How to Extend Almost Any Cable

Extending Cable Lengths

All types of computer and home theater connections have a maximum cable length associated with them. So the question is: what do you do if you need to run a cable longer than the specified maximum? We have the answer you've been looking for! In this article we talk about some of the solutions that we have to overcome limitations on cable length for many common connection types.

In each section you'll see the name of the interface, the maximum cable length without using boosters/repeaters and then what products we offer to extend that limitation. Some extenders use ethernet cables (also known as Cat5, Cat5e, or Cat6 cables) and they are indicated in the "Length" section of each product. Ethernet cable is much less expensive than normal cables, so for running very long cables it will usually save you a lot of money! Also, some extenders use fiber optic cable, those are noted as well.

Click on the links below to go directly to the section you're interested in:

	Audio
	Component Video
	Composite Video
	DVI
	HDMI
	USB
	VGA

USB

USB devices actively "talk" to the computer that they are connected to. For this communication to work they must be able to talk back and forth very quickly and accurately and for that reason USB has a strict maximum cable length. If you go beyond 16 feet your USB devices will start to lose their communication and as a result won't work properly.

Maximum Length: 16 feet

DVI

Typically you can use up to a 50 foot cable with monitors up to around 19 inches (up to 1280x1024 resolution). For bigger monitors we recommend that you use cables no longer than around 15 feet in length.

Maximum Length: Up to 15 feet at high resolutions (above 1280x1024), or up to 50 feet at lower resolutions (1280x1024 and below)

HDMI

Since HDMI is digital it can be thought of as an "all-or-nothing" kind of connection. Either the signal is strong enough to display the picture properly or it isn't. If you go beyond its limitations you will see either picture distortion or no picture at all. You can safely run a full HD (1080p) signal over a standard HDMI cable up to 16 feet without any problems. If you have a higher quality cable it is possible to reach cable lengths up to about 50 feet, but it depends on the devices that you are using.

Maximum Length: 16' with a standard cable, Up to 50' with a high quality cable

VGA

VGA is an analog signal and so as distance increases the quality will decrease. A lot of factors can determine the maximum cable length, but for low resolutions (up to 800x600) you can reach 100 feet and beyond without too much trouble. For mid-range resolutions of 1280x1024/1024x768 you can typically reach somewhere between 50 to 100 feet. For higher resolutions (1600x1200, 1920x1200) we recommend that you go a maximum of around 25 feet. Once again, every setup is unique and it's hard to say a maximum length for every situation.

Maximum Length: No set maximum

Audio

Maximum Length: Around 25 feet without quality loss

Component Video

A lot of factors can determine the maximum cable length when using component video devices, such as cable quality and device output strength. With a standard definition video signal (such as a regular DVD player, VCR, etc) you can reach cable lengths up to about 100 feet if you are using a high quality cable. If you are transmitting a high definition video signal then the maximum distance we recommend is about 16 feet.

Maximum Length: At standard definition up to 100 feet (depending on cable quality), at high definition up to about 16 feet.

Composite Video

As with all analog signals, a lot of factors can determine the maximum cable length that can be used. The longer you go the less detailed the image will get, looking "softer" than the original image. If you are using a good cable then you should be able to reach around 100 feet without noticeable quality loss. Often you can reach around 300 feet with high picture quality, but results will vary.

Maximum Length: No set maximum.