General Cable question

[acrumbacker]

Hello, first post and I am a "data" person, working with cat5 cabling and the occasional RG6 - typical office wiring. I am pulling cat5e in our church for phone and internet connectivity and the question has come up if we could transmit the sermon to another building using a typical camera and projector.

In the pre-digital days, I was able to use RG-6 cable with two RCA male ends and connect the camera (the VHS-C format) to the remote projector. I did this for special events, snaking the cable around the baseboard, secure with a little tape, out the window, and over to the other building. I got both audio and video but it was not HD. When the event was over, I simply rolled up the cable until the next special event. Have not had a need to do in a while but our new pastor has embraced technology and has lots of ideas. So, while I am pulling wire, I would rather do it all at once.

My best estimate of the length from the camera would be 200-300 feet to the projector.

My question is: to transmit AV to this remote projector with today's technology, what would the most versatile cable configuration be? One cat5e cable will be going to the sound booth in the back of the sanctuary for data/internet connectivity. Is RG-6 still viable? What additional cable would be recommended to add for future needs?

[jagabo]

Maybe something like this:
http://us.startech.com/product/COMPUTPWALLA-Passive-Composite-Wall-Plate-Video-Extende...h-Stereo-Audio

There are also video over IP devices that would allow you to use the cat5e for networking at the same time.

[acrumbacker]

Thanks. The outlet at the link was a possibility for the termination point but I was wondering more about what type of cable you folks would recommend, or which not to install for general AV purposes in a building. Is RG6 worthwhile or is everything going to be video over Cat5/5e...

[jagabo]

That adapter isn't just an outlet it's also a balun for composite video/audio over cat5e/6. They claim it's good to 200 meters. I don't know how it compares to RG6 (probably better than RF on channel 3). That would allow you to use a single cat5e/6 cable although you'd have to disconnect from the network each time you wanted to use the cable for video. Or run a second dedicated cable.

A/V over IP would allow you to use a single cat5e/6 cable for networking and video simultaneously:
http://www.svideo.com/video2ip.html

[olyteddy]

Personally, if it's just one video feed (no audio?) I'd go with the baluns and cat5.

[acrumbacker]

It could possibly be a combination of A or A+V but I cannot think that Video alone would be a situation encountered. Sometimes there are musical events where only the audio would be desired to be broadcast to the other building but generally it would be both audio and video together projected onto a screen.