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When should I use a longer video cable vs. a video extender?

You should only use video converters and extenders if it is absolutely necessary to do so. In many cases, most video converters and extenders are not necessary if you purchase the correct cable.

The following table lists the maximum length of cable for common video standards.

Video standard Maximum length
DisplayPort 50 ft. (15.2m)
HDMI 50 ft. (15.2m)
DVI 50 ft. (15.2m)
VGA 200 ft. (71m)

Note: StarTech.com offers cables longer than what is listed above, including active cables, which typically include built-in active signal boosters that allow for longer cables. Active cables are specifically designed to exceed the suggested maximum lengths and are tested at the listed specifications (for example, the maximum listed resolution).

Video adapters

Video adapters passively adapt a cable from one connector type to another. Video adapters do not change the signal type, or change the video standard.

Examples of common applications for adapters include the following:

  • DVI-I to VGA

  • RCA to BNC

  • Mini DisplayPort to DisplayPort

  • Couplers (female to female, or male to male)

Note: You can use a coupler to extend a cable for a short distance. However, each coupler that you use can introduce signal loss, which degrades the signal quality.

Video converters

Video converters actively process and change the signal type from one video standard and convert it to another standard. They are typically used to convert digital to analog and vice versa, but can be used to convert a digital signal to another digital video standard (for example, HDMI to DisplayPort).

Video converters work over short distances from the source to the destination: up to 15 feet or 3 meters.

Video extenders

Video extenders convert an input signal to a higher voltage for transmission over longer distances and then convert the input signal back to the original video standard. The input and the output signal will match on a video extender, as the same video standard is maintained end-to-end. If a cable is extended with adapters or converters, the signal quality degrades.

Note: For more information on using a video adapter or converter with a video extender, see the following FAQ: http://www.startech.com/faq/video_signal_converters_convert_then_extend.

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This FAQ applies to these products:
COMPUTPEXTA DISPL10MA DISPL15MA DISPL1M DISPL2M DISPL3M DISPL50CM DISPL5M DISPL7M DISPLPORT10L DISPLPORT6L DPMDPHD2HD DPPNLFM3 DPPNLFM3PW DS128 DSRXL DVI92030202L DVIDDMF2M DVIDDMF3M DVIDDMF5M DVIDDMF6 DVIDDMM10M DVIDDMM1M DVIDDMM2M DVIDDMM30 DVIDDMM3M DVIDDMM5M DVIDDMM7M DVIDSMM1M DVIDSMM2M DVIDSMM3M DVIDSMM5M DVIIDMF10 DVIIDMM10 DVIIDMM15 DVIIDMM20 DVIIDMM6 DVIISMM10 DVIISMM15 DVIVGAMM1M DVIVGAMM2M DVIVGAMM3M DVIVGAMM5M DVIVGAYMM6 GCDPFF GCMDP2DPMF HD2MM10MA HD2MM15MA HD3MM1MW HD3MM2MW HD3MM3MW HD3MM5MW HD3MM7MW HDAARET4 HDACDFMM HDACFM HDACMF HDACMM1M HDACMM2M HDACMM50CM HDACRET4 HDADMM1M HDADMM2M HDADMM3M HDADMM50CM HDADMM5MA HDADRET4 HDCDVIMM1M HDCDVIMM2M HDCDVIMM3M HDDDVIMM1M HDDDVIMM2M HDDDVIMM3M HDDVIMM10M HDDVIMM150CM HDDVIMM15M HDDVIMM1M HDDVIMM2M HDDVIMM3M HDDVIMM50CM HDDVIMM5M HDDVIMM7M HDEXT2M HDMIADMM6 HDMIDVIFM HDMIDVIMM15 HDMIDVIMM6 HDMIMM3FL HDMIMM6 HDMIMM6FL HDMIPLATE HDMIPNLFM3 HDMM10M HDMM10MA HDMM150CM HDMM15M HDMM15MA HDMM1M HDMM1MHS HDMM20MA HDMM2M HDMM2MFL HDMM2MHS HDMM2ML HDMM2MLP HDMM30CM HDMM30MA HDMM30MAO HDMM3M HDMM3MFL HDMM3MHS HDMM50CM HDMM50CMHS HDMM5M HDMM5MA HDMM5MFL HDMM7M HDMMU6 HDPSMM1M HDPSMM2M HDROTMM1M IPUSB2HD2 IPUSB2VGAUE IREXT2 MDISP1M MDISP2M MDISPLPORT6 MDP2DPMF3 MDP2DPMM10 MDP2DPMM1M MDP2DPMM1MW MDP2DPMM2M MDP2DPMM2MW MDP2DPMM3 MDP2DPMM3M MDP2DPMM3MW MDP2DPMM4M MDP2DPMM6 MDPEXT3 MDPEXT6 MDPMM1MW MDPMM2MW MDPMM3MW MHD11PMM3M MHDPMM3M MXT101HQ75 MXT101MMHQ25 MXT101MMHQ3 MXT101MMHQ30 MXT101MMHQ35 MXT101MMHQ65 MXT101MMHQ70 MXT101MMHU10 MXT101MMHU6 MXT105MMHQ MXTHQ10M MXTHQ15M MXTHQ1M MXTHQMM10MA MXTHQMM15MA MXTHQMM2MA MXTHQMM5MA MXTMMHQ10M MXTMMHQ15M MXTMMHQ1M MXTMMHQ20M MXTMMHQ25M MXTMMHQ2M MXTMMHQ30M MXTMMHQ3M MXTMMHQ50CM MXTMMHQ5M MXTMMHQ7M ST1212T ST1214T ST1218T ST121EXTEU ST121HDBT5 ST121HDBTE ST121HDBTL ST121HDBTPW ST121HDBTU ST121HDFXA ST121HDT4P ST121HDWP ST121REU ST121SHD30 ST121SHD50 ST121USBHD ST121UTPDVGB ST121UTPDVI ST121UTPEP ST121UTPEU ST121UTPHD2 ST121UTPHDEU ST121UTPMINI ST121WHD ST121WHD2 ST121WHDS ST121WHDST ST122UTPAEU ST122UTPAL ST124UTPE ST128UTPE ST12MHDDC ST12MHDDCRP ST12MHDLAN ST12MHDLAN4K ST12MHDLAN4R ST12MHDLANRX ST12MHDLANU ST12MHDLANUR STHDBTRX STUTPRXLEU SVID2COMP SVID2COMPFM SVIDEOMM24 SVIDHQ25 SVIDHQ50 SVIDUTPEXT SVIDUTPEXTA VHDCI24HD WIFI2HD2 WIFI2HDMCGE WIFI2HDVGAGE WIFI2VGA
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