USB over Cat5 for HD webcam

[volcom4c]

I have a Microsoft LifeCam Studio HD webcam.
I have used 3 different USB 2.0 over Cat5 extenders, and none of them would pass anything over 160x120 or something ridiculous like that. Even the manuals for all the devices said they support webcam. I know HD requires waay more bandwidth, but is their any solution to extend an HD webcam over 30-40 feet?

 

[plova25]

I'm looking for the same thing and have been for quite some time. It all depends on how much you want to spend. Are you using "true" USB 2.0 extenders (transfer at up to 480 mb) or USB 2.0 extenders that transfer at 1.1 rates. I have three 2.0 USB extenders that operate on 1.1 rates over CAT6 that serve for keyboard and mouse connections in my kids rooms. This is about all they are good for except maybe for a printer. I have found some "true" USB 2.0 extenders on the web that claim the 480 mb speeds but have not tried them. The prices were ranging anywhere from $150 to $300 plus. I can't say exactly for the CAT5 cables but I have extended video and audio over CAT6 via HDMI connection from the computer (60-120 ft) and the cable can handle anything I throw at them. My son can play Skyrim on his 24" monitor (60 ft connection) which is graphics intensive with no problems. Streaming via Netflix in HD also no problem.

As with the HDMI extenders it seems that the USB 2.0 extenders that can handle 480 mb require a power source at the receiving end to boost the signal. I will be posting a thread to see if anyone know of a good reasonably priced source.

 

[chrishuff1]

I just did this last night to see if my webcam would work. Rather than hacking off the end of my webcam, I cut a 6' USB extension cable in half and put in a 30' piece of cat5. Twisted all the wires together, plugged in the webcam, and boom! Worked like a charm! It worked great at 640x480(?).

 

[volcom4c]

Yeah HDMI baluns work great over CAT5, but for some reason regardless of listed data rate even different brands of high end usb extenders(cat5 and usb) will not work, power injected or not. What I found, but a pain is using an IP cam and there is 3rd party SW out there that allows you to input the IP cams URL if you can find it and input it into the software and it basically creates a generic webcam driver for the URL of the IP cam

I'm looking for the same thing and have been for quite some time. It all depends on how much you want to spend. Are you using "true" USB 2.0 extenders (transfer at up to 480 mb) or USB 2.0 extenders that transfer at 1.1 rates. I have three 2.0 USB extenders that operate on 1.1 rates over CAT6 that serve for keyboard and mouse connections in my kids rooms. This is about all they are good for except maybe for a printer. I have found some "true" USB 2.0 extenders on the web that claim the 480 mb speeds but have not tried them. The prices were ranging anywhere from $150 to $300 plus. I can't say exactly for the CAT5 cables but I have extended video and audio over CAT6 via HDMI connection from the computer (60-120 ft) and the cable can handle anything I throw at them. My son can play Skyrim on his 24" monitor (60 ft connection) which is graphics intensive with no problems. Streaming via Netflix in HD also no problem.

As with the HDMI extenders it seems that the USB 2.0 extenders that can handle 480 mb require a power source at the receiving end to boost the signal. I will be posting a thread to see if anyone know of a good reasonably priced source.

 

[Chris679]

I do abit of live streaming using a pair of Logitechs'C920...using a Cat over USB extension, without carefully checking the specs upon purchasing..Which I later found to be USB 1.1 to Cat instead of USB2.0 to Cat, anyways, I used this with my second LGC920 HD Webcam and managed 640x360 output on OBS, hoping to find and try out a Cat over USB 2.0 extension and see if I can get 1280x720 which it currently does without the extensions..No so sure why LifeCam is that low though...

 

[nelupasilk]

You would need a high speed USB 2.0 Extender solution. I would check KVMSwitchTech as they offer quiet a few options for high speed USB 2.0 Extender solutions up to 330ft.