Can I transmit the serial signal over 50 feet of CAT5 cable

[Jim B. <boj...@gm...>]

I have successfully constructed an IR receiver to RS232 and controlled my
XBMC box with that.  I would like to place the HTPC out of site, and run
the serial cable through the wall with the IR receiver placed under the
wall mounted TV.  I tried extending my wire (about 50 feet of CAT5 by the
time I routed down through the basement and back up behind the TV) and did
not get a signal.  I assume this is due to the length of wire.  Obviously I
can get an IR repeater, but that seems inefficient.  I would rather have a
powered IR receiver that would push the RS232 signal through the wire to
the serial port on the computer.  Is there such a thing, or can I hack an
IR repeater to act like this?

Thanks

-- 
Jim Bojan
boj...@gm...
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