How to Run Composite Video and Network Data Through an Ethernet Cable

I needed to run Video and Audio to another part of my house. Problem was, I didn't have that much AV cable, nor the time and money to do a good installation. However I did have plenty of Cat 5 Ethernet Cable lying around. This is what I came up with, Cethernet (pronounced Seethernet) or Composite-Ethernet.

Warning This will not work with Gigabit networks, however if its for home use you probably don't need to worry.

(Bear with me this is my first instructible)

Other than video and audio you can adapt this to run a number of things. When used with a telephone line, it may be referred to as a 3 pair or 4 pair Voice/Data cable.

Now about the parts you'll need. You can of course throw something together by splicing wires, but i decided to go for a cleaner look. As you can see from the pictures below.

I used these items which can be purchased at your local Radioshack or parts store

(Note: this is just for one end of the cable)

1. Project box from Radioshack (Altoids tins work as well, its easy just to ground everything to the case)
2. 3 Phono Jacks (They come in packs of 4)
3. Ethernet Cable
4. Soldering Iron
5. Solder
6. RJ45 Crimp tool (optional)
7. RJ45 Jacks (optional)
8. Housing of some sort (I used a "Shack" project box on one end and metal mint tin on the other)

6 and 7 are only if your making the cable, you can also just cut a cable near the end and use that. It would probably be easier for most people. However this project is geared toward people who have a crimping tool, because I used one. I will do my best to describe what non-crimpers should do, I'll try to do one without crimping soon so I can get some pics.

Just letting you know you might have to improvise some on the box, but I have found that just wrapping it all in electrical tape will work. Just make sure the wires and Jacks are insulated.

 For those without ethernet crimpers and jacks
Cut a slit in the shielding about 4 in. from the ethernet plug on the end of the cable. Then locate the brown, brown-white, blue and blue-white wires. Cut these wires and pull them out of the shielding through the hole you made. Make sure you snip enough wire for it to come out of the shielding.

For those with ethernet crimpers and jacks
Cut the shielding completely, without cutting the wires about 5 in. from the end of the cable. Pull off the shielding but don't throw it away. Next pull out the brown, brown-white, blue and  blue-white wires out of the main cable. Then slide the shielding back over the other 4 wires left--the oranges and greens.

For those without Ethernet crimpers and jacks
Drill 2 holes on the top lip of your box on the ends, so that if you laid the cable across the box in the holes, you could screw the lid on. Then drill 3 holes in the side of the box, big enough for the backs of the phono jacks to fit through but tight enough you can thread them through.

For those with Ethernet crimpers and jacks

Drill 2 holes in the short sides and 3 holes in the large side of the box, big enough for the backs of the phono jacks to fit through but tight enough you can thread them through.

For those without Ethernet crimpers and jacks

Place the cable in the holes of the box, then pull out the four wires that you cut earlier. Then screw in the Phono jacks, in the 3 holes you drilled earlier. Screw on the nut that should have come with the phono jack, and make sure you put the little loop in between the nut and box on the thread. Next solder the Blue, Brown-White, and Brown wires to the positive posts on the phono plugs(see pics below). Then solder the Blue-White wire, to the little loop on the thread of the designated Video plug. Now solder patch wires to the Right and Left grounding rings from the Video grounding ring.

For those with Ethernet crimpers and jacks

To be frank the only diffrence is that you run your cable through the box, and pull out he 4 wires mentioned above (blue-white, Blue, Brown-White, Brown) before you solder them, but make sure you leave the other four running to the end of the cable.

My illustration is wrong in the fact that the Brown, Brown-White, Blue, and Blue-White wires are not crimped into the jack.

For those without Ethernet crimpers and jacks
Just slap the lid on top your done with this end. Now wash, rinse, repeat, and you got yourself a Composite-Ethernet Cable.

For those with Ethernet crimpers and jacks
Slap on the lid and put the screws in. Now crimp the Orange-White, Orange, Green-White, and Green, wires in their normal places. Its a little tricky, but with a steady hand it can be done. Now just do this one more time and you have your Cethernet Cable.

I put the illustration back in to help you crimp.

Also for those who want a more modular installation, as grantaccess suggested, you can completely rule out the cable, and just place an RJ45 Jack in each end of the box, where the cable would be coming in and out. RJ45 Jacks aren't very cheap so it will cost a bit more, but for some uses, such as in permanent Ethernet wall installations ( again as grantaccess suggested) the cost is well worth it.

Also you could just use an RJ45 Jack in one end of the box, and run a pigtail out of the other end, thereby eliminating 2 patch cables.

I did this because I needed a solution, and I used the sources available to me. If anyone would like to improve, or modify this feel free, just don't violate any of the rules of this site. Personally I think it would be cool if someone built a repeater box with an Audio Amp maybe using an LM386, or a daul-op amp circuit. Like I said feel free to improve

When using an Altoids tin, almost all the wiring is the same, except that a patch ground wire is not required due to the fact that the tin is metal(common sense). With this method, just make sure you don't set the tin on a metal surface, and if you do insulate it, with electrical tape or a mouse pad.

I am using this to run a network cable and audio to my PS3 and sound system from my computer station(computer I listen to music on, and my router). I have no problems. My room has tons of Electromagnetic waves going around it, with Bluetooth, Wireless Network, and all other forms of EMI floating thorught the air, however I have little or no distortion in sound or video, when both video and audio are running. Now I wouldn't recommend running this cable more than 70 feet without an audio amplifier built in(which is possible to put it in a project box and run off a 9V or a wall outlet).

My instance is just one of many where the extra 4 cables have been used to carry other signals. Two other uses that I know of are Voice/Data, with 2 pair being network data, and 1 or 2 being phone lines, and the Power Over Ethernet, where in the extra 2 pairs 5 and 12 positive and negative are run.

For my suggestions of expansion refer to the bottom of step 4.