All Products Filed in HDMI

Friday, September 28, 2012

With the HDMI format maturing and both the residential and commercial markets now using the technology more than ever the matrix switcher category has grown exponentially over the past couple of years.

HydraConnect recently introduced a new matrix switcher called the HSS-3 and this 8x8 solution is capable of distributing eight sources to eight zones, and it incorporates HDBaseT to transmit HDMI signals as far as 330 feet. HydraConnect also incorporates its Dynamic 2D/3D technology that is engineered to resolve EDID issues between 2D/3D sources and displays. The company also includes its FlashConnect switching technology that ensures the HSS-3 switches between sources instantaneously without picture loss. Through its inclusion of the CEC protocol the HSS-3 also eliminates the need for IR blasters and other external hardware, and because of its built-in Control4 Composer support, the unit easily integrates into Control4 installations.

Other features offered by the HSS-3 include HDMI 1.4a pass-thru, 36-, 30- and 24-bit Deep Color compatibility, and the matrix switch also works with the lossless Dolby TrueHD and DTS HD Master Audio surround sound formats.

Thursday, September 13, 2012

The HDMI format has been around for a number of years now and just about every cable and signal transmission product manufacturer in the consumer and commercial electronics market offers some type of HDMI cable. For the longest time the Holy Grail for these HDMI manufacturers has been the launch of an American-made HDMI product.

Nordost, a Mass.-based manufacturer of cables for the high-performance audio and video markets has just launched a new line of made in the U.S.A. HDMI cables that it says are the first U.S.-made cables to hit the market. Nordost says the cables incorporate its proprietary Micro Mono-Filmament, air-space, silver-plated oxygen free, solid-core conductor materials and engineering designs, as well as its twin-axial construction design to ensure consistent performance and reliability. To further ensure the cable's performance, Nordost has also submitted the line of products to DPL Labs and the HDMI cables has received DPL certification for its products up to five meters in length.

Nordost adds the Blue Heaven HDMI cables are compatible with 3D video and all of the products are terminated with gold-plated HDMI connectors to ensure longevity.

Monday, September 10, 2012

Over the years HDMI cable manufacturers have developed many ways to maximize the HDMI format to allow electronics professionals to use cabling products that perform well beyond the digital format's stated specifications.

Atlona's latest HDMI cable products are a good example of how cable manufacturers are finding creative ways to develop products that exceed the limitations of the HDMI format. The company's new AT-PRO-LCS HDMI cables incorporate RedMere's active signal transmission technologies to eliminate the need for hybrid-based balun solutions to save time and money. Atlona says the line of cables feature integrated circuits that are designed to pass multimedia data at the same rate as the company's traditional flat, high-speed cable products.

The CL2-rated cables are engineered to reliably handle 1080p content, and Atlona says the cables are available in lengths ranging from 20 feet to 50 feet.

Friday, August 10, 2012

Between the failings of the new housing market, the expense of long-distance HDMI cabling and other factors, the continued development of wireless HDMI systems couldn't have come at a better time for electronics professionals.

The latest wireless HD transmission solution to enter the market is the newly revamped Knoll Systems' WHD3. Building upon previous versions of its No-Wire HDMI transmission products, the company updated the product with new technologies such as 3D video support and an on-screen display that is said to enable installers to fine tune the performance of the system.

Knoll says the product also supports 1080p and IR control. The company adds the product can be used in retrofit environments and it can also be used in new construction housing.

Friday, July 06, 2012

HDMI can be one of the trickiest technologies in all of consumer electronics and it can be difficult to deal with in simple installations, as well as complex installations.

HydraConnect says that its latest product, the newly announced HSS-2 HDMI Matrix Processor solves many of the issues installers encounter in the field through its ability to seamlessly integrate into a Control4-based system. HydraConnect says the HSS-2 enables electronics professionals to distribute as many as eight HD sources to as many as eight displays or it can be set up to distribute a total of 16 zones of audio. The 8x8 matrix switcher supports the HDMI 1.4a protocol to enable it to work with HD and 3D video, and the Deep Color specification.

Other features built into the HSS-2 include its A/V remix option that allows homeowners to watch a video source while listening to a separate audio source (a football game and music for example), and with its proprietary FlashConnect technology, the matrix switcher is able to switch from one video source to another at almost instantaneous speeds without experiencing dropouts or delays.

Thursday, June 07, 2012

Dealing with the inconsistencies of the HDMI format can induce the biggest headaches a professional installer has to deal with on a job site. Ethereal's latest HDMI product solution can't solve all of the problems that dog the HDMI format, but it can provide a solution that eliminates the problems associated with the long-distance issues of transmitting HDMI signals.

The Holly Hill, Fla.-based company's latest HDMI product is the HDM-CAT6SC and the HDMI over Cat-6/7 transmission solution is designed to provide the bandwidth and support technologies to minimize the problems associated with the HDMI format. According to Ethereal, the product incorporates TMDS re-clockng correction on both the Tx and Rx to allow electronics professionals to monitor TMDS digital video at the receiver and transmitter ends of the product. Ethereal says this enables installers to easily trouble shoot any potential system problems, and with the product's DDC Diagnostics, the signal-transmission product also provides easy ways to trouble shoot HDCP and EDID issues.

In addition, the product also supports 340MHz/3.4Gbps HDMI 1.4 (without Ethernet) bandwidth and transmission speeds, and because of its HDMI 1.4 compatibility, the HDM-CAT6SC works with 3D and 4K video, Reverse Audio (AEC), Deep Color, and IR from the display to the source. Aside from its diagnostic and compatibility features, Ethereal also builds in as much as 39dB of total gain into the system with built-in control and intelligence to automatically correct signal loss over the entire length of Cat-6/7.

Monday, May 14, 2012

Throughout the commercial and residential A/V industries, if there's one common thread that electronics professionals share, it is a disdain for the HDMI format.

The Bromfield, Colo.-based manufacturer AVocation Systems can't do anything about the market perception of HDMI, but it can provide its authorized dealer base with a new range of solutions that can ease the pain of working with the HDMI protocol. AVocation Systems' new Mountain Series 8x8 HDMI Matrix Switch (HX-0808H) is the first of several new products the company plans on releasing on in 2012.

AVocation Systems says the 8x8 Matrix Switch distributes as many as eight sources to eight displays and its built-in EDID/Key managment features are designed to eliminate latency between inputs and its switching functions. The company adds the unit is HDMI 1.4 compatible so it supports advanced technologies like 4K video and 3D, and it also provides 12-bit Deep Color with resolutions up to 1080p at 60Hz (225MHz). In addition, it includes control options for IP, RS-232, USB and IR, as well as provisions for rack mounting to allow installers to utilize the product in a number of varying A/V environments.

Friday, May 11, 2012

With the economy picking up and forecasts that homeowners and commercial property owners are going to spend more money on remodeling jobs there are more opportunities for electronics professionals to work within the walls of today's homes and commercial properties.

Vanco's latest product announcement should add the finishing touch to many of these residential and commercial electronic installation jobs. The newly announced Vanco Stainless Steel Wall Plates are engineered to provide electronics professionals in the residential and commercial markets a choice of six products that offer an easy way to finish off long cabling runs with a safe and secure termination solution. The line includes the HDMI Wall Plate, the HDMI + S-VGA Wall Plate, the HDMI+ 3.5mm Wall Plate, the HDMI, S-VGA, 3.5mm Wall Plate, the S-VGA Wall Plate and the S-VGA + 3.5mm Wall Plate, and Vanco says the products ship with matching hardware screws to maintain a consistent aesthetic.

Vanco adds the wall plates are also designed to install quickly and easily, and with their stainless steel finishes, the products will blend into a variety of interior environments.

Monday, April 16, 2012

When the HDMI format was first introduced into the consumer electronics market several years ago it was a solution designed to transmit digital data over short lengths.

Collectively since the format's introduction however, manufacturers have worked diligently to improve the capabilities of the technology, including its ability to transmit high resolution, data intensive signals over long distances. Validating the work the cabling industry has put into the development of the HDMI format Metra Home Theater has recently rolled out its new 8-meter HDMI cable that carries DPL certification.

To achieve DPL Labs certification the cable must pass tests such as the eye pattern mask margin and inter-pair skew test, as well as tests for jitter, bandwidth, impedance, noise, five-volt reliability and current. Metra says the cable is able to pass a 1080p signal and 24-bit color depths to provide electronics professionals with a cabling product that can be used for installations that involved rack-mounted electronics and projectors.

Tuesday, March 06, 2012

With the wireless connectivity market gaining popularity and maturing all at the same time products like the newly announced Gefen Wireless for HD 1080p Extender are quickly becoming problem solving devices for electronics professionals.

The California-based company's latest wireless signal transmission product is engineered to transmit 1080p video and audio from HDMI-based sources like Blu-ray players, cable and satellite boxes and gaming systems distances as far as 75 feet. Gefen says the solution installs easily through the use of a dongle at the source end and a receiver that's connected to the display. The unit is capable of transmitting A/V signals through walls and with its RCA analog audio outputs it provides additional audio connectivity support.

Gefen says the Wireless for HD 1080p Extender can be used in residential environments and in commercial environments for digital signage, bar and restaurant applications.

Friday, February 17, 2012

Since the advent of HDMI and the electronic industry's growing adoption of the format baluns have become an important part of many A/V installations.

The New York-based manufacturer Key Digital is one of the industry's leading providers of connectivity and A/V processing products and its new KD-CATHDX Cat-5e/6 balun is engineered to enable electronics professionals to send and receive control signals, as well as audio and video signals long distances. Key says the balun supports the HDMI and DVI formats, which includes video resolutions as high as 4,096x2160/24Hz, and 3D video content. The product also includes bi-directional IR and the ability to support uni-directional RS-232. In addition, it supports the lossless audio formats Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio, and 12-bit Deep Color at resolutions of 1080i, 720p and 480p.

Key says the KD-CATHDX is capable of transmitting 1080p/60Hz signals as far as 150 feet and 1080p/24Hz signals more than 300 feet. The product is HDCP compliant and it is powered by a 5-volt power supply.

Thursday, February 02, 2012

Over the past several months the momentum behind the HDBaseT transmission technology has grown with several manufacturers adopting the format and releasing new products into the marketplace.

The latest company to launch a new HDBaseT product into the professional electronics market is Audio Authority. The Lexington, Kentucky-based manufacturer's new HBT200KIT is a HDBaseT solution that electronics professionals can use to address long-range signal transmission issues in commercial and residential system environments.

Audio Authority says the HBT200KIT is capable of sending uncompressed HD video, lossless audio, IR and RS-232 control signals distances as far as 330 feet with a single Cat-5e/Cat-6 cable. The company says the kit includes a transmitter and receiver and the components are compliant with HDCP/EDID protocols to ensure the system's compatibility with a variety of displays and source components.

Monday, November 07, 2011

Adding to its line of HDMI signal distribution products, the Erlanger, Kentucky-based company TV One has introduced its new IT-CT-633 HDMI Repeater to the market.

The IT-CT-633 HDMI Repeater expands the company's IT-CT-630 line of HDMI Extender products and it can be used to increase the transmission distance of HDMI as far as 250 feet (76 meters) for 8-bit 1080p signals and 98 feet (30 meters) for 12-bit 1080p signals. TV One also says that electronics professionals can further extend the signal transmission capabilities of the product by cascading the units within the parameters of allowable Cat-6 cable lengths.

TV One says the full line of 1T-CT-630 Series HDMI Extender products can handle a variety of installation scenarios that range from traditional residential HDMI 1.3 A/V 1080p to commercially based 1900x1200 DVI signals.

Tuesday, August 23, 2011

Accell's MHL to HDMI adapter is designed for use with mobile devices featuring Mobile High-Definition Link) MHL technology. The MHL to HDMI adapter transmits both audio and video, so users transmit pictures, movies or music from their tablet or smartphone to an HDMI-supported TV, projector or display.

The adapter connects directly to the USB 2.0 Micro-B port of a MHL enabled device. In addition, by connecting the Smartphone or tablet’s charger to the MHL adapter, the mobile device will remain powered while in use.

Available for purchase with an MSRP of $24.99, the MHL to HDMI adapter can be found at various Accell retailers and distributors.

Wednesday, June 22, 2011

HDBaseT was formed about a year ago by several well know manufacturers and other entities. Fast forward and Kordz has just introduced its PLX-HDB.4 HDBaseT Extender that is designed to facilitate the transmission of uncompressed high-speed HDMI, 6-port Ethernet, IR and RS-232 data simultaneously over a single category 5/6 cable up to 100 meters.

Kordz says the PLX-HDB.4 can be used with short distance and long-distance cabling runs and the Extender allows for the wiring of multiple source units in a single transmitter and receiver setup with the option of multiple devices connected at each end. The Australian manufacturer says each side of the solution has a HDMI connection that supports up to 5m high-speed HDMI cable, three full duplex 100BaseT ports for the connection of networked devices and provisions for IR and RS-232 connectivity.

The HDMI solution is engineered for automatic system initialization to support its plug-and-play architecture, and because of its Power over Ethernet (PoE) feature installers don't have to worry about finding power at the display end.