We gutted an apartment. While the walls were open, the A/V guy ran HDMI cable back from our living room to a "home run" closet with all our electronics. Probably about 30 feet. Last Fri, he hooked up the tv and bluray and put in the Shrek DVD that came with our Samsung 3d tv and it was pretty great! I am saying that b/c it is important to know that it did work.

Now, as an aside, the TV is a flat screen, 1 inch deep, that is on a swivel, pull out mount on a wall, but inside a cabinet (so we can close the doors and hide the tv.) The guy who made the cabinet made it too small to fit our 46" tv, so it was really crammed in there, and when the A/V guy had to come back on Monday to do some other work, I told him that we are going to ask the cabinet maker to remake the cabinet, b/c it is just too small to comfortably pull the tv in and out. We tried to do it 1 time over the weekend and decided not to push the tv back in all the way b/c it was so small. We were super-gentle and careful b/c the tv is so thin, too.

So Monday, the a/v guy pulled the tv out and right away was upset. He saw the HDMI connector that had been in the back of the tv was bent and hanging on at a weird angle.

This cable is buried - it snakes around a hidden support column, up the inside of the wall, through the entry hall, all hidden behind the wall and crown moulding.

He said that unlike most any other cable, you can't just cut off that connector (that is what I am calling the visible part that plugs into the tv) and solder another one onto the cable.

I am asking you all: Please, what are our options, short of ripping up the walls?

He was saying to use the 3-D, we need version 1.4 I think, and that using the existing component cables won't get us there.

Thanks in advance for any advice!

I think you already know the answer and yes, it will probably involve going back into the walls. I won't place any blame here because I don't know the particulars of your installation.

That said there are installation techniques that could have helped your current situation. If a clear route can not be obtained where future cables could not be easily be pulled through, use PVC or flexible conduit to allow for future upgrades (or replacement of a bad cable) of a large enough diameter to allow for multiple cables.

If that is not possible run two of each required cable to allow for future expansion or alternates for cable problems. Additionally, don't run out of the wall directly but used termination wall plates where the in-wall cable plugs into the backside of the plate and a short replaceable cable is used between the wall plate and television.

I would first check to see if maybe only the outer metal shield was bent and that the actual connector to the wiring is still intact. A short extender HDMI cable may be able to be attached securely to the damaged cable and provide a solution. If not, then yes you need to run a new cable.

By the way, yes you need HDMI for 3D (ver 1.4 more or less), and yes, the connector can not be replaced.

I forgot to mention that various right angle adapters, as well as HDMI cables with right angle connectors, are available for this and other similar installations.

Somehow, I don't know the specifics, the a/v guy managed to attach a "balun" to other cables (CAT-5 maybe?) he had put in the wall. We did get a great HD pic on our screen, and then put on the glasses to watch Shrek DVD in 3D and amazingly, it worked.

Just wanted to let people know there is some way to do it. If I can learn more, will post again.