GB HDMI – HD, HDMI Cable and HDMI over IP

This year’s Home Technology Event, taking place at the ICC London ExCeL from 15 – 17 June, will see the European Launch of Just Add Power’s visually lossless, Second-Generation (2G) HDMI over IP HD video distribution solution. Distributed by Expo newcomer Connectivity UK.

HDMI over IP 2G is visually lossless - available from Connectivity UK only

Breakthroughs in processor performance enable the new 2G units to deliver lossless full HD 1080p video over IP – visually identical to using a direct HDMI cable. HDMI over IP is a new and exciting solution for Installers that overcomes the all too familiar challenges of distributing HD, and particularly HDMI around a home.

In comparison to alternative HDMI switching and extender products, HDMI over IP is essentially just two device types, Source Transmitters and Display Receivers. The technology’s primary benefit is the ability to utilise an everyday £500 IT Network Switch as a flexible, any-combination 24/48-port HDMI matrix that provides dropout-free, instant source switching, and now of course the all important – lossless HDMI picture quality. This, undoubtedly, makes using the 2G solution the most cost-effective large scale HDMI matrix available for integrators, and all over single Catx!

The cost-advantage is clear, and now that the video performance is there to satisfy even the most demanding of clients. It is easy to see how making the transition to HDMI over IP-based distribution can open up new markets and new project possibilities for the CI Pro.

Connectivity UK will be supplying the 2G devices exclusively to registered account holders only, taking steps to ensure that 2G HDMI over IP is an ‘Integrator-Only’ product and that attractive dealer margins are maintained.

Pricing is released June 10th 2010. For details, please register at http://www.connectivityuk.com

For the most up-to-date news follow @hdmioverip on Twitter.
 
Visit us at the ICC London ExCeL from 15 – 17 June  – Stand B7
 
www.hdmi-over-ip.co.uk

Just Add Power’s soon to be released HDMI over IP ‘2G’ solution delivers visually lossless full HD 1080p video over LAN that is side-by-side identical to the source content. 

The first of the emerging IP-based solutions to achieve the lossless ambition Just Add Power’s 2G devices have been redesigned from the ground up. Crucially under the bonnet is a custom proprietary processor and video compression engine packing some serious power. 

The 2G processor is a silicon-on-chip (SOC) design built with several unique and patented features, at its heart is the British designed ARM9 CPU with a maximum running frequency of 275MHz.  The CPU core includes 16KB I-cache, 16KB D-Cache, a Memory Management Unit (MMU), and two AHB system buses.  The same ARM9 family of processors has been embraced by hundreds of prominent companies including NVIDIA, Panasonic and Apple.

The 2G units work on a 1000BT Gigabit network platform.  This 1000% increase in specified network speed provides the necessary bandwidth to implement a proprietary lossless 1080p content CODEC. The end result is the ability to replicate stunning 1080p video that cannot be distinguished from the source content, allowing Custom Installers to satisfy the video quality demands of the most demanding clients.

Unlike competing HD/IP solutions, Just Add Power’s trump card for the Custom Installer is add a Managed Network Switch and a flexible; virtual, ‘any-size’ matrix can be created – providing dropout-free, instant source switching and impeccable picture quality.

Initially the 2G Just Add Power HDMI over IP devices will be offered in the same 4 form factors as the 1G family (Standard Transmitter, Rackmount 3X Transmitter, Standard Receiver, and PoE Receiver).  Pricing details for the 2G solution will be publicly released early June prior to the official product launch demonstration at the CEDIA Home Technology Event in London 15th -17th June. 

For the most up-to-date news follow @hdmioverip on Twitter.
 
Visit us at the ICC London ExCeL from 15 – 17 June  – Stand A2
 
www.hdmi-over-ip.co.uk
www.connectivityuk.com
www.hometechnologyevent.co.uk

Just Add Power’s proprietary ‘HDMI over IP’ Second-Generation (2G) technology uses an everyday IP-network to stream Full HD 1080p HDMI source transmissions to unlimited display locations.  Add a Managed Network Switch and a flexible; virtual, ‘any-size’ matrix can be created – providing dropout-free, instant source switching and impeccable picture quality.

With Just Add Power HDMI over IP you can create an any-size matrix

Connectivity UK hosts the European launch of the eagerly anticipated 2G series in London at the CEDIA Home Technology Event 2010, 15-17 June.  Visitors will be able to see the new and improved integrator-friendly devices in action on Stand A2 by the entrance.

The new 2G feature-set offers enhanced video performance and improved ease-of-use in the field.  TCP/IP packet data eases the fastest flow of data travelling through a network and is immune to the skew, distance, interference and resolution issues that affect traditional HDMI extenders and baluns. HDMI over IP is far more robust and can extend an HDMI transmission reliably and consistently much further.  Genuine Flexibility, Scalability, and Affordability that no other solution can offer for the Custom Install Professional.

Advancements in processor performance means that HDMI over IP offers near to original HDMI video quality.  Similar to the video compression used in iTunes Store HD movie downloads, Just Add Power’s revolutionary technology uses Advanced Video Coding (AVC) to digitally compress the HDMI transmission and achieve huge bit rate savings – enabling 1080p to be streamed across an Ethernet network with near-lossless results.

Connectivity UK MD, Chris Pinder commented, "We understand why CI’s find this technology hard to believe.  CEDIA will put any doubts to bed and showcase that HDMI over IP really is an integrator’s dream.   When you consider the reliability, cost and ease of the solution, its clear why it will become the CI industry standard method for HDMI distribution."

More details about the full 2G device specs will be released in the coming weeks leading up to the show.  

For the most up-to-date news follow @hdmioverip on Twitter.

Visit us at the ICC London ExCeL from 15 – 17 June  – Stand A2

www.hdmi-over-ip.co.uk
www.connectivityuk.com
Consumer sales at HDCable.co.uk
www.hometechnologyevent.co.uk

Get ready for version 1.4 with the latest spec HDMI cable!

HDMI cables have been around for a few years now, but the full potential of HDMI has yet to be realised. With the release of the 1.4 HDMI cable specification, greater image and sound functionality plus more flexibility with networking capabilities is introduced to your home or commercial AV setup.

HDMI 1.4 is better! Here’s why…

1. HDMI Ethernet Channel

Perhaps one of the most important (and most useful) of the new improvements is the HDMI Ethernet Channel. This is a data link that enables high speed, bi-directional communication. This means that a source can send data to a display and at the same time a display can send data to the source. Compatible devices can send a receive data using 100Mb/sec Ethernet – this makes them instantly ready for any IP-based application. The HDMI Ethernet Channel allows internet-enabled HDMI devices to share and Internet connection using the link, with no need for a separate Ethernet cable. With more and more devices utilizing Internet based features, this cable feature will reduce the number of cable’s needed to make your devices work to their full potential importantly ease the cable clutter. It also provides the platform that will allow HDMI-enabled components to share content between devices. Compatibility includes TCP/IP, UPnP, DLNA and LiquidHD.

To utilise this feature a new type of HDMI cable is required to be used. This new cable is called either a High Speed HDMI Cable with Ethernet or a Stadard HDMI Cable with Ethernet.

Nice and simple. Finding the right HDMI Cable just became a lot more easier - look out for these logos when you purchase your HDMI Cables.

2. Audio Return Channel

Another welcome addition to the new HDMI spec, this feature reduces the number of cables required to deliver audio from the TV to an AV receiver for processing and playback. This is a very useful new feature because many TVs now have an internal content source such as a Freeview or Freesat tuner built-in – the Audio Return Channel on the HDMI allows the TV to send data to the receiver using the HDMI cable and removes the necessity for a separate audio cable such as an optical cable.

3. 3D over HDMI

Everybody is talking about 3D at the moment and the new spec defines common 3D formats and resolutions for HDMI-enabled devices, enabling 3D gaming and other 3D video applications. The new spec standardises the connection for a 3D home cinema system, facilitating 3D resolutions up to dual-stream 1080p (that’s 3D 1080p basically).

4. 4K x 2K Resolution Support

If you think 1080p is awesome, imagine it four times sharper! Support for 4K x 2K allows the HDMI cable to carry the digital content transmission at the same resolution as the most state-of-the-art Digital Cinema systems used in many cinemas. Formats supported include 3,840 x 2,160 pixels at 24Hz, 25Hz & 30Hz, and 4,096 x 2160 pixels at 24Hz. Forget 1080p, think 4096p!

5. Expanded support for Colour Spaces

This feature means that Digital Camera Pictures and still images should display more accurate colours on displays with the upgraded format capability. If you’re into your photography you will be familiar with sYCC601, Adobe RGB and Adobe YCC601. If you are not, then put simply your holiday snaps should look even better!

Make sure you make the right HDMI cable purchase, make an investment for the future. Choose infinius High Speed HDMI Cable with Ethernet. Indisputably top-spec, its the perfect future-ready cable partner for your set-up.

3D HDTV has been getting a lot of press attention recently. With all the major manufacturers due to release new 3D HDTV models within the next 12 months and a foray of new cinema and Blu-ray releases using various 3D technologies, it looks like the resurgence of this old media format might actually have legs.

We should point out that this wouldn’t be the first time 3D TV has tried to enter the mass market. However, this time, it’s a little different. Audio visual advancements and proprietary upgrades to the HDMI standard have made 3D presentations of late rather enjoyable to watch. Most notably, improvements in smoother frame rates, increased visual fidelity and higher screen resolutions make the 3D experience truly come alive like never before.

With James Cameron’s heavily praised use of 3D on AVATAR, this could be the push that 3D really needs to enter the mass market.

Improvements in 3D technology mean that you don't need to look like General Kala's Power Men from Flash Gordon

But at GBHDMI, we’re a little sceptical, 3D is undoubtedly great – but will it really compete with HDTV or merely become an attractive side addition to home theatre setups? We believe that 3D will eventually penetrate the home market, but it will be some time before the public are universally enjoying the benefits of 3D media in their home.    

Here’s two reasons why…

1. The use of glasses make it less accessible than watching standard or high-definition TV

Apart from autosteroscopic methods of 3D projection (which are known to give headaches), all other 3D technologies require the user to don some form of glasses. Misplacing one of these glasses or simply not having enough in your front room, pub or gallery means that it’s not universally accessible to all. It isn’t an entertainment format that can be enjoyed on the spur of the moment.

Think about watching a football match with your family in 3D at home and unexpectedly a mate pops over to enjoy it too?

2. 3D uptake will be slow as most consumers have already made the jump and upgraded their TVs to HD

A recent article from the BBC has identified that 56% of the UK has now replaced their standard definition TVs for HD ones. That’s pretty good news. However, only 9% of this group are actually consuming HD material from Blu-ray’s, satellite and cable broadcasters. What does this mean? Well, if the uptake for HD equipment and material has been this slow so far, what do you think it will mean for people to upgrade their TVs, 3D HDMI cabling and Blu-ray players in order to play this type of content? We don’t know for sure, but we can tell you that it will be a long, long time.

So who do we think will be the immediate winners?

One market that could potentially benefit is gaming. The large majority of games are enjoyed by a single person and are consumed almost primarily at home – fitting the profile perfectly for a 3D consumer. With developers striving for more realistic environments and better immersion in their games, 3D gaming seems to be a logical step.  

It is true to say that buying a HDMI Cable can leave some people scratching their heads. With so many versions and variances between cable types – it’s hard to know which cable type actually does what, and most importantly, what benefit it has for the consumer. Recent changes from HDMI Licensing means that particular trouble may be a thing of the past.

With terms floating around such as Version 1.2, 1.3, 1.3b, Category 1, Category 2, High Speed and Standard Speed it can become very confusing if all you want to do is to connect your Blu-ray player to your HDTV.

In an effort to make it easier for customers to identify the right products for their needs, HDMI Licensing on behalf of the HDMI Founders, have released an updated version of the HDMI Adopted Trademark and Logo Usage Guidelines.

Nice and simple. Finding the right HDMI Cable just became a lot more easier - look out for these logos when you purchase your HDMI Cables.

Most notably, the amendments place significant restrictions on the use of the version numbers and address how HDMI Cables should be marketed. These new requirements are designed to simplify the selection process putting more weight on the features of the cable rather than having to research what each version actually does.

According to the new guidelines, HDMI adopters will no longer be allowed to use HDMI specification version numbers in the labelling, packaging, or promotion of their HDMI-compliant products. These restrictions go into effect immediately for cable products. Noncable products, however, have until January 1, 2012, to fully comply.

The new guidelines designate all HDMI cable products into five types:

• Standard HDMI cable
• Standard HDMI cable with Ethernet
• Standard automotive HDMI cable
• High-speed HDMI cable
• High-speed HDMI cable with Ethernet

For more information about these new cable types – we recommend visiting www.hdcable.co.uk.

The first problem we hit here is the term ‘expensive’. The problem is, expense is an individual’s idea of cost and a personally held viewpoint, because it is a subjective term, there is wide varying opinion from one consumer to the next about what classifies a product as being ‘expensive’.

It is true to say that most HDMI cable manufacturers are feeding you a line about the necessity of spending upwards of £50-£100 on relatively short cable lengths. There is definitely too much misinformation and smoke and mirrors being fed to consumers in big name retail stores and in big name advertising. You only have to look on a few forums to find a whole mountain of well-informed people rightly shouting the facts about the true nature of HDMI and condemning the profiteers essentially ripping customers off.

What do I need to look out for in a good HDMI Cable then?

Good design and manufacturing quality are important in every product, whether that be a bin bag or a cable, we all know that super cheap no frills products can often leave us despairing, especially when the bottom of your bag drops out or your cable finally breaks down just as your sitting down to watch your eagerly anticipated blu-ray release on your new (not to mention expensive) HDTV.

In competitive markets there will always be a wide spectrum of varying prices and quality of products. You can buy a HDMI cable for as little as 99p or as expensive as £200. The crazy thing is it is entirely possible that a short length 99p cable will give just as good a picture quality as the £200 HDMI cable. This is down to the nature of HDMI being a lossless digital signal. The bombshell here for the uninformed is that digital HD video images such as those produced by your PS3, Satellite HD box or blu-ray player cannot have varying grades of picture quality between two cables, this is technically impossible.

Of course, a 99p cable is unlikely to have a decent build quality or be made from good quality materials. It may not last you very long but it is good to use it as an example when explaining the nature of HDMI.

We recommend www.hdcable.co.uk’s HDMI cables range starting at £8.99 and believe that their offering promotes great value for money. A quick look around their website will show that they are well-made, durable, use high quality materials, incorporating a high specification, with version 1.3 device support and fully certified by the HDMI authority.

That’s a like-for-like product for under £10 that most well known retailers will be selling for at least 3 times as much! With delivery included and a lifetime replacement warranty, its a deal not worth missing!

So would a short length HDMI cable priced over £50 represent a false economy? In our opinion. Yes.

In our opinion, the key things to look out for when buying a HDMI cable are as follows.

OK, you’ve just bought your brand new shiny Nintendo Wii. You take it home, remove it from the box and connect everything up to your HDTV. You wait for the screen to load and then you are totally appalled at what you see…

What is this mess? Why is the picture quality so bad – surly a console launched in 2006 should have better graphics than this?!

If you have experienced this horror recently, read on…

It is true to say that the Wii was never designed with its graphical ability as being its primary USP. But playing on the console on a large HDTV screen (say anything above 32”) and your are left with a pixelated, standard definition, mess.

Now this certainly isn’t a problem for a lot of gamers – simply staying a few steps further away from the TV should suffice for most. However, for some, this lack of graphical prowess can be a little bit of a disappointment.

There is a solution – what many don’t know is that the Wii can output at 480p – it’s just the standard composite cable that the Wii ships with that can’t. So what do you do, you say? Well simple. You buy a Nintendo Wii Component Cable!

The Wii Component Cable will allow you to take a 480p signal to your HDTV drastically improving the picture. Awesome!  

If you live in the UK – you can pretty much pick these up easily for under £10 with free delivery. I would recommend it!

The picture improvement is quite impressive. Gone are those blurry images leaving some real definition for you to oodle over.

Just image search for “wii composite vs component” and have a look at some of the results.

If you can’t be bothered searching for it yourself have a look at this for an example.

Audio Video AV Directory – Audio video (AV) suppliers and companies.

This year’s standout product at CEDIA, Just Add Power’s HDMI over IP solution is now available in the UK.

Undoubtedly the most exciting new product this year, HDMI over IP has got integrators across the country all hot under the collar. Exclusive UK distributor connectivityuk.com have already put the product in the hands of some eager CEDIA award-winning integrators keen to put the technology through its paces – so far feedback and results have been extremely impressive. The professionals all agree, HDMI over IP is “game-changing”.

There is so much to talk about; it’s hard to know where to start!

HDMI over IP brings together the scope and scalability of everyday Ethernet LAN networks to distribute full HD 1080p video and 5.1 audio. Using advanced processing technology the HDMI data stream is encoded, broadcast over the network as IP packet data and then decoded back to a full 1080p signal… a completely different technology to traditional baluns and extenders.

Comprising of two products currently, the Transmitter and the Receiver, HDMI over IP can be implemented as a point-to-point solution just like a traditional balun pair, a point-to-many solution like a traditional distribution amp or most excitingly a many-to-many solution like a traditional matrix switcher.

Reliability is also one of HDMI over IP’s strong points being the only HDMI over Cat5 cable extender solution that is immune to the skew, distance, and resolution headaches that plagues all the other HDMI extender offering on the market. HDMI over IP requires just a single Cat5/6 cable and this can be run over a huge 300 metres without loss.

HDMI over IP is an integrator’s dream, not only because of its virtually limitless application scope, but also because of its easy integration with Crestron, Control 4 and pretty much all widely used control systems.

To implement a matrix solution a Managed Ethernet Switch is required, this is because the HDMI over IP technology uses virtual local area networks (VLANs) to create HDMI channels on a network. Receiver units on the network can connect to any chosen VLAN to display that particular HDMI channel. For example, you could have Sky HD on one VLAN, a Blu-ray player on another VLAN, a HD Games Console on another, and so on. It is possible to control which VLAN a receiver connects to by adjusting the configuration of the Managed Ethernet Switch. This can be done via an RS-232 or Ethernet control device or just a simple web-browser window.

HDMI over IP takes advantage of Internet Group Management Protocol (IGMP). This enables instant switching – there is absolutely no picture dropout. IGMP is the vehicle that allows a Receiver to join an already in progress data stream broadcast. When you tell a Receiver to change to a different VLAN, it joins the already in progress video instantly.

HDMI over IP has some clear benefits over rival systems:

1. Scalability – typically an Ethernet switch will have more than enough ports to accommodate all the TX and RX units required in a set-up, often there will be spare ports left over, especially on 24 or 48 port switches. If another HDTV or HD source is required to be added to their collection, another TX or RX unit can simply be purchased and added into the network. With traditional Matrix switches you are buying into a fixed form factor that does not typically accommodate upgrading or expansion.

2. Flexibility – you can mix and match different resolution displays on the network without having to lower the quality of your HDMI sources. Other HD Matrix solutions typically require the inputs to match the resolution of the least common denominator. Because the HDMI over IP Receivers have built-in resolution adjustment, you can go ahead and set your HDMI sources to their highest resolution supported (1080p, 1080i, 720p, etc). This means you can enjoy 1080p content on the main screens, and save some money by installing 720p screens for the kitchen or the kid’s bedrooms.

3. Affordability – when you compare a legacy HDMI Matrix switch with all of the devices needed to distribute the signal throughout the home, the HDMI over IP solution generally comes out as better value. Not to mention the frustration of wondering if the long HDMI cables or the finicky baluns will work with the necessary cable distances. The HDMI over IP solution can extend a HDMI source much further than Baluns, and it is always reliable and consistent.

It is hard not to see the huge potential in HDMI over IP technology. What can be now be achieved with High-Def distribution projects exceeds all previous limits.

Visit www.hdmi-over-ip.co.uk to learn more.