Setting up a wireless cable signal

[Blue Monkey]

Hey guys. I don't post a whole heck of a lot... mostly lurk with an occasional contribution to the sox pats game threads. But I'm running into an issue in a new apartment and I figure I can use SoSH brain power to maybe solve.
 
In the family room of my new apartment I have one cable jack on the far wall which is opposite of from where I want to put the tv to make the layout flow better. I need to figure out a way to get the cable signal to the other side where I want my tv to be. I'm not the most handy guy or exceptionally technically savvy. Running coax through the floor, ceiling, or walls is out of the question since it's an apartment and I don't want to go tearing walls up. After doing some internet research and talking to a guy at best buy it seems like it would be impossible to keep the tv and cable box together, is this true? The salesman at Best Buy informed me that really my only option is to get a receiver/transmitter set up but I would have to keep the box by the original cable jack and to change the channel I would have point the remote behind me which is impractical for obvious reasons. Is there a cost effective way (under $200) for what I want to do?
 
edit... And if there is a way to do this would I be sacrificing picture quality? The signal will only be traveling across 1 room (15' at most). Thanks
 
SoSH, Go!!

 

[johnmd20]

Hey guys. I don't post a whole heck of a lot... mostly lurk with an occasional contribution to the sox pats game threads. But I'm running into an issue in a new apartment and I figure I can use SoSH brain power to maybe solve.
 
In the family room of my new apartment I have one cable jack on the far wall which is opposite of from where I want to put the tv to make the layout flow better. I need to figure out a way to get the cable signal to the other side where I want my tv to be. I'm not the most handy guy or exceptionally technically savvy. Running coax through the floor, ceiling, or walls is out of the question since it's an apartment and I don't want to go tearing walls up. After doing some internet research and talking to a guy at best buy it seems like it would be impossible to keep the tv and cable box together, is this true? The salesman at Best Buy informed me that really my only option is to get a receiver/transmitter set up but I would have to keep the box by the original cable jack and to change the channel I would have point the remote behind me which is impractical for obvious reasons. Is there a cost effective way (under $200) for what I want to do?
 
edit... And if there is a way to do this would I be sacrificing picture quality? The signal will only be traveling across 1 room (15' at most). Thanks
 
SoSH, Go!!

 
Can't you just snake the wire on the baseboard?

 

[sunoff]

I wouldn't get too complicated. How about running some coax neatly along the floor/wall and covering it up with color appropriate cable hiding thingys. http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0015EDVVU/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?qid=1442073921&sr=8-1&pi=SY200_QL40&keywords=cable+hider+wall&dpPl=1&dpID=41k57mYYauL&ref=plSrch

 

[Blue Monkey]

 
Can't you just snake the wire on the baseboard?

I thought about it but either way I go it would have to go across a doorway

 

[Red Sox Physicist]

Does your TV support DLNA streaming? If so, you could dump the cable box, and get a CableCARD from the cable company and an HDHomeRun Prime. You'd need ethernet to your router by the cable jack for the HDHomerun. If your TV doesn't support DLNA streaming, there are a number of boxes that'll work with it, like the Amazon FireTV.

 

[jercra]

You can't run the wire up over the doorway then back to the baseboards?  Do you know what kind of STB you got from the cableco?  If it's a newer multi-room DVR you may have an RF remote capable box in which case you don't your box line of site for the remote.  Otherwise, sounds like an opportunity to justify the cost of a projector.

 

[Red Sox Physicist]

You can't run the wire up over the doorway then back to the baseboards?

If he does go up over the doorway, he has to be careful not to exceed the minimum bend radius for the coaxial cable. Sharp kinks in the cable will cause an impedance mismatch and degrade the signal.

 

[jercra]

If he does go up over the doorway, he has to be careful not to exceed the minimum bend radius for the coaxial cable. Sharp kinks in the cable will cause an impedance mismatch and degrade the signal.

You're not going to attenuate the signal from 15 feet away with a couple of bends in the cable enough to impact signal quality enough to impact reception.  As long as the SNR stays within bounds and the signal is within a 10Db range the box will handle it just fine.  Worst case is you could get a couple of 90* fittings for a buck or two apiece,

 

[Red Sox Physicist]

You're not going to attenuate the signal from 15 feet away with a couple of bends in the cable enough to impact signal quality enough to impact reception.  As long as the SNR stays within bounds and the signal is within a 10Db range the box will handle it just fine.  Worst case is you could get a couple of 90* fittings for a buck or two apiece,

I've had the SNR get low enough from a couple of bends in a cable going over a doorway that reception was impacted. Increasing the bend radius was the solution, but you're right 90° fittings would also fix it.