Coax cables were considered the sole standard for connecting your TV and cable box. It was the default output for many years. Nowadays, it may sound outdated, but they are still used extensively. Usually, Coax connections are used to receive a connection in our homes from a satellite. If you have an old cable satellite box at your home, you must know that it only outputs Coax. Now the problem arises when you buy a new TV. As technology has advanced, new TVs do not support Coax and supports only HDMI and USB. So here we are with the solution to convert Coaxial to HDMI cable.
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How to Convert Coaxial Cable to HDMI
There are plenty of Coaxial to HDMI cable connectors available in the market. You can get them online or offline. In this article, we will tell you how to convert Coaxial cable to HDMI. But first, let us see what an HDMI and a Coax cable is and the difference between them.
Coaxial Cable
Invented in the 19th century, Coaxial cable was used to carry out radio signals. It has a three-layer architecture. Coax cables are made up of a copper core and two-layer insulation above that. It was meant to transfer analog signals with a minimum of hindrance or interception. Coax cables were extensively used in radios, telegraphs, and televisions. It has now been replaced by fiber and other technologies that promise faster transmission.
Coax cables are prone to data/signal loss over distance. Fiber technology is faster and more reliable than Coax but requires more investment. Coaxial cables require minimum investment and maintenance.
HDMI Cable
HDMI stands for High Definition Multimedia Interface. It was invented in Japan by the Japanese TV manufacturers and is the most popular replacement for the coax cable at homes. It carries out signals among devices with a colossal amount of data and broadcasts signals at high definition or ultra-high definition interface. It carries audio too.
HDMI is a digital cable. It is void of any data losses. It carries more data than coaxial cable and can deliver signals at a much faster speed. It performs digital transmission and is hence void of any interference or hindrance. Nowadays, every TV, broadband, and other cable device comprises HDMI ports instead of coaxial ports.
2 Ways to Convert Coaxial cable to HDMI
There are some methods by which you can convert your Coaxial cable to HDMI or vice-versa. You may require upgraded equipment to get things right. Now, let us hop right into the methods we can follow:
1. Upgrade Set Top Box
The problem that maximum people face with HDMI and coax are the set-top boxes. People generally buy the latest TVs with HDMI port but have a set-top box of Coaxial port. The easiest way to solve this problem is to get your set-top box or cable box replaced. Your set-top box not supporting HDMI is an indication that you’re using a way too old box. Now is the time to replace and get an HDMI supporting set-top box.
Replacing an old box for a new one is the easiest way, but if your service provider is asking for an illogical replacement charge, then it might not be an ideal solution for you.
2. Buy a Coax to HDMI converter
This is an easy 4-step process.
- Get the signal converter.
- Connect Coax
- Connect HDMI
- Turn on the device
You can buy adapters that work as an intermediary between Coax and HDMI. You can get these adaptors at any electrical or cable shop. You can order it online too. The converter adaptor inputs the analog signals from coax cable and converts them to digital to use HDMI.
You can get two types of adaptors in the market. One that has HDMI and Coax sockets and one that has cables attached to it. All you need to do is connect the converter with coax input first and then attach the HDMI port of your device to the converter. Follow the steps:
- Connect one end of the Coax to your cable box Coax Out port. Take the other end and connect it to the converter labelled as Coax In
- Now take the HDMI cable to connect to the device and converter the same as you did with coax cable.
- Now you need to turn on the device to test the installed connection.
Now that you’ve connected the converter and other necessary cables and switched on your device, your device must start receiving signals. If it does not appear in the few minutes, then consider selecting the input method as HDMI-2.
This method is very easy. You only need to invest some money in buying the signal converter, that’s it. Post that, the conversion is just a matter of minutes. Now that you’ve connected the converter and other necessary cables, you need to switch your device on and select the input method as HDMI.
Steps to switch from HDMI-1 to HDMI-2
- First of all, you need to connect all the HDMI supported devices on your device and turn on the power.
- Now take your remote and press the Input button. The display will show some changes. Continue pressing the button until the screen shows HDMI 1 to HDMI 2. Press OK.
- If you can’t find any input button on your remote, press the Menu button and look for Input or Source in the menu list.
Recommended:
It doesn’t matter if your new devices can not support coax cables. There are plenty of alternatives and workarounds in the market to help you. The signal converters are readily available and work great in converting Coax to HDMI.