HDMI cable issue

skittles11

I'm in a newly built house and I had the foresight to run HDMI and USB cables from where the tv would hang to the base of the wall where DVD players etc. would be.

However, now that I'm actually connecting them up I've realized I have a pretty big problem. The HDMI cables are one way, as in one end is for the TV and the other is for DVD players, PS4, or whatever and their installed the wrong way! Maybe my electrician should have spotted this but I've never come across a HDMI cable like this before, nor do I see the point!

Is there anything I can do short of pulling the conduit clean out of the wall, reinstalling and replastering and painting? There's nowhere near enough room to pull another cable through. Is there an adapter or something to change it? Clutching at straws I know but it's so frustrating to think I might have to start again.

Thanks in advance.

limericklad87

I didn't know that HDMI were unidirectional

George Sunsnow

http://www.belkin.com/us/F2CD004-Belkin/p/P-F2CD004;jsessionid=03FBD21B9FFA928DF3DC338813DB354A/

Or something similar sort you out?

colm_mcm

For longer cables, this is a thing alright. There's circuitry built in.

DickSwiveller

skittles11 wrote: »

I'm in a newly built house and I had the foresight to run HDMI and USB cables from where the tv would hang to the base of the wall where DVD players etc. would be.

However, now that I'm actually connecting them up I've realized I have a pretty big problem. The HDMI cables are one way, as in one end is for the TV and the other is for DVD players, PS4, or whatever and their installed the wrong way! Maybe my electrician should have spotted this but I've never come across a HDMI cable like this before, nor do I see the point!

Is there anything I can do short of pulling the conduit clean out of the wall, reinstalling and replastering and painting? There's nowhere near enough room to pull another cable through. Is there an adapter or something to change it? Clutching at straws I know but it's so frustrating to think I might have to start again.

Thanks in advance.

What do you mean 'they are installed the wrong way'?

evolving_doors

Post pics op

colm_mcm

DickSwiveller wrote: »

What do you mean 'they are installed the wrong way'?

Look like theyre the wrong way round in the house, i.e. The receiving end of the cable is where the source end should be and vice versa. Both plugs will look the same and will physically fit, but they won't work.


Example

DickSwiveller

colm_mcm wrote: »

Look like theyre the wrong way round in the house, i.e. The receiving end of the cable is where the source end should be and vice versa. Both plugs will look the same and will physically fit, but they won't work.


Example

ah, right.

colm_mcm

Short answer is that there is no other viable option other than pulling the old cables out.

DickSwiveller

It's strange that the HDMI cables are one-way. There's clearly no alternative but to rip it up. Unless you want to watch television lying on the floor.

server down

limericklad87 wrote: »

I didn't know that HDMI were unidirectional

They are male to male.

emo72

Do the old sellotape the new one to the old one and pull out trick? Perhaps?

5uspect

OP should have run Ethernet.

colm_mcm

If it’s a cavity wall you could just take the skirting board off, make 2 holes in the wall and drop the new cables down.

skittles11

DickSwiveller wrote: »

What do you mean 'they are installed the wrong way'?

To explain better, each cable has a blue end and a black end. The blue end is supposed to connect to the TV and the black end to other devices. So they were installed so the black end is up by the tv and the blue end is down at the base of the wall. Pictures attached.

skittles11

DickSwiveller wrote: »

What do you mean 'they are installed the wrong way'?

To explain better, each cable has a blue end and a black end. The blue end is supposed to connect to the TV and the black end to other devices. So they were installed so the black end is up by the tv and the blue end is down at the base of the wall. Pictures attached.

skittles11

5uspect wrote: »

OP should have run Ethernet.

Funny enough, I did but in a different room! Didn't think this is where we'd spend most of our time. Live and learn!

skittles11

George Sunsnow wrote: »

http://www.belkin.com/us/F2CD004-Belkin/p/P-F2CD004;jsessionid=03FBD21B9FFA928DF3DC338813DB354A/

Or something similar sort you out?

Could it be that simple? Might be worth a try.

Was thinking, I might be able to sacrifice the 2 HDMI cable's and the USB in the conduit and pull through 1 micro HDMI then use a HDMI splitter or hub. Its a solid wall btw.

Dev84

emo72 wrote: »

Do the old sellotape the new one to the old one and pull out trick? Perhaps?

+1.
Use pvc tape though.

Use bog standard hdmi.

5uspect

skittles11 wrote: »

Funny enough, I did but in a different room! Didn't think this is where we'd spend most of our time. Live and learn!

You can send almost anything over Ethernet including power. There was no need to use HDMI when you could have set up an Ethernet switch, just get converter boxes at the required ends.

server down

emo72 wrote: »

Do the old sellotape the new one to the old one and pull out trick? Perhaps?

Good one.

alta stare

As mentioned Ethernet cable is always good for jobs like this. Convertors either end and job done.

skittles11

5uspect wrote: »

You can send almost anything over Ethernet including power. There was no need to use HDMI when you could have set up an Ethernet switch, just get converter boxes at the required ends.

Didn't know that about the Ethernet cable, sounds like it may have been the better option. Then again, if they had have been like every other HDMI cable I've ever seen then I wouldn't have this problem!

Thanks for the replies.

listermint

Buy a DIY hdmi cut the end of your existing tape the diy one to it pull through then terminate the new hdmi fitting on the end once pulled through. Done

bloodless_coup

Did you try the cable out as is to see if it works?

Looks like a logik l3ahdm15 cable. I don't believe for a second it's actually directional.

satstheway

You almost certainly have ran coax to the tv also. So just buy a hdmi modulator (create's a hd mux) and send your signal through the coax.

Be cheaper than messing about with new hd cables.

2011

doylefe wrote: »

Did you try the cable out as is to see if it works?

Looks like a logik l3ahdm15 cable. I don't believe for a second it's actually directional.

I have never heard of a directional HDMI cable to be honest and I have installed quite a few without any issues.
Following a bit of Googleing, it only seems to matter if the cables selected are active. I assume that these are only used for long runs. With passive cables (most) I think it makes no difference.

alta stare

2011 wrote: »

I have never heard of a directional HDMI cable to be honest and I have installed quite a few without any issues.
Following a bit of Googleing, it only seems to matter if the cables selected are active. I assume that these are only used for long runs. With passive cables (most) I think it makes no difference.

Yeah iv never come across one myself but one of the lads i work with says he has and they are usually on ones designed for long runs. Id usually use Cat5 or the likes and convertors.

My xbox one s has a hdmi where both ends are labeled. Im curious now to see if i switch it around will it work.

Stoner

I've never ever heard of HDMI cables only working in one direction.

I'm 99.9999 percent certain that the colouring is for labelling reasons, so you won't mix up inputs and outputs to various screens from decent amps

TheChizler

They definitely can be directional if there is signal conditioning circuitry in one of the ends. No harm trying it out as is though.

newirishman

No need to rip out or replace the hdmi cables! These cables aren’t active, so does not matter.
Seems to be short runs as well, so no problems with signal degradation.
These are bog standard Highspeed cables with Ethernet (still have to find devices that actually use the Ethernet, so doesn’t matter) and work just fine regardless of where your tv is connected.
Never heard about directional hdmi cables unless they’re active - and you only really use active for very long runs, if at all necessary even then.

Stoner

TheChizler wrote:

They definitely can be directional if there is signal conditioning circuitry in one of the ends. No harm trying it out as is though.

For ?

I don't doubt you btw just interested

I've ARC and Ethernet on a 5 euro HDMI lead

Just wondering what else this would be for or what the op would need it for ?

For example if it was necessary, he might not have the hardware that requires it.

As you say worth a shot trying it.

TheChizler

Stoner wrote: »

For ?

Depending on the length or quality of the cable the signal at the far end can be degraded so badly that the receiving equipment can't make sense of it. Active cables have signal conditioning chips in one end which are calibrated to the characterstics of the cable at manufacture and undo the degredation. Cheaper to only have these in one end of the cable rather than both, hence directional.

Waste of money for short runs IMO but makes sense in longer runs.

pistolpetes11

Directional cables usually have an inbuilt booster for the longer runs , they look like bog standard hdmi cables that he has used there ?

Now the electrician may have used to shorter lengths and installed a booster , but would be very silly if he did that.

pistolpetes11

TheChizler wrote: »

Depending on the length or quality of the cable the signal at the far end can be degraded so badly that the receiving equipment can't make sense of it. Active cables have signal conditioning chips in one end which are calibrated to the characterstics of the cable at manufacture and undo the degredation. Cheaper to only have these in one end of the cable rather than both, hence directional.

Waste of money for short runs IMO but makes sense in longer runs.

I’m import these cables and only get them with the active chip over 20 mtrs