General Forum

Re: AppleTV Distribution?

stefan — Sat, 01 Aug 2009 05:29:57 GMT

Seems you have found an interesting product. With the CM-388 you just plug in HDMI and get composite, analogue stereo sound and HDMI + spdif.

Would be the simple solution for apple TV, blu-ray players, HD set top boxes....

There are some quite positive opinions about the converter on home cinema forums. I would like to know whether it is able to convert (lip sync) DD and DTS to analogue stereo...(?)

Wort a try! Keep us informed, please - thanks.

Stefan

Re: AppleTV Distribution?

scott451 — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 13:25:48 GMT

hello,

yes, strange policy from gefen. i guess the internals are the same...

i'm looking into all my options on this hdmi thing. i found this :

http://www.lektropacks.com/view_product_standard.php?product=1001184&show=55&sub1=55

it scales a hdmi signal down to sd and passes the hdmi signal through. perfect, right ? but it looks like a really generic product, i've found it on lots of different sites under different names... is there a quality issue with downscalers ? this product is tempting because it fills the role of two gefen products. but if the quality sucks, it's not worth it.

so, open question to the forum, does the processor matter much on a hdmi to sd downscaler ?

thanks again for any and all help !

scott

Re: AppleTV Distribution?

stefan — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 05:37:10 GMT

Scott,

strange that the Gefen splitters are the same unit.... The TV splitter is nearly half the prize.

Maybe I have an answer to your HDCP question. In addition to the Tvix box I have a STB called Lyngbox. Beo is making a PUC for that box right now. I could test it yesterday in my dealer`s store. Lyngbox is a swedish sat receiver that is also able to receive HD channels. There is also a DVB-T HD tuner and a HDD. You can add a second DVBS-S2 tuner. The Lyngbox is able to output digital and analogue signals simultaneously, so I use the Scart output for linkrooms. But there are only SD channels available in linkrrooms. No BBC HD, National Geographic Channel HD, History HD....just in the mainroom via HDMI out. When I select BBC HD, there will be great picture and sound on my BV7, but a black screen with white pixels - like a scrambled channel that can`t be descrambled - and no sound. For me it doesn`t matter, because there are also "SD versions" of BBC, National Geo...History...

Stefan

Re: AppleTV Distribution?

scott451 — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 03:00:40 GMT

hi stefan,

thanks for taking the time to respond to my questions, it sounds like you have quite the setup !

just for the record, i also contacted gefen concerning the difference between there two seeminly identical products, i.e. GefenTV 1:4 Splitter for HDMI 1.3 and 1:4 HDMI Splitter. their response is that they are exactly the same unit...

i'm still looking into the hdcp question, i'm sure i'll have to deal with it one day or another. does anyone know what a scaler does when it receives a hdcp signal ?

thanks again !

scott

Re: AppleTV Distribution?

stefan — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 16:04:51 GMT

Hi scott,

"you are doing with your mac mini exactly what i wish to do with my freebox (a french stb with interated media player). i have looked at the different products you cite and have a few questions."

First I want to make clear, that I don`t use the mini as a mediacenter anymore. It was replaced by a Tvix M6500 and it`s working really great in my Beolink system.

"i read the the gefen hdmi splitter manual and it states the hdmi output 1 is used to set the output characteristics for all hdmi outputs. this means that your bv7 determines that a full hd output is called for on all outputs."

Right.

"it seems that gefen has different types of hdmi splitters, do you know what the difference is between the "GefenTV 1:4 Splitter for HDMI 1.3" (http://www.gefen.com/kvm/dproduct.jsp?prod_id=4997) and "1:4 HDMI Splitter" (http://www.gefen.com/kvm/dproduct.jsp?prod_id=3355) ? do they both provide simultaneous output, is there something else ?"

The Gefen TV splitter is less expensive, so I got that one. I`m sure there are also 1:2 splitters that are cheaper and should work.

"the hdmi composite scaler is capable of taking the full hd output and converting it to composite sd. i read that the scaler is compliant hdmi 1.2 and that it does not convert hdmi hdcp signals. has either of these caused any problems ?"

No problems at all. I have no HDCP content and only DTS and DD, no HD audio. But this could be a problem with your stb.

"and finally, how do you distribute the sd signal ? do you connect the sd composite to your bv7, or with a composite to scart cable ?"

I`m using a scart to rca adapter connected to the scart socket of the AV port the Tvix is assigned to. (stereo) audio. BTW, I don`t know which freebox/mediaplayer you want to buy, but I can really recommend the Tvix 6500. It has a DVB-T HD module as option, 1TB HDD and is able to play 2 HD movies independantly from the same HDD. The first via HDMI on the BV7, the second via network on my macbook - wireless.

"thanks in advance for your time and help,"

You are welcome. I hope this helps.

Stefan

Re: AppleTV Distribution?

scott451 — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 05:52:51 GMT

hi stefan,

you are doing with your mac mini exactly what i wish to do with my freebox (a french stb with interated media player). i have looked at the different products you cite and have a few questions.

i read the the gefen hdmi splitter manual and it states the hdmi output 1 is used to set the output characteristics for all hdmi outputs. this means that your bv7 determines that a full hd output is called for on all outputs.

it seems that gefen has different types of hdmi splitters, do you know what the difference is between the "GefenTV 1:4 Splitter for HDMI 1.3" (http://www.gefen.com/kvm/dproduct.jsp?prod_id=4997) and "1:4 HDMI Splitter" (http://www.gefen.com/kvm/dproduct.jsp?prod_id=3355) ? do they both provide simultaneous output, is there something else ?

the hdmi composite scaler is capable of taking the full hd output and converting it to composite sd. i read that the scaler is compliant hdmi 1.2 and that it does not convert hdmi hdcp signals. has either of these caused any problems ?

and finally, how do you distribute the sd signal ? do you connect the sd composite to your bv7, or with a composite to scart cable ?

thanks in advance for your time and help,

scott

Re: AppleTV Distribution?

stefan — Sat, 25 Jul 2009 09:59:13 GMT

Sorry about my late reply. You can connect the mini to the HDMI splitter using a DVI - HDMI lead for picture and for audio analogue direct to the Scart adapter you have connected the composite signal to. Or digital audio using a toslink - coax converter direct to spdif input. This way you will have no sound in linkrooms. But you can use a Philips surround headphone amp - HD 1500, if I remember correctly - this one will bring you both, digital sound in mainroom and analogue (stereo) sound in linkrooms.

@Ehlers: Yes, you are right: Quite expensive in normal world. nearly 1000 Euro for the mac mini, Gefen splitter, converter, Philips amp, leads...

In Beo universe it`s half cost of a BM1.....

Hope this helps.

Stefan

Re: AppleTV Distribution?

msinn — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 16:00:43 GMT

Hi, Stefan,

what cable(s) do you use to connect your mac mini to the hdmi splitter for audio and video?

msinn

Re: AppleTV Distribution?

beo-ap — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 11:31:29 GMT

My installation of AppleTV is a bit simpler and not described above. It includes a Slingbox which I already had, and a Sling Catcher with I purchased to send the AppleTV's video signal to the bedroom TV.

My main reason for having an AppleTV connected to my B&O is not video, but Audio. As an audio disctribution server, it works quite well, and integrates into the B&O ecosystem almost seamlessly.

Clearly video is a different issue, and can get very complicated as evidenced by this thread. My video distribution strategy for AppleTV is quite simple, though picture quality is clearly compromised. If you have a Slingbox already or plan to in the future, then as an added benefit, the additional cost of distributing video is not immense.

If however, I were interested in picture quality, then I would use one AppleTV for music distribution, and purchase a second AppleTV for the bedroom as the cost of an AppleTV is modest when compared to the cost of quality video and IR distribution hardware, cabling, and installation.

Re: AppleTV Distribution?

Ehlerz — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 09:52:12 GMT

stefan:

Sorry. The splitter has 1 input and 4 outputs. Connect apple TVs HDMI out to the input of the splitter. Connect output 1 to HDMI input of BV7-40. Connect output 2 to input of the scaler. Connect composite out of the scaler to a Scart adapter and connect the Scart lead to the same socket you have chosen for the HDMI input of BV7. Now you have analogue and digital video simultaneously. Composite signal will be sent to linkrooms via modulator. That`s it.

BTW: in my setup the scaler and splitter will be switched off automatically, when the mini goes to standby.

Stefan

Ohh i see...

I do however not need the digital video on my mainroom tv, (not for 300$ that is :-)) SO if i only want the analoge picture, i will not need the HDMI splitter. As discussed earlier, your solution is quite expensive, maybe i should just purchase another apple TV even though i actually have 2 linkroom tv´s.

Re: AppleTV Distribution?

Ehlerz — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 09:47:07 GMT

hi Scott

No, the BD and DVB-HD signals are Downscaled so they can both be distributed to linkrooms..

Re: AppleTV Distribution?

scott451 — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 07:18:07 GMT

hi,

this is slightly off topic, but...

i am curious to know what happens with a bv7-40 that has an internal blu-ray player. if the bv7 can not downscale does that mean that it can not distribute a video signal to link rooms ?

thanks,

scott

Re: AppleTV Distribution?

stefan — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 06:52:00 GMT

Sorry. The splitter has 1 input and 4 outputs. Connect apple TVs HDMI out to the input of the splitter. Connect output 1 to HDMI input of BV7-40. Connect output 2 to input of the scaler. Connect composite out of the scaler to a Scart adapter and connect the Scart lead to the same socket you have chosen for the HDMI input of BV7. Now you have analogue and digital video simultaneously. Composite signal will be sent to linkrooms via modulator. That`s it.

BTW: in my setup the scaler and splitter will be switched off automatically, when the mini goes to standby.

Stefan

Re: AppleTV Distribution?

Ehlerz — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 04:58:31 GMT

hi Stefan

Thanks for your reply, but i still dont know how this is supposed to work.

I connect my Apple TV to the scaler with HDMI, and then from the Scaler to my mainroomTV with composite for picture and analoge and Coaxial for audio.

Will this give me HD on mainroom and SD appleTV in linkrooms?

Why would i need the HDMI splitter??

Would you be so kind to "Draw me a picture" :-) And when doing so, pretend your Mac Mini has HDMI out as the Apple TV. Thanks ...

Re: AppleTV Distribution?

stefan — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 04:18:23 GMT

The svideo converter should work. If you want HD resolution at your BV7 you need a component splitter too.

I had the HDMi - composite converter made by Gefen and a Gefen HDMI 1:4 splitter fot the mac mini. So I have HD in the mainroom and SD in linkrooms at the same time. Works nice and everything in sync....

HDMI - composite scaler: http://www.gefen.com/kvm/dproduct.jsp?prod_id=5280

HDMI splitter: http://www.gefen.com/kvm/dproduct.jsp?prod_id=4997

Stefan