length, it wont be an issue. If its difficulty of retrofitting, I can understand.

As far as the audio, you are going to either have to replace your lovely Rotel (their new 15 series is out and looking fabulous) or do the cable swapping. Or possibly wait to see if what Denon is working on is a universal BluRay/SACD/DVD-A/DVD/etc....player. Rumors have been floating around for an awful long time.

Good luck. We sell a ton of the Elite plasmas and they really are top quality pieces!

 

[greg_slo]

the store im at does sell Trib...but ive never had to install any of their baluns. only dealt with Nile's baluns...but not HDMI.

ill have to check out some of the other companies...though with out a comparison b/w Trib, the other company to be named later that i mentioned, and the brands you mentioned, Audiophiliac, or a support from end users on the above products, ill end up going with Tributaries...since i can get some discounts. BUT im willing to give other stuff a shot if anyone has a testimonial.

As for the plasma...i havent seen the newest elite...but if its anything close or better than last years version (of which the store im at has sold only a few (as mentioned in another recent post on BR players...the people in the area arent spending on highest end...they do end up with good gear, however). having said that, we no longer sell Rotel (or Sunfire) since we couldnt do enough business for those companies. we got 45K ppl in this town, 1/3 are college, 1/4 are ppl beyond retirment age (the 'current age' that is) and the rest are families and farmers. back to the point, i couldnt afford a new rotel pre/pro AND the elite set AND a BR...so thats one reason for the baluns. the other is i rent, and ive put enough holes in the holes for cable that ill need to patch later. (you cant really see the holes in my pics in the members systems area, but they are they). and as for the length being a problem...i think potentially yes. ive heard of and ran into some scenarios that ended up prblematic with HDMI in longer runs...with good cables (YES its important, despite the digital, HDMI especially--not directed at anyone in particualar, but i get asked that far too much to be nonchalant with that...sorry 'rant' off folks). I really wish i could find the white paper that the only engineer at AQ wrote on the subject. quite technical, but even if you dont understand everything, the way it was written just makes sense (part of this paper was written in one of the mags recently...maybe Home theater? ill keep looking)....

bottom line, im still a bit unwary of long HDMI runs (i can site one specific example from the AQ article i read: pure binary [ones and zeros] are not the only way a signal is transfered digitally in the signal portion of the cable. there are points where the binary signal exhibits points "above" and "below" one and zero. if these points arent handled properly, signal loss [or no signal] occurs. Add inconsistent "hand shake" protocols despite an HDMI standard, and others; and one might share my distaste of HDMI)...I most likely have an irrational view ＨＤＭＩ, but im too much of a sceptic i guess.．．．