Putting a VGA cable through a wall

[rhyds]

For our new digital signage system we were considering putting a VGA cable through a wall, unfortunately out caretaker doesn't have any 50mm drill bits since he stopped working down the mines , so does anyone know if you can successfully wire a VGA connector in-house? Or is it possible to convert the VGA cable to a narrower one for the wall section? (as cheaply as poss)

 

ATM it looks like we'll have to take it through the celing, which isn't the end of the world but I would like to try and go through the wall.

[jcollings]

You can get VGA connectors and solder them on yourself. We do it here sometimes. The other thing you could do is just cut a long VGA cable in half, push the end through then join the wires back together - again we've done this here.

[kmount]

Take a normal 25mm one and do it twice next to each other?

 

Or you could take a modular VGA wall plate and screw terminate that in situ but I've found them less than reliable ... maybe because we did them in house and we're .... less than reliable

[plexer]

We've also used cat5 for this, you could do this properly by buying some cat5 to vga baluns.

 

Or you could hire and sds drill and 50mm core bit from your local hire centre.

 

Ben

[ChrisH]

Try and find an older style VGA cable witha metal case that unscrews then it will fit though a smaller hole. Short of that the drill bit doesnt need to be massive especially if you drill a few smaller ones side by side.

[ICT_GUY]

http://www.clearly-av.co.uk/images/pdf/manuals/EXT-VGA-141SR.pdf

 

ePanorama.net :: View topic - Hp L1702 Monitor

 

SuperVGA monitor wiring

[western]

Sahara Presentation Systems > Terminal Connector

 

This is what you need - very cheap and easy to use as it is screw terminals rather than solder.

 

welcome to rextron

 

(Don't advertise without permission - Ben)

 

you try and help!!!

Edited April 29, 2008 by western

[john]

CAT5e to VGA Extenders are the way forward really - UNBRANDED | EV214 | Accessories | Computer Products | CPC are the Rextron ones mentioned above, or were a few months ago when I ordered a few pairs.

[incstlouis]

The other cool option is to use quick disconnects at each end. This will make it easy to pull through a wall or canduit and then attech these pigtail cables on each end:

 

Audio and Video Products, HDMI, DVI, Component, S-Video, HDTV | ShowMeCables

 

Plus, if you are going to the trouble of pulling this one cable through the wall, might consider what other cables might need to be pulled while you are spending the time.

[localzuk]

We got our electrician to hire the drill bit required and chopped a big hole in the wall. Now I have a hole I can run things through should I need to in the future.

[john]

I just bought one myself for a job, I think it was about £30 from T'internet and seems fine and good, very handy it will be

[timbo343]

Apparently you can stick VGA down a Cat6 cable. Surely thats better than drilling a 50mm hole a the wall

[torledo]

For our new digital signage system we were considering putting a VGA cable through a wall, unfortunately out caretaker doesn't have any 50mm drill bits since he stopped working down the mines , so does anyone know if you can successfully wire a VGA connector in-house? Or is it possible to convert the VGA cable to a narrower one for the wall section? (as cheaply as poss)

 

ATM it looks like we'll have to take it through the celing, which isn't the end of the world but I would like to try and go through the wall.

 

Technically you can wire the pins yourself but it's very difficult, from what i remember you need to wire up *only* 8 of the 15 pins but if you do give it a go extremely good eyesight or a magnifying glass is a must. Aswell as lots of practice.

 

There's also a special technique....you have to tin both the end of the cable going into each pin and apply a tiny bit of solder to the pin itself, then heat the solder on the pin and carefully slide the cable in. I'd also advise you use a stand or grip of some sort to hold the cable and connector in place. a pair of pliers with elastic bands rapped around the handle is a good way of making a makeshift grip to hold the cable great for when needing a mobile solution away from a workbench.

 

The reason for applying a bit of solder to the cable is to stop any kind of fraying....as there's very little margin for error when sliding the cable into the pin. You unly need a miniscule bit of solder at the end of the cable to stop the fraying...too much and the cable won't fit into the pin when you come to slide it in.

 

The easiest thing to do if you wanted to go through the wall, is to get a cat5 distribution system with cat5/vga baluns at either end of the run.

 

We have a geffen cat5/vga thing that was quite pricey....it only requires power at only one end. There are cheaper ones i'm sure....but imo the cheapest and easiest way to get the cable thru is to use a long length of prefab vga cable and go through the ceiling. No soldering, and no cost in buying baluns. You might even be able to do it without ordering anything if you've got a long enough vga lead.

 

Don't whatever you do, drill a 50mm hole in the wall.

 

Also DO NOT buy one of those vga connectors with the screw on teminals as western has suggested. In theory it's a good idea...in practice they're rubbish. The terminals take up so much length that you'd need probably to drill a hole in the back box to accomodate it. Or you'd probably not be able to use it at all 'cos there will be very little room for manouvere.

 

Think about it, you're paying 10 pounds for a vga connector!!!! blimey. When i bought one i paid a similar solution and just though of it as an awkward and expensive solution to the problem. Tried it out but wasn't usable.

Edited April 30, 2008 by torledo

[Andrew_C]

If you are handy with a soldering iron, it isn't too hard to re-terminate an HD15. I'd buy a pre-made and chop one end off as it halves the soldering you have to do.

 

Another option would be to put a box either side of your wall connected with a hole, and use screw terminated sockets on faceplates (CPC sell them)

 

If you do go for a 50mm hole, and the rooms are in separate fire compartments, the hole should be filled with a fire-stop foam/filler. You can tell if you are in separate compartments by looking ate the doors between. If they have self-closers, and strips around the meeting faces.

[jcollings]

core drill set

 

NEW TCT 110MM 50MM CORE DRILLS & 350MM SDS SHANK F37 on eBay, also Drill Bits Accessories, Drills, Power Tools, Business, Office Industrial (end time 01-May-08 19:45:00 BST)

[MicrodigitUK]

We use the CPC Wall plats and VGA cables with pre finished ends. One end has a VGA Plug Connector and the other is Ferrules with pins on the end, which you just simply screw into the terminal block on the wall plate.

 

Unfortunately they only go up to 20m.

 

UNBRANDED | HCP21QC | Leads, Adaptors & Wall Plates | Audio, Video & TV | CPC

 

UNBRANDED | VGA-FRL-20MTFRL | Leads | Computer Products | CPC

 

But CPC do a 50m VGA Cable Assembly although it looks slightly harder to terminate the other end compared to the wall plate.

 

UNBRANDED | SG212 | Leads | Computer Products | CPC

[john]

@microdigituk - thanks for those links they look great actually, I take it they work fine in use so long as they have been put together correctly

[MkII]

We had the same problem Rhyds and our school has to be of a similar construction being in the same area (all the schools were built around the same time I was told).

 

We were going to go down the Cat5 Extender route but that proved too expensive next to the LA DSO guys and their big drill. They drilled two holes alongside each other.

[rhyds]

We had the same problem Rhyds and our school has to be of a similar construction being in the same area (all the schools were built around the same time I was told).

 

We were going to go down the Cat5 Extender route but that proved too expensive next to the LA DSO guys and their big drill. They drilled two holes alongside each other.

 

 

Or just drill a series of small holes in a circle and then punch through!

 

 

The prob is that this wall is rather thick (I'm convinced it's been designed to withstand a direct nuclear strike by the USSR or somthing), the caretaker does have a plan though, so we might be able to put in a standard cable. Thanks for all your replies.

[gibbo_ap]

we installed a plasma screen in our new mfl block. the county wanted a hell of a lot of money. i got the caretaker to go out and buy the bits and bobs ure uncle it was up. (albeit i did drill through the insulation on a water pipe)

 

through this hole i have a kettle power cord HDMI cable and audio cables. i drilled several holes and then used a dry chisel to make it a bit wider.

 

second thought would it not be better to use a DVI to HDMI cable this would allow much smaller a hole to be needed.

[thesofa]

We got our electrician to hire the drill bit required and chopped a big hole in the wall. Now I have a hole I can run things through should I need to in the future.

 

It sounds like you can run a bus through there too!

[hotwired007]

i'd just use a hammer and chisel... bit noisey but do it during the holidays and your sorted... i've got a similar task to get done with a plasma and thats what my caretaker guy said he'd do...

[Pete10141748]

We're having this done here too, the company who is putting it all in just said they'd "knock a hole in the wall, put the cable/s through then fill in the hole again"

 

hmmmmmm....we'll see how it goes, I guess............

[john]

We're having this done here too, the company who is putting it all in just said they'd "knock a hole in the wall, put the cable/s through then fill in the hole again"

 

hmmmmmm....we'll see how it goes, I guess............

Ask them to line the hole out so that you can just re-open the end again and add more wires in as you never know what the future may hold. If I have to put a large-ish hole through a wall I always stick in a length of round conduit to stop the wall filling it in, I still fill the end in, usually with decorators caulk but never the entire tube then I can just rip the caulk out of each end and feed more wires through it again.