longest USB / HDMI ?

[FatRakoon]

I suppose this should get asked in the general page, and so here goes...

This is purely a thought and it may or may not happen, I simply dont know how I am going to be doing it in the end, but...

I am moving house soon.

Right now, I have a 4-way KVM and it connects

1 - Windows PC
2 - My Linux PC
3 - Open for working on another PC at my desk here
4 - My Server.

Now, 1-3 are simple short cables and they are fine of course.

No4 is using extention calbes, both for the Monitor and the USB. The extention is 15 foot anbd this is plenty because my server is in a small concrete hut that I built just outside the house and all I am doing, is going through the vent on the side of the house, and it works great.

In my new house that I will be movign to, it has a great, absolutely perfect concrete shed that the previous owned used as an office and it has its own electricity supply and even phone line.

The phone line is of course no longer something that I will be using, and we will only have the one going to the house, however, I have set aside a room in the house to be my computer room, but I was also thinking of having the server kept in the shed. The snag is, the distance means that the cables are going to be stupidly long.

I have measured ( very rough, because I did the measurements while looking at the house for the 2nd time, but Im fairly accurate on these things ) the need for a cable, has to be between 42 and 44 feet, and this would get me to a wall socket that is in the utility room.

If I was to then use a Homeplug in that socket, and another homeplug in the computer room, this would at least give me access to the server?

But would it be clean anough?

Te computer room is right next to the utility room ( but at the front not the back ) and if I was to use a single unbroken cable to go from the server, to where the switch would potentially be, I am looking to have the cable a further 26-28 feet.

This is roughly around 68-72 feet

What is the max that HDMI and USB can do before it suffers?

I know that I could simply do VNC, and indeed I do, but I would much prefer to use the KVM and have a more direct and quicker access to the Server.

Any thoughts on this?

 

[Semple]

Homeplug to Homeplug would work assuming they're both on the same circuit iirc. If they're separate I don't believe it can get a link through the box.

As for max length, I'm sure usb2 is OK upto 5 meters before needing an expensive repeater.

Either way I think you're overcomplicating things using a KVM. Just set up a 1GbE network and RDP/VNC over that.

 

[FloppyPoppy]

Cables with the right guts can go very.. very far.

 

[FatRakoon]

Homeplug to Homeplug would work assuming they're both on the same circuit iirc. If they're separate I don't believe it can get a link through the box.

As for max length, I'm sure usb2 is OK upto 5 meters before needing an expensive repeater.

Either way I think you're overcomplicating things using a KVM. Just set up a 1GbE network and RDP/VNC over that.

Sorry, I think you are missing the issue here.

I already do use a KVM, I need a KVM because as I said in my original post, I have my Linux and Windows PC here with me, plus a spare connection for working on any PC here, and the 4th cable already does go to the Server.

In terms of complicating it, it wont be complicating things at all, it will be exactly as I have it right now.

The thing is, that previously, I was using VNC and that does work fairly well yes, but withj the KVM I have much faster more direct access to the PC.

I was just more hoping that the USB and the HDMI cables I could have, would still work over a great length.

--

Anyway... I have knocked up a couple of experimental cables this morning, it seems that resolution actually does play a part in the length of the cable. when I booted the PC up, it showed the boot screen and then it kind of gave me a rotten picture full of artefacts and dirt. USB-wise it completely failed to see the KB & Mouse.

I think unless I get a HDMI AND a USB booster, then Ethernet is the only option... unless I use better quality cables maybe?

 

[FatRakoon]

Yawn! - well, I have been up all night messing about with this.

I seem to have managed to sort of semi-invent a USB cable out of sheilded speaker wire, using the inner cable for the data +/-and the outer cable for the +/- and the cable is 63 feet long and it works, but only if I use the USB3 panel on my PC. Its clearly boosting that somehow because it does not work on any of the motherboards rear ports.

I am only using a flashdrive on the end of it for testing and it bleeps when I connect & Disconnect an I can see the files just fine.

The speaker cable that I am using is very high quality stuff and so this must also help.

As for HDMI, I have found 50m cables and so they must be somethign that I will grab.

Im now thinking that if the USB needs to be boosted, I could perhaps do it at the 50m mark, and that way, what I can do, is join a 30m to a 50m HDMI at this point and also the same with the USB and this could be at a junction box in the garden on the ohuse wall maybe? - I am of course simply making the job a whole load more complex than it needs to be cos I have not had any sleep yet and instead I have just been soldering and bodging cables all night and Im a bit on the mental side now cos I am also ODing on my meds too! LOL

I have an unused reel of 500m ethernet cable that I will be plopping a plug onto each end just for the hell of it shortly do see if I can VNC over ethernet that distance, but even if I fail, I could simply add switches along the line to act asa booster surely?

I need to go to sleep and not be mental.