Video Card with Coax Out?

[bobross419]

I'm looking for a video card that will send out over coax cable (The stuff that you have to screw on with the little wire sticking out the middle that we've all used).

I tried searching the forums here, but all I could find concerning coax was tuner cards and they were all referring to input. Maybe I'm just being retarded and there is another term for coax that would have given me better results. I also looked through Newegg's offerings trying to find something with a coax out, but I was unsuccessful there as well.

PCI, PCI 1x, or PCI 16x will all work fine for me. I'd like to keep the price below 100$ if possible.

Any help you guys can provide on this is greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
Bob

-- if you need more info from me please ask and I'll respond asap.

 

[MustISO]

No such thing as far as I know. What exactly are you trying to accomplish?

 

[IlllI]

no current cards have that. i think a few of the old ati all-in-wonder cards had them though.
but what you really need is a tv tuner card

 

[Synomenon]

Just get an RF modulator?

http://www.radioshack.com/sm-r...apter--pi-2103095.html

 

[Ichinisan]

I laughed when I read this.

I have never gotten decent standard-def output from any PC video card, even using S-video. You would have to have an RF modulator that converts composite AV (the yellow video connector) or S-video to coaxial RF.

It's going to look terrible, no matter what you do.

 

[bobross419]

Coax because we may have to go as much as 25 to 50 feet to get to the TV. This is for a PC based karaoke setup for my uncle's bar, so we aren't looking for picture perfect clarity or anything, just enough to get the text readable on a TV screen. If another wire type will hold a good signal at those distances we might be able to do something else; the yellow wire in the red-white-yellow might be an option for us (I think the TV has that kind of input on it).

Sorry I sound noobish, but I know jack, diddly, and squat about video stuff.

Thanks for the replies so far.

I don't think a TV tuner will work for our application because all the ones that I've found were always input only and we need the coax output from the PC (no TV signal coming into the computer).

 

[ther00kie16]

Try s-video? You can find really long cables of any type so I assume quality should be good enough. Otherwise, one of those wireless setups?

 

[CZroe]

Originally posted by: bobross419
Coax because we may have to go as much as 25 to 50 feet to get to the TV. This is for a PC based karaoke setup for my uncle's bar, so we aren't looking for picture perfect clarity or anything, just enough to get the text readable on a TV screen. If another wire type will hold a good signal at those distances we might be able to do something else; the yellow wire in the red-white-yellow might be an option for us (I think the TV has that kind of input on it).

Sorry I sound noobish, but I know jack, diddly, and squat about video stuff.

Thanks for the replies so far.

I don't think a TV tuner will work for our application because all the ones that I've found were always input only and we need the coax output from the PC (no TV signal coming into the computer).

That's what an RF modulator is for. Hell, even then, CoAx is more prone to interferance than cables meant to run video greater distances.

 

[bobross419]

What exactly does an RF Modulator do?

 

[Ichinisan]

Originally posted by: bobross419
What exactly does an RF Modulator do?

It recomposes one RF signal type to another. An RF modulator is typically used with a DVD player to convert the composite video output (yellow connector) to coaxial RF.

 

[bobross419]

Originally posted by: CZroe

Originally posted by: bobross419
Coax because we may have to go as much as 25 to 50 feet to get to the TV. This is for a PC based karaoke setup for my uncle's bar, so we aren't looking for picture perfect clarity or anything, just enough to get the text readable on a TV screen. If another wire type will hold a good signal at those distances we might be able to do something else; the yellow wire in the red-white-yellow might be an option for us (I think the TV has that kind of input on it).

Sorry I sound noobish, but I know jack, diddly, and squat about video stuff.

Thanks for the replies so far.

I don't think a TV tuner will work for our application because all the ones that I've found were always input only and we need the coax output from the PC (no TV signal coming into the computer).

That's what an RF modulator is for. Hell, even then, CoAx is more prone to interferance than cables meant to run video greater distances.

What cables are you referring to that are "meant to run video greater distances?"

 

[Synomenon]

RF modulators are used for connecting devices with composite video (the single, yellow RCA jack) and / or S-video outputs to TVs that have only coaxial inputs. AFAIK, almost every video card has the ability to output via composite video. If you want audio, then they do that as well. You'll need:

RF modulator
S-video cable OR composite video cable (whichever your video card can use)
3.5mm audio cable to RCA (for the audio)
coax cable(s)

You connect the S-Video or composite video cable to your video card. Connect the 3.5mm audio cable to your computer's audio output.

Then connect the other end of the S-video or composite video cable and the RCA end of the 3.5mm to RCA cable, to the RF modulator.

Then connect a coax cable to the RF modulator and the other end of the coax cable to your TV.

You'll be able to choose whether you want the RF modulator to play on channel 3 or 4 on the TV.

 

[bobross419]

Thank you very much for that explanation. It really cleared up my questions about an RF Modulator.

Will the signal from an S-Video or Composite cable degrade over a 25-50ft distance?

 

[DaveSimmons]

Google "video extender s-video" turns up a bunch of products including this:
550 feet $99
(no idea how well it works)

Google "video extender VGA" turns up a bunch of products including this a 500 foot VGA for $185 at Newegg.com (Item#:N82E16817707054)

Hunt through the Google pages for better deals if you want and to find reviews. I'd go with a VGA version if the TVs support it.

 

[bobross419]

Thanks for all of the information folks. I'll be running things by my uncle to see what will work best for him.

 

[Ichinisan]

Leave the modulator with the computer and a short composite or s-video cable. Use a long coax to go from the modulator to the TV. Use the thicker type of coax that is rated for digital equipment (RG-6) instead of the older, thinner type (RG-59).

If you have a Big Lots closeout store in your area, they should have cheap RF modulators near the TV antennas. Most RF modulators output mono audio through RF, but I have seen many Philips models that output stereo audio through RF.

 

[taltamir]

i thought the new component cables can output an HD signal to really long distances (100+ feet, unlike HDMI which is generally limited to 10-15 feet.)
And readable text? on a non high def signal? very funny, tell me another one.