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Just Add Power introduces Projector Connector HDMI-over-IP solution
It looks like the gang over at Just Add Power have cooked up a device that will let you manage multiple HDMI sources without the limits of traditional HDMI switches (and no, it isn't an HDMI Balun). The Projector Connector consists of an encoder unit that converts your HDMI source signal to IP packets and a networked receiver that decodes the signal at the display end. Add a managed switch and you can keep adding sources and display devices to your heart's content (up to 200 displays). Controlled by a PC over HTTP, this is definitely a product that will see more use in large organizations than it will in home theater setups. But still, what HD aficionado wouldn't love to get his hands on something this powerful and (relatively) inexpensive? The encoder (VBS-HDMI-308A) sells for $299, while the decoder (VBS-HDMI0108A) will run $250 -- you'll have to buy your own switch. Supports 1080p, HDCP, and up to 5.1 digital audio. Hit the read link to pick one up for yourself. [Via CE Pro]
Engadget HD giveaway: win a 3x1 HDMI switch and HDMI cables!
The recession antidote giveaways over at Engadget Classic have been a huge hit, and nothing could make us happier -- except a special set of giveaways just for HD readers, of course! We're sure AV gear is one of the first things to get trimmed from the household budget, but we want to make sure our readers aren't totally cut off. Luckily, the good folks at Next Generation Home Products sent us a raft of HD-centric goodies. This week we've reached in the gift bag and come up with two fistfuls of good, basic HDMI connectivity. We'll give away eight bundles: four will come with a 3x1 HDMI switch and a 4-m length of Next Generation's bulk Xtreme HDMI cable; the other four will consist of a 3x1 HDMI switch and a 3-m stretch of Xtreme HDMI cable. With the all the gadgets stacking up underneath your TV, you can never have enough HDMI cables or ports, so check the rules below and start commenting! Special thanks to Next Generation Home Products for providing the gear!The rules: Leave a comment below. Any comment will do, but if you want to share your proposal for "fixing" the world economy, that'd be sweet too. You may only enter this specific giveaway once.If you enter this giveaway more than once you'll be automatically disqualified, etc. (Yes, we have robots that thoroughly check to ensure fairness.) If you enter more than once, only activate one comment. This is pretty self explanatory. Just be careful and you'll be fine. Contest is open to anyone in the 50 States, 18 or older! Sorry, we don't make this rule (we hate excluding anyone), so be mad at our lawyers and contest laws if you have to be mad. Winners will be chosen randomly. Four winners will each receive one (1) 3x1 HDMI switch and one (1) 4-m HDMI bulk Xtreme cable; approximate retail value is $246. Four winners will each receive one (1) 3x1 HDMI switch and one (1) 3-m HDMI Xtreme cable; approximate retail value is $290. If you are chosen, you will be notified by email. Winners must respond within three days of the end of the contest. If you do not respond within that period, another winner will be chosen. Entries can be submitted until Thursday, May 7th, 11:59PM ET. Good luck! Full rules can be found here.
Engadget HD giveaway: win a 5x1 HDMI switch and long HDMI cables!
The recession antidote giveaways over at Engadget Classic have been a huge hit, and nothing could make us happier -- except a special set of giveaways just for HD readers, of course! We're sure AV gear is one of the first things to get trimmed from the household budget, but we want to make sure our readers aren't totally cut off. Luckily, the good folks at Next Generation Home Products sent us a raft of HD-centric goodies. This week, we're handing out stuff for those with gear separated by less than a stone's throw but more than an arm's length. We've got two bundles, each with a 5x1 HDMI switch with remote control and a HDMI EQ extender. To cover those long run lengths between components, one winner will get a 15-m HDMI cable, the other will get a 10-m length. Just in case you want to run that cable through your walls, we'll throw in two double HDMI wall plates in each bundle as well. Whether you've got a projector up in the ceiling or a noisy Xbox 360 in a closet, this giveaway is the one for you, so check the rules below and start commenting! Special thanks to Next Generation Home Products for providing the gear!The rules: Leave a comment below. Any comment will do, but if you want to share your proposal for "fixing" the world economy, that'd be sweet too. You may only enter this specific giveaway once.If you enter this giveaway more than once you'll be automatically disqualified, etc. (Yes, we have robots that thoroughly check to ensure fairness.) If you enter more than once, only activate one comment. This is pretty self explanatory. Just be careful and you'll be fine. Contest is open to anyone in the 50 States, 18 or older! Sorry, we don't make this rule (we hate excluding anyone), so be mad at our lawyers and contest laws if you have to be mad. Winner will be chosen randomly. One winner will receive one (1) 5x1 HDMI switch, one (1) HDMI EQ extender, one (1) 1-m HDMI bulk cable, two (2) HDMI double wall plates and one (1) 15-m HDMI bulk cable; approximate retail value is $456. One winner will receive one (1) 5x1 HDMI switch, one (1) HDMI EQ extender, one (1) 1-m HDMI bulk cable, two (2) HDMI double wall plates and one (1) 10-m HDMI bulk cable; approximate retail value is $431. If you are chosen, you will be notified by email. Winners must respond within three days of the end of the contest. If you do not respond within that period, another winner will be chosen. Entries can be submitted until Wednesday, April 29th, 11:59PM ET. Good luck! Full rules can be found here.
Engadget HD giveaway: win a 5x1 HDMI switch and Copperhead HDMI cables!
The recession antidote giveaways over at Engadget Classic have been a huge hit, and nothing could make us happier -- except a special set of giveaways just for HD readers, of course! We're sure AV gear is one of the first things to get trimmed from the household budget, but we want to make sure our readers aren't totally cut off. Luckily, the good folks at Next Generation Home Products sent us a raft of HD-centric goodies. There's still more good stuff in the bag, which brings us to round two of the giveaway. Up for grabs this week are four bundles that should help alleviate any HDMI shortages in your system. Each bundle has a 5x1 HDMI switch with remote control, a 1-m length of Copperhead HDMI cable and a 6-inch HDMI extension. Four lucky readers will be picked, so your odds should be a bit better on this giveaway; check the rules below and start commenting! Special thanks to Next Generation Home Products for providing the gear!The rules: Leave a comment below. Any comment will do, but if you want to share your proposal for "fixing" the world economy, that'd be sweet too. You may only enter this specific giveaway once.If you enter this giveaway more than once you'll be automatically disqualified, etc. (Yes, we have robots that thoroughly check to ensure fairness.) If you enter more than once, only activate one comment. This is pretty self explanatory. Just be careful and you'll be fine. Contest is open to anyone in the 50 States, 18 or older! Sorry, we don't make this rule (we hate excluding anyone), so be mad at our lawyers and contest laws if you have to be mad. Winner will be chosen randomly. Four winners will receive one (1) 5x1 HDMI switch, one (1) 1-m length of Copperhead HDMI cable and one (1) 6-inch Copperhead HDMI extension. Approximate value of each package is $250. If you are chosen, you will be notified by email. Winners must respond within three days of the end of the contest. If you do not respond within that period, another winner will be chosen. Entries can be submitted until Friday, April 17th, 11:59PM ET. Good luck! Full rules can be found here.
Gefen announces 4x2 and 2x4 Switchers for HDMI v1.3
Gefen's roll of new switchers continues today with two new ones: the 4x2 Switcher for HDMI v1.3 and the 2x4 Switcher for HDMI v1.3. The former, as the title insinuates, enables users to connect four HDMI v1.3-enabled devices to two HDTVs or projectors, while the latter is aimed at integrators wanting to display the same high-def video and audio on four HDTVs or projectors at the same time. Each one also comes bundled with HDMI cables and is fully CEC pass-through / HDCP compliant. As for pricing, you're looking at $549 for the 4x2 and $699 for the 2x4, and they'll both ship out next month.Read - 4x2 Switcher for HDMI v1.3Read - 2x4 Switcher for HDMI v1.3.
Gefen's 8x4 CAT-5 HDMI Matrix is probably overkill for you
Be warned -- unless you seriously need eight HDMI sources hooked up to a single matrix switch in order to activate four at a time on an array of panels, you should probably skip right over this one. If we just rung your bell, however, read on. Gefen's latest HDMI distribution box is definitely catering to the high-end / commercial market by being entirely rack-mountable and supporting up to eight HDMI inputs and four outputs. High-def signals can be transmitted over CAT5 cabling, and there's even an RS-232 port for additional control capabilities. As for distances, you can expect 1080i material to travel up to 300 feet without degradation, while 1080p content will flow 150 feet. The only problem? The $4,499 price tag. Full release is after the break.
Marmitek intros Connect410 and Connect411 HDMI switches
Can't say we've ever had the pleasure of handling a Marmitek device ourselves, but for those scouting a new HDMI switch, said company has a new duo it'd like for you to look at. The Connect410 is a higher-end HDMI switch that can handle four HDMI devices and pipe 'em one at a time to a single HDMI output. It also includes a built-in repeater and equalizer for correcting any signal loss, and the bundled remote ensures that you'll never have to leave the sofa to switch inputs. The Connect411 does everything the aforementioned 410 does, but it adds in a digital audio output for good measure. Each one can be procured right now across the pond for €89.95 ($121) / €149.95 ($201), respectively.
Meridian's HD621 HDMI Audio Processor breaks out the audio, but keeps it in-house
A 6:1 HDMI switch with audio breakouts is something we'd normally look to Gefen for, but we're not surprised to see that Meridian has introduced its own wrinkle to the formula in its HD621 HDMI Audio Processor. In addition to routing one of the six HDMI sources to the output, the $3000 box will separate out the audio signal (up to 8 channels) on a single RJ45 connection in the Meridian Multichannel High Resolution or four RCA jacks, each carrying two channels of Meridian High Resolution data. It's all nice and proprietary, but c'mon -- did you expect anything else from a company that has never shied away from creating its own standards? Needless to say, only those interested in an all-Meridian system need apply.
Octava's HDS31A 3x1 HDMI switch with L/R audio routing is made for legacy HDTVs
Octava's pushed out a few HDMI switches before, but never one like this. The HDS31A 3x1 HDMI switch is custom tailored to play nice with legacy HDTVs, which -- generally speaking -- have a single DVI input for digital video and L/R stereo audio inputs that are mapped for other video sources such as composite or S-Video. This here box enables users to sync up a trio of HDMI video sources and three L/R audio outputs through a single connection, and it enables users to keep the video input select on DVI. The unit is 1080p compatible and gets its commands via IR remote or manual selection -- if that's good enough for you, you can pony up $149.99 to get one headed your way.
Gefen intros $499 1:5 Splitter for HDMI 1.3
Anyone remotely familiar with Gefen gear will understand that "inexpensive" isn't really an option, so we suppose that explains the lofty $499 price tag attached to the outfit's freshest splitter. Designed to take a single HDMI 1.3 source to five different displays without a loss in quality, the 1:5 Splitter for HDMI 1.3 is fully HDCP compliant and supports resolutions as high as 2K (so yeah, 1080p is totally covered). It's available now with a 2-year warranty.
IXOS busts out XHE228 2-way auto HDMI 1.3 switcher
No need for a half-dozen HDMI inputs in your HDMI switcher? No worries, as IXOS has you covered. The outfit's XHE228 is a minuscule auto-switching box with two HDMI 1.3 inputs and a single HDMI 1.3 output, and it's capable of handling 1080p material up to 15-meters without signal degradation. Sadly, Americans will have to swallow the conversion fees and inflated shipping costs when paying €59 ($75) to bring it home, but those living in Europe are a-okay.[Via HDTV Info]
IOGEAR unveils new HDMI switches and DVI / HDMI extenders
Here lately, it's been the more prosumer / professional-focused brands kicking out the extenders and switches, but IOGEAR is returning to the fold by introducing two CAT5e / 6 MiniExtender Kits and a pair of HDMI switches to boot. As for the extenders, you'll find one for HDMI ($279.95) and one for DVI-D ($69.95); the former provides "an additional 100 feet between a 1080p display unit and media source or an extra 200 feet for 1080i display units," while the latter "extends a DVI PC source 100 feet away from a single link DVI-D display with resolution of 1920 x 1080 at 60Hz." Closing things out are the 3-Port HDMI Automatic Switch ($89.95) and the 4-Port HDMI Switch with Remote ($89.95), both of which are fairly self-explanatory. The whole lot is available as we speak.
Octava intros 3x4 HDMI 1.3 distribution amplifier
Looking for an HDMI 1.3 distribution amp that won't completely shatter the budget? Enter Octava's 3x4 HDMI Switch + Splitter Distribution Amplifier, which includes support for full 1080p resolutions and enables HDMI switching for three inputs while outputting to (up to) four displays. You'll also find a Toslink optical audio output, an RS-232 control port, a remote bundled in and an external IR jack for extending the reach. Best of all, the unit checks in at just $349, and it's available to ship right now to most any corner of the globe.
Microprose returns to show Commodore how to really tarnish a brand
As if seeing the Commodore logo slapped on a whole slew of thoroughly unremarkable devices wasn't enough to make folks of a certain age feel a little wistful for their early computing days, legendary game developer Microprose is now getting in on the action as well, and seemingly outdoing Commodore to boot. As the Classic Gaming website reports, Microprose, once known as the name behind Civilization, Railroad Tycoon and other classic games, is now set to release a bundle of new products that likely wouldn't garner a second glance if not for the brand. Those include the MPI-500 digital TV receiver and MPI-100 HDMI switch pictured above, as well as a series of REDLINE cabling products aimed at gamers, a battery pack/stand for the PSP, and the Microprose Arcade Professional PC joystick (pictured after the break), which at least brings a little old school flavor with it (including a trackball). No word on a price for any of 'em just, but at least the joystick will apparently be available in May.[Via Classic Gaming, thanks Curt]
Hands-on with the Marantz VS3002 HDMI switcher
Readers who tuned in before CES already got the details on the Marantz VS3002 HDMI switcher, but we'll recap really quick before we move to the pics. Six inputs and two parallel outputs, HDMI 1.3 and RS-232. And lookee here: there are six HDMI inputs and two outputs around back! This is priced at $349 and will ship in February.%Gallery-13242%
Belkin ships a low-cost 2-port HDMI switch
There are quite a few HDMI switches out there for the input-challenged, but this latest box from Belkin is by far the least-expensive we've seen at $49.99 list -- which means street prices might be even lower. Nothing too special apart from that: 1080p compatibility, HDMI powered, IR remote for switching, and Belkin's classy-but-anonymous case design. Shipping now in the US and Canada, March 2008 in Europe, Asia, and Australia.
STMicroelectronics unveils three-input active HDMI switch
Chances are, you'll never actually see a STDVE003A unless you just so happen to crack open your HDTV, but STMicroelectronics is hoping that you notice its presence without disassembling anything. The aforementioned chip is being hailed as the first HDMI switch on planet Earth to support a video data-transfer rate of up to 3.4Gbps, which enables TV designers to "provide as many as three input ports while using only a single HDMI receiver chip." Furthermore, it supports full 16-bit color, is compliant with HDMI 1.3 specifications and features an integrated equalizer to "overcome signal degradation when long (greater than 20-meters) and lossy cables are used." The active digital multiplexer also supports DDC (Display Data Channel) and HPD (Hot-Plug Detect) data switching, and while we're not told when these are likely to debut in actual sets, volume production is slated to start this quarter.
Accell's UltraAV HDMI 1.3 High-Speed switch support 1440p
Just when you thought you had a handle on HDMI 1.3, along comes a new sub-class of HDMI switches supporting (are you ready for it?) HDMI 1.3a Category 2, otherwise known as HDMI 1.3 High-Speed. Learn it, live it. Accell's UltraAV 2-port switch supports a 1440p (2560 x 1440) resolution and 10.2Gbps (340MHz) high-speed data transfer without the need of an external power supply. Sure, there aren't any 1440p sets out there yet, but they're coming, as are those 2160p Quad HD monsters. Sorry, no launch date specifics. We only know that it'll cost $99 and receive a proper unveiling in early September at the CEDIA Expo. Of course, you'll still have to find content and a source to pump that superior resolution, but this is all about "future proofing", which we all know has little to do with rational thinking.
Key Digital's FatCATs distribute HDMI over Ethernet
For those trying to transmit HDMI signals over Ethernet, Key Digital's FatCATs look to be the perfect solution. These baluns reportedly support video resolutions up to 1080p, meet the HDMI 1.3 standards, and are able to convert HDMI signals for transmission over vanilla CAT5 / CAT6 cabling. Moreover, the firm offers up an extender to pass along the digital signals for unusually long distances, and both the transmitting and receiving unit of the Digital FatCAT series are available in either freestanding or wall plate versions -- the latter of which includes an additional coaxial digital audio port. Of course, enabling you to use your pre-installed Ethernet to sling HDMI signals around won't come without a premium, as the transmitters and receivers ring up at $300 to $325 apiece, while a duo of extenders range from $250 to $300.
DigiMedia's 4 port HDMI 1.3 switcher
We've seen an HDMI switch or two 'round here before but this is one of the first to promise full HDMI 1.3 compatibility. The DigiMedia HDMI switcher features a single HDMI-out with either 4 (HSG-401) or 2 (HSG-201) input configurations at cable runs of up to 10-meters. Unfortunately, it looks like you'll have to manually switch between sources unlike other autosensing HDMI switches we've seen. Fortunately, the included remote control will keep your azz firmly planted in the sofa. Hitting Japan in July, the HSG-401 will set you back ¥18,800 or about $152, the HSG-201 for just ¥13,800 or $112 -- not bad.[Via Impress]
