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2 TVs in the shop?

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jaw22w

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I live out of town and had to get my internet by satellite at about 4 Mbps. I now have fiber internet at about 900 Mbps. The one TV in the shop only ran off an antenna, so my whole TV world has moved into the 21st century. So, I bought a new bigger TV for the shop. Now I have an extra 40" TV, and I was thinking another screen in the opposite corner of the shop might be nice at times, working on the car and watching a race or something. I know that both TVs have a HDMI port. Could I just use an HDMI cord about 75 feet long to connect the 2nd TV? I don't know much about these things, and this might not even be possible. Oh, both TVs are smart ROKU TVs, if that makes any difference.
Any ideas on how to do this?
 
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PCustoms

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I'm super confused...

If they are both smart TV, why did you need to buy a second one?

What are you trying to connect to?
 
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ItsNemo

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Most TV's don't have an HDMI "out" port, so you'd either need to pull up the content on both TV's independently or you'd need to have an input device (cable box, an external roku, etc.), into a splitter (or a receiver if you want integrated audio and it has two zones), that could then go out to both. HDMI maxes out around 25 feet for the most part, so you'd have to get one of the over ethernet extenders (basically using network cable and little boxes on each end) or switch to SDI or something more professional.
 
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wantedabiggergarage

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With the antenna, you could use a splitter and have them both hooked up to it. But even with both tv's hooked to the same source (mine are all Roku run, wireless), every tv can still receive signals at different times, so I have three tv's, just feet apart (living room, two bedrooms), that the sound/picture is NOT in sync, and I wouldn't plan on it being in sync in the same room, either. Personally, I might leave one on the antenna, one on the wireless service, and use one at a time, or use the other one as a computer monitor for Youtube how too's, when needed.
 
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djbmw

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wantedabiggergarage said:
With the antenna, you could use a splitter and have them both hooked up to it. But even with both tv's hooked to the same source (mine are all Roku run, wireless), every tv can still receive signals at different times, so I have three tv's, just feet apart (living room, two bedrooms), that the sound/picture is NOT in sync, and I wouldn't plan on it being in sync in the same room, either. Personally, I might leave one on the antenna, one on the wireless service, and use one at a time, or use the other one as a computer monitor for Youtube how too's, when needed.
Click to expand...
He could set up Plex and then run a "watch together" session that lasts indefinitely (or a really long time).
 
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finn

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I have one in the shop and one in the shop office, on the other side of the wall.

Both of mine are dumb TVs, one with a man ancient Roku box, the other with a Firestick, so they both run off WiFi.

No need to run wires. Just power.
 
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rharman

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djbmw said:
If both are smart tv's and the content you're accessing is IPTV/Youtube/Streaming service... just tune both tv's to the same show.

Of course, both tv's will need to be connected to the internet (either via ethernet or wifi).
Click to expand...

That may not work. We have 3 Roku gizmo's and a Vizio Smart TV. No 2 are EVER in sync. Always off by some amount and sometimes up to 30 seconds off.
 
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BombShelter

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My shop is detached from my home, I run CAT5 from the router to a NETGEAR Splitter, that CAT5 goes to the shop to another Splitter, I think it's a 100' run. Most smart TVs also have LAN in (CAT5) which works wonderfully for me. If you have cameras or security you can also hard wire those in.

I use both TVs and computers in the shop, nothing better than having a YouTube Repair Video going while wrenching. I also find I work a little harder/longer with a good documentary playing although I watched the new Godzilla Minus One the other day and it was pretty good.
 
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CoogarXR

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They make amplified/boosted HDMI cables for longer runs. Just make sure you pay attention when installing them; they are directional/polarized.
 
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djbmw

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rharman said:
That may not work. We have 3 Roku gizmo's and a Vizio Smart TV. No 2 are EVER in sync. Always off by some amount and sometimes up to 30 seconds off.
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That's due to buffering, assuming the content is from an internet source - this is where the HDMI splitter would be used, if that small delay is enough to bug you (volume up on one tv, muted on the other).

If, however, the content is local, OR a local server is used as the middle man for streaming content (like Plex), you can run a "watch together" session on Plex and both TVs will be in sync.

I have a media server (an "older" gaming system with 64 TB of storage) that shares content with our 7 TV's, one home theatre, a bunch of tablets and smart phones, as well as an indoor and outdoor speaker system. Physical splitting of signals is the more "straight forward" approach, but there's a number of media server applications that work equally as well (after setup and config).
 
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WildBill

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I put a projector above my parking spot pointed at the back of the garage door so I have a drive up theater in my shop. I ran one of these fiber optic HDMI cables from an inexpensive HDMI splitter behind my TV because I needed about 45ft of cable from the TV to the projector so I could hide it. They go up to 98ft. The 65ft is the cheapest for some reason. https://www.monoprice.com/product?p_id=43332
 
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1/4atatime

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nadogail said:
My shop is for working, not killing time watching TV, one tv would be excessive.
Click to expand...
I found a 75in 4k TV on clearance at Walmart I admit there are times I zone out and start watching TV instead of actually finishing the project 🤣 However outdoor movie nights in the garage is pretty cool even picked up a 5.1.2 Atmos sound system (Walmart clearance as well).
 
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wantedabiggergarage

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1/4atatime said:
I found a 75in 4k TV on clearance at Walmart I admit there are times I zone out and start watching TV instead of actually finishing the project 🤣 However outdoor movie nights in the garage is pretty cool even picked up a 5.1.2 Atmos sound system (Walmart clearance as well).
Click to expand...
You should make it come out of one speaker, hanging on your drivers door.
 
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CoogarXR

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dcg9381 said:
Last time I turned on a TV in the shop? About 3 years ago.
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Yeah, I thought I'd use a shop TV more than I actually did. I put a 200lb 60" pioneer plasma in my last shop.

When I was moving I realized that I hadn't used it since Baker Mayfield played for the browns. I listed it on FB and CL to see if anyone would buy it, and had no takers. Those old pioneer plasmas used to have a cult following... But alas, I just left it on the wall for the new owners of my place.

I have a projector that I can use if I want to have another football party in my new shop (whenever it gets built). Hopefully by then, the browns will have their **** together. (Lol).
 
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Old Man Roger

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1/4atatime said:
I found a 75in 4k TV on clearance at Walmart I admit there are times I zone out and start watching TV instead of actually finishing the project 🤣 However outdoor movie nights in the garage is pretty cool even picked up a 5.1.2 Atmos sound system (Walmart clearance as well).
Click to expand...
I don’t know how much land you have, but if you’re right across the street from your neighbor, your garage acts like a subwoofer and amplifier.

Years ago I had a neighbor who would spend more time in the garage with her kids than she did in the house, it was like her daycare room. Tv, stereo, screaming kids, even normal levels of talking was amplified to the point I could clearly hear the whole conversation.

It was during the day so it never bothered me, and it gave me the freedom to make what ever noise I needed to without worrying she would complain. I mean my garage faced her house just like hers faced mine, and my noise was usually an angle grinder or an engine from one toy or another.
 
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1/4atatime

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Old Man Roger said:
I don’t know how much land you have, but if you’re right across the street from your neighbor, your garage acts like a subwoofer and amplifier.

Years ago I had a neighbor who would spend more time in the garage with her kids than she did in the house, it was like her daycare room. Tv, stereo, screaming kids, even normal levels of talking was amplified to the point I could clearly hear the whole conversation.

It was during the day so it never bothered me, and it gave me the freedom to make what ever noise I needed to without worrying she would complain. I mean my garage faced her house just like hers faced mine, and my noise was usually an angle grinder or an engine from one toy or another.
Click to expand...
O yeah for sure it's amazing how much they echo (my insulation has helped it a lot but not completely) luckily I have a little land so my neighbors aren't right on top of me. And my garage is pointing away from the neighbors house.
 
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jaw22w

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Thanks guys. I didn't even know for sure that this was even possible. To clarify, I want to have 2 fairly synchronized TVs in the shop. One in each corner of a 30 x 36 shop.
Too damn old to crawl around in the attic. Going to run the HDMI cable along the corner of the wall and ceiling. 66' plus down to the TVs. So, I need about 75 feet of HDMI. Using a splitter seems to be about the easiest. I found the splitter and a 100' boosted HDMI cable for under $60.
I should note that I am one of those 75 year old curmudgeons that is being dragged, kicking and screaming, into the tech age of the 21st century. I barely know how to operate my phone.:rolleyes:
In order to complicate things even more, I also bought one of those cheater Superbox units that will get 2015 channels. It's amazing.
So now, my TV could be sourced from the computer or from the Superbox. I think I can do this by hooking the Superbox to one side of a splitter/switch and the computer to the other side of the splitter/switch. Then out of the splitter/switch to a simple splitter and out to both TVs. I will only use the audio out of the 1st TV.
Will this work?
 
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Old Man Roger

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jaw22w said:
Thanks guys. I didn't even know for sure that this was even possible. To clarify, I want to have 2 fairly synchronized TVs in the shop. One in each corner of a 30 x 36 shop.
Too damn old to crawl around in the attic. Going to run the HDMI cable along the corner of the wall and ceiling. 66' plus down to the TVs. So, I need about 75 feet of HDMI. Using a splitter seems to be about the easiest. I found the splitter and a 100' boosted HDMI cable for under $60.
I should note that I am one of those 75 year old curmudgeons that is being dragged, kicking and screaming, into the tech age of the 21st century. I barely know how to operate my phone.:rolleyes:
In order to complicate things even more, I also bought one of those cheater Superbox units that will get 2015 channels. It's amazing.
So now, my TV could be sourced from the computer or from the Superbox. I think I can do this by hooking the Superbox to one side of a splitter/switch and the computer to the other side of the splitter/switch. Then out of the splitter/switch to a simple splitter and out to both TVs. I will only use the audio out of the 1st TV.
Will this work?
Click to expand...
That should work. Treat your cheater box as a cable box and then run an HDMI splitter to both tv‘s. Like others mentioned, you may need a booster because of the length.
 
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Metal-Marc

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wantedabiggergarage said:
On the ceiling, for when you're on a creeper.:ROFLMAO:
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Creepers are for crawling under a car. I don't know what you do laying on your creeper looking at the ceiling. Never mind, I don't want to know.
finn said:
Creepers are why God invented the vehicle lift.
Click to expand...
The devil built a low ceiling at 7ft in my shop.
 
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jaw22w

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jaw22w said:
My TV could be sourced from the computer or from the Superbox. I think I can do this by hooking the Superbox to one side of a splitter/switch and the computer to the other side of the splitter/switch. Then out of the splitter/switch to a simple splitter and out to both TVs. I will only use the audio out of the 1st TV.
Will this work?
Click to expand...
I thought I would come back and finish this off. I finally got all the cables and such to hook this system up. Exactly as described. It works great. I can change the tv screen from my laptop to the Superbox just by pushing one button. TV2 works fine, but apparently the active 75' HDMI cable slows the signal because the audio is just slightly behind TV1 which only has a 10' cable. We're talking milliseconds of delay, but it's enough that TV2 needs to be muted. Otherwise, I am pretty happy with it
 
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