# HD over Coax?



## Studio (Feb 23, 2010)

My school just recently upgraded their SD hallway tv's to HD tv's. However these tvs are receiving 4:3 and stretching it and it looks horrible. I am wondering what a HD in (DVI or HDMI [from a computer]) to RF unit would cost and how much it would cost. We already have two racks with about 10 SD composite to rf devices, and we would like to upgrade one of them to HD.


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## zuixro (Feb 23, 2010)

I'm not sure that even exists (I may be wrong though)

You are probably better off setting the TV's to not stretch.


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## Studio (Feb 23, 2010)

zuixro said:


> I'm not sure that even exists (I may be wrong though)
> 
> You are probably better off setting the TV's to not stretch.



I am thinking about how cable companies send HD over the cable line into your house without a box. It is called Clear QAM.


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## zuixro (Feb 23, 2010)

Studio said:


> I am thinking about how cable companies send HD over the cable line into your house without a box. It is called Clear QAM.



I guess what I meant is I don't think that exists at a consumer level (or an easy to obtain level).

Another option would be to crop the video before it goes out to the screens. (I don't know what your setup is like)


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## SHARYNF (Feb 23, 2010)

you are looking at about 15 grand for a solution

HDMI to HD-SDI (AJA-HA5) (HD-SDI is the broadcast HD standard connection)

B&H Shopping Cart | B&H Photo Video

http://www.aja.com/pdf/support/manuals_conv/AJA_manual_HA5.pdf


HD-SDI in to HD Encoder by (Adtec Media Hub HD) (this also has composite and other inputs ect.) the output of this is a ASI transport stream.

mediaHUB-HD Pro: MPEG 2 High & Standard Definition Encoder - an Adtec Digital Product

ASI to QAM modulator (Blonder Tongue AQM with frame and power supply)

Agile QAM Modulator - Make BT's AQM Your Standard For Digital Signal Transmission!


Today it is not really practical, basically you are setting up what a cable company would use to feed HD to cable users. 

You would probably be better off with a HDMi over Cat5

Gefen Inc. - Product List - Extenders - HDMI 



Sharyn


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## museav (Feb 23, 2010)

If you have an analog 720p or 1080i HD signal, either component or RGBHV/VGA, then you might look at Contemporary Research > HDTV Origination > QMOD-HD > Overview or Professional HD Video Distribution Solutions | ZvPro? 250 | ZeeVee.com.


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## SHARYNF (Feb 23, 2010)

the key point here is ANALOG HD in, if that is the case then Brad's suggestions are more economical. If it is Digital HDMI then it gets more expensive. BUT there is an interesting product called the HDFURY and the HDFURY2 which can take DVI or on the Fury2 HDMI and convert it to analog and get around all the HDCP issues. (they sell for under 200 dollars)

So these two products combined MIGHT (don't know of anyone who has tested it) be an interesting solution in the sub 3 grand level

Sharyn


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## museav (Feb 24, 2010)

SHARYNF said:


> the key point here is ANALOG HD in, if that is the case then Brad's suggestions are more economical. If it is Digital HDMI then it gets more expensive. BUT there is an interesting product called the HDFURY and the HDFURY2 which can take DVI or on the Fury2 HDMI and convert it to analog and get around all the HDCP issues. (they sell for under 200 dollars)
> 
> So these two products combined MIGHT (don't know of anyone who has tested it) be an interesting solution in the sub 3 grand level


Ironically, I had not heard of the Fury until it came up in a presentation I was in yesterday. Apparently there are related legal (civil, not criminal) and ethical questions. The manufacturer's main arguments for the legality of the device seem to be two fold. One is that since some people cracked Blu-Ray encryption that makes HDCP obsolete, which seems to be saying that if someone else breaks the rules then the rules no longer apply. The other argument is that you screw the HDFury to the display input so that fulfills the requirements to be a permanent part of the display and prevent easy access to the unencrypted signal. However, the device is no different in form factor or physical application than any other adapter and it connects in the same fashion as a cable, neither of which would be considered a permanent part of a display. And nothing actually requires you to connect it to a display at all! Add that to the absence of any address, telephone number, etc. on their web site and that the only form of contact supported on the web site is noted to be for reseller and distributor inquiries only. Not exactly a warm and fuzzy feeling.


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## SHARYNF (Feb 24, 2010)

I have one of the HDFURY first generation that used DVI in and VGA out, and it works very well The company that has been selling them is CurtPalme.com Home Theater sales, calibration, service, and discussion forum

The support for the position that it is an add on to a display is somewhat supported by the fact that you need to basically connect it directly to the display as the drivers don't support a cable over a few inches in length.


I used it on a PS3/ blu ray playback with a VGA monitor and it did the job

here is the link to the company in BC that sells them initially, after the start up period mono price usually carries them

http://www.curtpalme.com/ContactUs.shtm


As Brad has mentioned before, at the end of 2010 all analog output at full hd resolution is going to be disabled on HD devices. For folks that don't have a HDMI/DVI HDCP compliant display, this is one solution. 


Sharyn


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## museav (Feb 24, 2010)

SHARYNF said:


> The support for the position that it is an add on to a display is somewhat supported by the fact that you need to basically connect it directly to the display as the drivers don't support a cable over a few inches in length.


Can you order it as an option with any displays? Nothing limits it's use to displays, couldn't it just as easily be a part of some recording or distribution devices and thus clearly violating the rules? I see the perspective of 'legitimate' users, I just personally don't buy their argument.

My other concern, can you contact the manufacturer if there is a problem? You can contact a distributor or reseller, but I have not been able to find the actual manufacturer. That is always a red flag to me with any product. It's just one of those things that is up to people to make their own decision on whether they want to use it but I would never recommend a product like this to a Client or for an institution like a school, there's just too many potential issues with such use.


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## TheatreImage (Feb 25, 2010)

Don't know how much this is but it will work for your application 

http://dveo.com/pdf/eYe-Catcher-Datasheet.pdf


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## Studio (Feb 26, 2010)

museav said:


> If you have an analog 720p or 1080i HD signal, either component or RGBHV/VGA, then you might look at Contemporary Research*>*HDTV Origination*>*QMOD-HD*>*Overview or Professional HD Video Distribution Solutions | ZvPro? 250 | ZeeVee.com.



VGA would be fine, however the price is a bit much, I guess we will be stuck with SD, but we are getting a new computer and maybe we can do widescreen on a mac.


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## BryanKacz (Feb 26, 2010)

I speced a system using ZVBox 150 (ZvBox? 150 - HD Video Distribution Made Easy | ZeeVee.com) for a Family Entertainment Center that wanted to distribute HD to 30 some TVs. Not sure how well they work, but they seem to be relatively cost effective.


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## Studio (Feb 26, 2010)

BryanKacz said:


> I speced a system using ZVBox 150 (ZvBox? 150 - HD Video Distribution Made Easy | ZeeVee.com) for a Family Entertainment Center that wanted to distribute HD to 30 some TVs. Not sure how well they work, but they seem to be relatively cost effective.



About how much would this run for.


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## SHARYNF (Feb 26, 2010)

They just introduced a new model the 170 it sells for 1500 dollars

ZeeVee Introduces ZvBox 170 : Press Releases

Keep in mind that it is 720P via Component or vga so you need to make sure you can supply it with the analog signal it needs.

Sharyn


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