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Church and H.O.W. – Forums for HOW Sound and AV - Your Displayed Name Must Be Your Real Full Name To Post In The Church and HOW Forums => H.O.W. AV Archive => Topic started by: Yohann Park on December 04, 2010, 07:40:04 AM

Title: Protocols used in A/V over cat5
Post by: Yohann Park on December 04, 2010, 07:40:04 AM
I have searched on the internet and I can't find any definitive information about protocols used when distributing A/V over cat5.  I was wondering if I could use a generic hub/switch that is separate to my internet LAN to distribute the A/V signal.  The companies that I see that are trying to sell a A/V over cat5 system require that you buy a distribution hub.  From the looks of it, it seems as long as you keep internet traffic and A/V traffic separate, I could just use a hub to distribute my A/V to my TV's located outside the sanctuary.  If anyone can let me know about these types of systems, any help would be appreciated!!!
Title: Re: Protocols used in A/V over cat5
Post by: Brad Weber on December 05, 2010, 02:24:36 PM
There are three ways to transmit audio and video over CAT5 or UTP cabling.  One is sending audio and video signals using the UTP cable for the physical cabling, commonly called audio and video over UTP.  In that case there is no 'protocol', you are simply using the UTP cabling as the physical cabling path for the audio and video signals.  Another is using proprietary protocols such as Cobranet, EtherSound, Dante, etc.  The third option is streaming, in which case the audio and video is converted to data and distributed using Ethernet.  The switches, routers, hubs, etc. that can be used depend on the approach being used.

For example, other than the cable, connectors and possibly any physical patching, you cannot run Ethernet over audio/video over UTP equipment and you cannot run audio and video through Ethernet switches, routers, hubs, etc.
Title: Re: Protocols used in A/V over cat5
Post by: Yohann Park on December 06, 2010, 06:52:33 PM
Brad,
 Thanks for the reply and the info.  The system I had in question was from www.svideo.com.  They have a A/V over cat5 solution and I was wondering what the protocol they used for their distribution hub.  I was wondering if I could use a ethernet hub to distribute the A/V signal and their baluns.  Any help on this would be appreciated.  I just can't see myself spending $500.00+ on a standard hub, if it is a standard hub that they use.
Title: Re: Protocols used in A/V over cat5
Post by: Brad Weber on December 07, 2010, 05:50:16 PM
That site offers "AV Over IP" or IPTV devices where the signals can be distributed over standard IP based data networks and network devices as well as "AV Over CAT5" devices that could not use standard data network devices or distribution.  If it is the latter category being addressed, which seems likely, then no, you could not use standard data network routers, switches or hubs.  The issue is that it isn't really a protocol or data stream involved, these system are simply distributing the analog audio and video signals using UTP cable.
Title: Re: Protocols used in A/V over cat5
Post by: Yohann Park on December 07, 2010, 07:11:19 PM
Brad,
 Yes, it is the latter.  On that site, they have a distribution hub takes the latter system that does not use A/V over IP and distributes the signal to multiple points....sort of a multicast without the IP address.  I was trying to figure out if that distribution hub is some special piece of hardware or is it a glorified hub?