Coaxial cable to HDMI adapter?
fogonaroupa1 wrote:Can I get a cheap coaxial to HDMI converter from the dollar store, or why isn't this an option?
You are confusing the datastream that is provided by the coax and what HDMI cables carry. The coax is carrying the Internet connection, while an HDMI cable carries video and audio signals. Yes, both are digital streams, but there are two completely different protocols. The coax needs to connect to a modem, which converts the data signal into either Ethernet for a wired connection or WiFi using the 802.11 protocol. That becomes your Internet connection.
The HDMI cable sends the video and audio signal from a device such as a Roku player to the display, which then allows you to watch and hear the signal. It is not capable of connecting directly to a network source and "convert" that into something that can be seen and heard on the display.
You might have seen HDMI cables that list "Ethernet" as something supported. What that means is that for devices that support that specific protocol, the HDMI cable can provide the Internet connection through the HDMI cable, along with the audio and video signal. But that doesn't mean that it can replace the device at one end of the cable that is sending the audio and video to the display. It's merely a way to eliminate one cable between a TV and a supporting AVR, and in reality is something that is seldom used. Very few devices support it, and both devices that are connected via the HDMI cable have to support the function.
fogonaroupa1 wrote:There is no input on my "Roku Ready" television for this male F-type coaxial cable, which is a real shame. Should be an embarrassment for Roku. (There is a coax port designed to receive Antenna input, but not one for Internet input.) (Though I haven't tried.)
I think I can take this coax cable to send the internet signal into a cheap modem I'd need to buy, and then use an ethernet cable to connect that modem to my "Roku Ready" television. That's the "coax to ethernet" adapter I was talking about, if I cannot simply get a cheap "coax to hdmi" adapter from the dollar store. I just want to get my wired internet signal into my tv. My cats are going to be tripping over wires, but I guess they'll just have to live with it if they want modern television.
There is no TV in existence that can take the coax that has Internet data connectivity and turn that into an Internet connection. Every TV with an internal tuner has the F-type connector, but its sole purpose is to receive OTA broadcast signals. In North America, those signals are now all ATSC 1.0 digital. There are no remaining analog stations broadcasting. There's no embarrassment for Roku or any TV manufacturer. They don't build a cable modem into their TVs because there is no single standard in use, so you would need to build different TVs for different cable providers.
Yes, you need a modem to convert the Internet connection provided by the cable company (coax) into Ethernet and/or WiFi. However, you say you already have a modem in another location in your home. I don't believe it's possible to use a splitter and have a second modem on the same connection. Any coax coming out of the existing modem will only contain TV signals, not the Internet connection. If you want to bring your Internet connection to a distant location in your home, you either need a WiFi extender (to improve the signal further away from the modem) or run Cat5e/Cat6 Ethernet cable from the modem to the other room. Depending on your home, you might be able to run it through a crawl space under the home or in the attic space, so you don't have cable lying on the floor of the home where it can be damaged. Once you run an Ethernet cable, you can install an Ethernet switch and have multiple wired connections at that distant location.
I use an Ethernet to power-line adapter. this is the one I use:
https://www.tp-link.com/us/home-networking/powerline/tl-pa4010-kit/.
You could use any Ethernet to power-line adapter,
That would give you a 50/mbps connection. More than enough to stream, even 4K. I got fed up with wireless. My Roku Ultra LT is connected to this adapter, works fine.
