IOGEAR extender takes DVI signals 100-feet over CAT 5e / 6

Granted, we've cast our glances upon DVI Extenders before, but IOGEAR's latest comes in just south of the magical $500 price point and is apt to warm the hearts of digital signage professionals everywhere. The simply titled DVI Video / Audio Extender Kit consists of a pair of DVI units, a local transmitter and a remote receiver, which owners connect with a CAT5e / 6 Ethernet cable. You'll also find an analog 3.5-millimeter jack for hooking up stereo speakers, and the three-year warranty should help you rest easy all the while. Available as we speak for $499.95.

[David @ Apr 14th 2008 10:43PM]

I have been running a Geffen DVI over ethernet for over a year now with 100 feet of ethernet (It's advertised to support up to between 150 and 200). It cost right at 300 for the boxes and another 80 for two 100 foot, shielded, copper core (not twisted pair) cat 5e cables. It can do 1920 by 1080 just fine.

The only other option I have seen for long runs is DVI over fiber-optics which I did have, but 300 dollars for 30 feet was just a bit too pricey so it went on eBay.

The audio jack on this one is nice, but really the only reason you need gear like this is for sitting at the back of a live event, which means you have a separate audio snake most likely.

[ed @ Apr 14th 2008 10:51PM]

I'll second the Geffen DVIoE - we use it when we're running video in a club for my DJ-partners-in-crime. The video is running off of a completely separate MacBookPro that only has a MIDI input from the audio machine (for beat syncing). I really don't see the need for audio jack, either.

[cronick @ Apr 14th 2008 11:12PM]

One more vote for Gefen. I have a bunch of Gefen stuff: Switches (HDMI and DVI), Matrixes (HDMI and DVI), HDMI CAT5 Extenders, DVI CAT5 Extenders.

They always answer their phones and I can always get hold of someone who knows what they're talking about.

[Darkest Daze @ Apr 15th 2008 3:23AM]

Just thought I'd point out that twisted pair has nothing to do with the type of copper wire. Twisted pair means that the pair of wires (solid blue & white/blue) are twisted around each other to prevent interference. Solid or stranded would be the types of copper.

[Brooks @ Apr 14th 2008 10:57PM]

Important note: Cat 5e/6 cable != Ethernet. You folks had me excited for moment there. An accurate headline would have been "...over Cat5e/6". Nothing to do with Ethernet except using the same type of copper wire.

[Kamokazi @ Apr 15th 2008 12:15AM]

Yeah, it should probably say Ethernet Cable, however it doesn't say that it doesn't use Ethernet IEEE 802.3 signaling standards, which is technically all it needs to qualify as Ethernet (Ethernet is the physical layer only).

[Brooks @ Apr 15th 2008 12:20AM]

No, cable is the physical layer (layer 1). Ethernet is the datalink layer (layer 2). It's not Ethernet if it doesn't use MAC addresses, can't be run over Ethernet hubs/switches, etc.

[Ed @ Apr 15th 2008 7:09AM]

Exactly. Always nice when someone points this out. I too was incredibly disappointed when I find out that it was not over Ethernet.

In order to benefit from these solutions, you need to make dedicated CAT5e/CAT6 runs just for these devices as well as having your dedicated Ethernet runs.

I'm glad I found that out quick enough before sheetrock was put up on the walls.

[Gordy @ Apr 15th 2008 11:30AM]

Aw damn! I got giddy for nothing.

[sikantis @ Apr 14th 2008 11:08PM]

Waited for that! Thanks.

[ava66 @ Apr 15th 2008 11:22PM]

Thanks !

[siriusfox @ Apr 15th 2008 12:23AM]

I like the idea, but I'm going to wait for one of these boxes to give me dual USB, or PS/2 ports for mouse and keyboard.

[KEROLiUKAS @ Apr 15th 2008 12:30AM]

Wireless mouse/keyboard...If it's not too far, usually works through the wall..

[joe @ Apr 15th 2008 12:29AM]

testing testing 1 2 3

[Gorilla800lbs @ Apr 15th 2008 2:55AM]

Now, this indeed becomes an interesting proposition for running a signal from a PC somewhere in home office or a den to a television in the living room; assuming, of course, that the BT keyboard/mouse/remote signal travels through as well.

[xSwamp @ Apr 15th 2008 4:57AM]

Does it use a pair, or more of it?

[aka Prof Chaos @ Apr 15th 2008 4:59AM]

For $500, you could build a sleek, small media center box to sit right next to the TV, etc. You'd be getting a lot more out of it than this. It might not be the best in every situation, but the majority of the time it would be the better option.

[Erwos @ Apr 15th 2008 6:10AM]

Considering Brando has an HDMI extender for $100 that does audio and video, I'm not sure why this needs to be $500.

[Tim @ Apr 15th 2008 11:38AM]

Which Geffen device are you guys referring to thats $300?

The cheapest one they have that does ONLY DVI signal is $500 (DVI CAT-5 Extreme):
http://www.gefen.com/kvm/product.jsp?prod_id=3870

[deRost @ Apr 15th 2008 12:51PM]

I am currently running HDMI 35 feet over Cat5e without some silly extender box, with absolutely zero artifacts. I simply took two 35ft lengths of Cat5e, cut apart a $10 no-name brand cable, and spliced them together. The no-name brand uses 26 gauge stranded wire (aluminum) I think. Monster uses the same in copper. But 26 gauge stranded? Stranded? Really? No wonder they have such short distance limits. I think it's all a sham, something they can count on customers being ignorant of the cable composition so they can claim that it's very specialized cable and can charge through the nose. I have no plans to test longer lengths right now though, since I dont have enough b-connectors (beans).
Cheers.

[Sean O @ Apr 15th 2008 3:23PM]

There are Chinese made Cat5/6 HDMI extenders all over ebay for like $100.