Display Connectivity in Classrooms

[StephenPink]

Display Connectivity in Classrooms - how do you do it?

 

Reviewing a number of classrooms at the moment, both in terms of IT and AV, and have managed to work out that the only connection we should ever need between teacher's desk and wall is HDMI (be that from a PC/laptop to a IWB/projector/TV). However, I can't for the life of me seem to find any decent HDMI faceplates - that don't leave the connection sticking straight out the front where you know it's going to get snapped. Wondering if anyone has any bright ideas? The Sahara AV panels are exactly what I'm after - if they weren't huge! If someone makes half size versions of those, I'd be very happy...

 

Cheers,

Stephen

[southhamster]

Not a complete answer but HDMI cables with a right angle connector on one end help. Just make sure you get the orientation right or you'll be inverting a lot of faceplates!

[robyholmes]

Last ones I got came from this lot.

https://www.yorkav.co.uk/

 

Custom made HDMI and USB-B on fly leads. They do come out the front but seem a good quality. They are stiff when you connect them. As mentioned a right angled connector is a good idea as well.

[SamanthaD]

2 points of thought...

 

1. Although HDMI does a great deal, it isn't the best connection out there. We still provide VGA laptop connections on all of our systems, both for backward compatibility and to provide a solution where HDCP becomes an issue (try to record the output of a Macbook over HDMI - doesn't work). End of the day HDMI is a consumer connection designed for short distance connections between a TV and Blu-Ray player.

 

2. A faceplate will only add points of failure between the device and the projector. HDMI female connections in faceplates are usually just pigtails to another cable - and every connection reduces effective cable length. At the distance you'll need to get to a projector you'll most likely need an active cable - these don't play well with faceplates. My advice - forget the faceplate, run a direct cable to the projector, conduit to low level and exit via a brush plate into floor management to desk, where the cable is loose on the desk for connection. Even better would be if the HDMI went into a powered dock for your laptops, maybe add power and network connection to it too?

[Chaniel]

A faceplate will only add points of failure between the device and the projector. HDMI female connections in faceplates are usually just pigtails to another cable - and every connection reduces effective cable length. At the distance you'll need to get to a projector you'll most likely need an active cable - these don't play well with faceplates. My advice - forget the faceplate, run a direct cable to the projector, conduit to low level and exit via a brush plate into floor management to desk, where the cable is loose on the desk for connection. Even better would be if the HDMI went into a powered dock for your laptops, maybe add power and network connection to it too?

 

This is a bad idea in my experience. HDMI cables get damaged easily... and quite frequently in my experience. You WANT that point of failure at the faceplate, in 99% of cases, it's either going to be replacing a short 1m cable at the faceplate or if the faceplate itself gets damaged, a short pigtail vs the cost and time to replace a 5m to 7.5m HDMI cable. Powered USB C docks for teachers laptops is the ideal though (if I had the money)

 

 

Back to the main thread - Right angle connectors on a horizontal HDMI connection seems to work well. We do have a load of Sahara AV plates in our newly renovated rooms (1+ yr), they are huge and ugly but I don't think I've had to replace an HDMI cable for damage yet and... function over form imo. Pro Signal make their own version which is slightly cheaper than the Sahara ones - CPC link

Edited April 8, 2021 by Chaniel

[BennyG]

We use Vision Techconnect face plates/modules that clip along with right angle connectors. If a cable gets pulled, snagged or snapped more often than not the module will take the impact - usually a five minute job to swap over the module.

[StephenPink]

Thanks all - ended up getting a message from Richard at CrusaderAV. They had exactly what I was after, and at a sensible price too! Definitely recommend.

 

 

Not a complete answer but HDMI cables with a right angle connector on one end help. Just make sure you get the orientation right or you'll be inverting a lot of faceplates!

Yep they definitely help, although I may have got the orientation wrong on my last attempt

 

2 points of thought...

 

1. Although HDMI does a great deal, it isn't the best connection out there. We still provide VGA laptop connections on all of our systems, both for backward compatibility and to provide a solution where HDCP becomes an issue (try to record the output of a Macbook over HDMI - doesn't work). End of the day HDMI is a consumer connection designed for short distance connections between a TV and Blu-Ray player.

 

2. A faceplate will only add points of failure between the device and the projector. HDMI female connections in faceplates are usually just pigtails to another cable - and every connection reduces effective cable length. At the distance you'll need to get to a projector you'll most likely need an active cable - these don't play well with faceplates. My advice - forget the faceplate, run a direct cable to the projector, conduit to low level and exit via a brush plate into floor management to desk, where the cable is loose on the desk for connection. Even better would be if the HDMI went into a powered dock for your laptops, maybe add power and network connection to it too?

 

HDMI is not the best, but when you're connecting to large TVs it's kind of the only option! And projectors now have HDMI and VGA so HDMI seems the more universal for our needs.

I disagree in terms of failure points there though - imagine if that cable broke? Or more likely, some child pulls it and breaks the end just enough for it stop working 100% of the time... we then have to rip out the whole 5-10m or longer cable, that is in trunking/up walls/across ceilings rather than just the 1-3m cable that simply connects from the faceplate to the PC. Or the faceplate itself.

If only we had floor management haha! Not that lucky...

 

Cheers,

Stephen

[chazzy2501]

You can have the usb / hdmi cables come straight out of the backbox and use a brush plate to make it look nice, I also like to install a coat hook near by so it can be wrapped over it.

 

As above I prefer docking stations (USBC) but sometimes this isn't necessary.

 

[stevewill6]

This is what we are using for our interactive TVs

 

CPC - Wallbox

 

Most rooms have 10m HDMI cables between the TV and box then a 1m or 2m from box to desktop. Not had any issues with HDMI cable length. The 10m USB cable is a active cable, not had any issues so far. We have about 11 TVs with this setup.

[southhamster]

We've taken a different approach. We make up 3 and 5m Cable snakes in woven nylon cable tubing. These run directly to the teacher's desk secured with releasable cable ties. If a cable fails we just swap out the snake for a spare and fix it later. Gives us flexibility and supports the cables well on the desk. Can be run in trunking as well if required for neatness. Also cheaper to get installed!

[Chris_Cook]

We use these:

 

https://cpc.farnell.com/pro-signal/psg3279/hdmi-faceplate-module-200mm-flylead/dp/AV28758

 

You need a double back box to fit the pigtail/flylead, but you can get 2 hdmi and a network port in 1 box (just). Its a bit tight but cheap, and easy to replace in case of issues. The module also has a bit of give in it which helps protect against damage.

 

Fully agree on the need to terminate HDMI on a panel. replacing long installed hdmi cables can be a pain, especially if its a long fibre or active one.

 

We used these in our drama studio the other week and they worked brilliantly, even with the faceplate and a good length hdmi cable on both ends. https://cpc.farnell.com/pro-signal/psg3332-hdmi-30m/hdmi-active-fibre-optical-lead/dp/AV28916

 

As for them getting snapped off, positioning the port can do a lot for protection. I go for above desk height and near/behind the teachers desk. If they are low or where people will walk into them they get a lot more damage.

[Alis_Klar]

We use these:

 

https://cpc.farnell.com/pro-signal/psg3279/hdmi-faceplate-module-200mm-flylead/dp/AV28758

 

You need a double back box to fit the pigtail/flylead, but you can get 2 hdmi and a network port in 1 box (just). Its a bit tight but cheap, and easy to replace in case of issues. The module also has a bit of give in it which helps protect against damage.

 

Fully agree on the need to terminate HDMI on a panel. replacing long installed hdmi cables can be a pain, especially if its a long fibre or active one.

 

We used these in our drama studio the other week and they worked brilliantly, even with the faceplate and a good length hdmi cable on both ends. https://cpc.farnell.com/pro-signal/psg3332-hdmi-30m/hdmi-active-fibre-optical-lead/dp/AV28916

 

As for them getting snapped off, positioning the port can do a lot for protection. I go for above desk height and near/behind the teachers desk. If they are low or where people will walk into them they get a lot more damage.

 

I am getting 6 screens installed soon. I have had to buy Cat6 UTP extenders for HDMI at huge expense in the past. This time I want to go for Fibre HDMI. they are 20m lengths so would you say that the active fibre boost makes up for the attenuation of the pigtail in the faceplate?

[Oaktech]

Are you guys not aware of these?

 

https://cpc.farnell.com/unbranded/avmulti-metalbox-7p/7-port-av-box-no-leads/dp/AV27386

 

Metal, downwards facing, flexible connectors, customisable connectivity, choose whatever length leads you want and cheap like the budgie.

[SamanthaD]

I am getting 6 screens installed soon. I have had to buy Cat6 UTP extenders for HDMI at huge expense in the past. This time I want to go for Fibre HDMI. they are 20m lengths so would you say that the active fibre boost makes up for the attenuation of the pigtail in the faceplate?

UTP isn't the best for video - STP is normally the minimum spec you would need. The shielding is important.

 

Fibre HDMI is starting to show cracks - we've had around 6/7 shorter lengths fail (15/20m). Longer lengths are still going strong though, so not sure what the best solution is. We're going to try a third manufacturer to see if they're any better. As for "boost", it's not really a boost the same as an amplified copper cable as it's just signal conversion.

[Alis_Klar]

@SamDavis

 

Thanks for advice. I knew it wasn't a boost just less optical attenuation vs copper or even low tech amplified copper. Guess any pig tail cables and connectors are before the signal is converted to optical and hopefully error-corrected when re-digitised into optical signal so signal still makes it to screen.

[DrBeaker]

You can have the usb / hdmi cables come straight out of the backbox and use a brush plate to make it look nice, I also like to install a coat hook near by so it can be wrapped over it.

 

As above I prefer docking stations (USBC) but sometimes this isn't necessary.

 

[ATTACH=CONFIG]61548[/ATTACH]

 

 

Coat hook? What do you mean?