I have clients who have decided that the Family Room TV should be larger and smart, so I now have to connect it to the AVR that's in a cabinet that's too far for wire, so it needs to be fiber.

The questions I have:

- Have any of you used Binary or any other brand of optical HDMI that don't need external power?
- Did the cable's demand for power damage the AVR in any way?

I don't like replacing equipment just because it's old when it works as well as it did when new- the AVR in the system is a Denon and Denon tech support told me they haven't received calls about damage from these, but I don't want to find out the hard way that it might puke.

Thanks

Been using the Cleerline HDMI’s with no issues and not using the power injector, which is basically a USB Type A connection.

I just don't want to find out that an HDMI cable might kill the HDMI board which, of course, would be my responsibility.

I'm going to repeat my objection to using a smart TV and ARC over more than 50'- I already told him I prefer streaming from the front end and not dealing with the BS of HDMI and ARC.

I've had good luck with the AV Pro Bullet Train optical HDMI stuff

I agree not using ARC and streaming from the TV is best practice. Most optical cables will only do ARC up to ~10m (33ft). Most optical cables are actually hybrid cables that have optical for video but a thin copper wire that runs along them for ARC/e-ARC. This is true for Bullet Train and Ethereal. Cleerline specs state their cables will do ARC up to 20 meters. All 3 companies are very good choices for cables and companies that actually know their stuff, but ARC is a limitation with many optical cables.

I wouldn't worry about the cable frying the HDMI board of the receiver or TV, but I do worry about any type of active/optical cable dying over time or with a surge. The chips inside these cables are not very robust at their size and a surge can take them out. Some also run hot and that decreases the lifespan of circuitry. So, make sure it is easy to change the cable later in case of problems.

At 50 feet you have some possible solutions.

is the Cleerline optical cable mentioned above.

If you only need 4K you can use a passive HDMI cable and an Ethereal GA1 or GA2.

If you only need ARC/e-ARC you can use AVPro Edge EARC extender and run Cat6 cable.

If you have sources going through the receiver and need ARC/e-ARC you can also run Cat 6 cable with an HDMI extender. Just make sure the extender can do ARC. The disadvantage of an extender is it does compress the video signal. So, you lose some picture quality. The better extenders it would be difficult to notice any of the loss from compression.

Wow! Bobs answers is concise, and accurate.

10 Meters is currently the longest consistent working distance for ARC/eARC (the issue is the copper wires in the AOC), HDBaseT extenders (some models) do rectify this by using active EQ, and ARC/eARC Only extenders are available (becoming more popular).

My only caveat with Bob's answer is that we (Ethereal Tech team) are worried about non powered cables causing equipment damage, it is important to remember that current (amperage) is drawn not pushed and if the cable draws more than the display can provide there is a (small) possibility of damage, we cannot say that it will, but by the same token we cannot say that it won't.

So, take no chances..

I have never been a fan of HDMI and came up with my own version for the acronym- Horribly Defective Multimedia Interface.

The fact that some of these run warm/hot indicates a Current issue- if it's making conductors or devices at the end(s) hot, they're not large enough to support what they're conducting or it doesn't have a way to cool anything that needs it.

If 10m is the longest consistent working distance, why the hell are longer cables even available? I don't do this crap just to go back when something stops working and people don't like paying for service calls when manufactured goods fail.

The comment about your tech team being worried about equipment damage is EXACTLY the reason I think I'm going to refuse to install this cable. The husband bought the TV for his office and decided that it should go in the family room.

I'm going to copy/past your comments and show him this is a real concern, not me being stubborn.

Thanks for confirming my concerns. I'll be forwarding the info to them and if they don't like it, so be it.

These cables have been around for years and I’ve installed hundreds. Not one issue whatsoever nor one piece of equipment being damaged.

Not sure what you’re worried about. If you’re so concerned than just do an extender kit and call it a day.

4K with ARC hasn't been around for a long time and if you mean "for years" equals 'a few years', that isn't good enough. How long were these cables? I need to go more than 50'.

Run a smurf and a couple extra cat cables with your fiber - CYA

Used both Vanco and Cleerline with no issues. However, recommend streaming device for the win. We did this for new clients...show him from 19:30 on re: smart TVs.

I did the original install in 2010 and there's no way I would have been without smurf tube- I used 2" to get everything into the basement and up to the TV, so getting cables in place isn't the problem- I don't want any callbacks, for anything.

It is not the 4K that is the issue, Optical cables can carry that (or 8K with correct chipsets) long distances, it is the ARC/eARC that has the distance limitation. ARC/eARC travels on the copper feeds in an AOC cable without any added signal boosters and that is what has the 10 meter limit (YMMV with your equipment selection).