5 Best HDMI Extenders Over Ethernet – 4K Uncompressed Signal 2022

There come situations, we cannot pot the source of the video and audio signal (a computer, gaming console, etc…) close to the monitor, TV or projector. Of course, we can use longer HDMI cable but there are limitations in length which is around 50 feet (15 meters) for the 1080p signal, 4K even less. Often the distance between computer or TV is much larger and here comes the HDMI extender into play.

My task was to set up a system for a projection mapping on the main stage of some festival in my home town. I had to link a computer locating in Front-of-House (FoH) with the projector on a ramp in front of the stage. Like 30 meters apart from each other.

So I thought maybe some of you may have a similar task and in order to spare you some time researching the market online, I compiled this list of HDMI extenders.

But only those, capable of transmitting true 4K resolution with 60Hz refresh rate and 4:4:4 color coding (HDR).

These types of extenders are usually a bit pricier, it is not worth sacrificing the video quality over a coin.

Which is the best HDMI extender for 4K uncompressed video?

To be able to answer this question, you must take into consideration three major factors. Distance, resolution and frame rate.

This means, how far apart the source and display are and what video resolution (and at what frame rate) you need to transfer the signal.

There are 3 categories of HDMI Extenders:

Types of HDMI Extenders

1. Standard or Conventional
   Conventional HDMI extenders are the best option for those that want to extend an HDMI signal at a low cost but only up to 1080p. Mostly also with a compressed signal resulting in quality loss. This type is not an option. However, if you are not that demanding about video quality and you need to transfer only up to 1080p (Full HD) resolution,  GoFanco HDbitTExt Extender  should do the job.
   
   
2. HDbaseT HDMI Extenders
   These extenders are the best options for those that want to extend an uncompressed HDMI signal with 4K resolution.
   
   HDBaseT is the global standard for the transmission of ultra-high-definition video & audio, Ethernet, IR controls, and USB. It also features PoE (Power over Ethernet), which means only one power adapter is needed to power both transmitter and receiver.
   
   
3. Wireless HDMI Extenders
   

   Sometimes it just isn’t feasible or convenient to run a cable between the source and the display (or projector), especially when they’re located in separate rooms. And here come Wireless extenders into play.

   There are two main standards for wirelessly transmitting HDMI signals:

   • Wireless Home Digital Interface (WHDI). It operates on the lower 5 GHz frequency. This is higher than most Wi-Fi routers use, so there is just a small chance of interference and reducing video quality. The frequency is also low enough to penetrate through walls. The drawback is that it requires a bit of signal compression to function properly. However, due to really small compression, you won’t be able to tell the difference.
     
   • WirelessHD. It operates on the higher 60 GHz frequency. It’s able to transmit uncompressed video, but at the cost of reduced range, wall penetration ability and robustness.

HDbaseT HDMI Extenders

All these HDbaseT extenders have PoE/PoC (Power over Ethernet or Power over Cable). This means only one power supply (included) is needed to be connected to either Transmitter or Reciever. The other device gets power directly via Cat cable.

Wireless HDMI Extenders