Tech Forum

(Background: I'm a tech guy, a software developer by profession and an quasi-pro audio engineer by hobby, but I don't know much about how video distribution works)

Is there a document somewhere that describes how the coax video distribution system in meetinghouses works?

Specifically, suppose I'm sitting in the chapel/cultural hall with an HDMI output source - maybe a computer running OBS or an ATEM Mini or something - and I want that output to be viewable on a TV in the relief society room. There's a coax jack near me in the chapel, and there's one in the relief society room. What do I need to do to get my HDMI signal onto a TV in the RS room? Is it as simple as using an HDMI to coax modulator (https://www.amazon.com/Modulator-Conver ... B0976L5C7B) and plugging it in to the nearest coax jack? Do I need to figure out to run a cable from the chapel to the materials center to get the signal into some distribution hardware (which I know is there, but I've never used)?

I know I've been to stake conferences where this kind of thing is done, but now it's my turn to do it and I haven't been able to find any resources describing how that system works or how to use it.

Thanks!

I'm having to make some assumptions on how yours is set up.

Assuming that coax connector is a "camera input", you'll need a HDMI to composite converter. This will downgrade the video to Standard Definition, but unless the meetinghouse has been recently renovated, that's what you're stuck with.

In the equipment rack, there may be a switch you have to set to "camera". Some setups have the switch, others have the camera directly feeding it's own modulator. While you're looking at the rack, take note of the modulator(s) and see what channel it/they are set for.

In the relief society room, if you see an RCA jack, try connecting that to the TV's composite video input. If you don't have the RCA, you'll probably find a threaded "F" connector, or some other "RF" type connector. Connect the jack to the TV's antenna/cable input. Tune the TV to the channels for the modulators you noticed in the rack.

Be sure to do this long before you need it as sometimes the modulators go bad and have a horrible picture with hum bars. In that case, the modulators will need to get replaced by the FM group.

PS. The device you linked to looks to me like it downgrades the video to Standard Definition as well. True HDMI to RF modulators are typically closer to $500

You can get realtime, full HD resolution video, in any/all room(s) of the bldg that have an RJ45 LAN jack on the wall. Since all the Cat5/6 LAN cables end up at a network switch somewhere in the bldg (ours is in the attic) you can disconnect the cables from the switch and use them for transferring HD Video by using HDBaseT Extenders on each end of the cable. You can buy one-to-one or one-to-many extender systems.

As an example, we are using 3 of these https://www.amazon.com/dp/B079M2BFKD/ (OREI HdBaseT Extenders) for getting video,sound,IR,& RS232 Visca signals from 3 cameras. We are also using 1 for sending or receiving video from the pulpit.