HdmiExtender
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HDBaseT Alliance ready to certify hardware for its do-everything cable, first product revealed
If you've been waiting to get rid of your current cable clutter and rely on one connection to bring video, audio, power, data and control to your devices then your some time is now. the HDBaseT Alliance announced today it is releasing version 1.0 of the Certification Program along with its first test facility to put the approved stamp on compatible equipment. LG, Samsung and Sony pledged alliance with the spec last year, but the first out of the gate with a product using its (of course) Gefen, ready to extend HDMI cables over long distances with the boxes shown above. While that may be an initial killer app for the tech, we'll have to wait and see if it gets picked up elsewhere, and to find out how much cheaper running Cat5e/6 cables throughout our homes are than other options.
IOGEAR unveils new HDMI Control Center for well-heeled A/V fiends
Sure, for some folks a simple 4-port HDMI extender is all that's needed, but you're not playing around, are you? If "overkill" is the only way that you roll, check out IOGEAR's latest: the HDMI Control Center includes a wireless keyboard with built-in laser trackball, supports 1080p (1920 x 1200) and HDMI 1.3, is HDCP compliant, rocks Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio Support, and ships for the princely sum of $499.95. Definitely not for the weak-willed. PR after the break.
Engadget HD explains: Where to put your DVR when you wall-mount your HDTV
With CableCARD enabled HDTVs being a complete bust and the crazy popular trend of mounting HDTVs on the wall, many wonder what they can do with their DVR or cable box. As you might expect, the crew over at Engadget HD is more than familiar with the options and lucky for you they actually wrote them down in an easy to digest format. So if you are the do-it-yourself type and are looking to relocate your HD DVR or noisy Xbox 360, then by all means what are you waiting for, click on through.
How to relocate a HD set-top-box and still have it work with an HDTV
We know how it goes, you pick up a nice big HDTV and a wall-mount only to get it all setup then realize you still need a place to put your HD set-top-box. Or maybe you have a nice piece of furniture nearby to hide the box in, but since it is out of sight you need to get the IR remote working. Or you could even be like us and refuse to have any equipment with a loud fan in your home theater -- yes we're talking about you Mr. Xbox 360. Luckily there is a workable solution and with a little money and some elbow grease, you can hide that box in a place that will be out of sight and out of mind.
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.
Neothings LightSpider takes HDMI signals 300 feet over fiber
Gefen has already taken the wind out of Neothings' sails somewhat with its HDMI v1.3 Fiber Extender, but if you're not quite ready to drop the coin required to take HDMI signals 1,000 feet over fiber optics, this here device may be the perfect solution. Dubbed LightSpider, this bridge can take HDMI, RS-232 and analog audio around 300 feet on a single fiber cable utilizing OWLink's Digital Light Interface technology. The company is quick to point out that the unit's integrated support for HDCP is a big win for those passing along protected material, though it won't go so far as to provide a price. Reportedly, the company will be on hand at EHX Spring to showcase it to HD junkies and home theater installers, after which we fully expect to hear more details on how to actually procure this thing.
Gefen ships pricey HDMI v1.3 Fiber Extender
As if Gefen didn't have enough solutions for extending your HDMI signals, along comes yet another that's more expensive and more sophisticated than any of the others. The all new HDMI v1.3 Fiber Extender enables users to pass along HDMI 1.3 signals up to 330 meters (around 1,000 feet) without even a hint of signal delay or electromagnetic interference disturbances such as cut-outs and pixilation. The secret? Rather than using Ethernet or copper wiring, this box transmits the content over a single fiber optic cable, utilizing six lasers to serialize the HDMI 1.3 signal and pass along 1080p high-def video and audio to displays far, far away. 'Tis a shame this helpful little bugger is priced at $1,499 -- kind of puts it out of reach for the vast majority of those that could use it. Full release is after the break.
Ask Engadget HD: What's the best HDMI splitter on the market?
Now that you know which cable(s) you're going to use, how's about giving Daniel a bit of advice on splitting up the signal? "What is the best HDMI splitter on the market? I want to split my signal to a 42-inch LCD TV (about 9-feet away from the source) and a projector (through a 50-foot HDMI cable). Considering the distances needing to be covered, would a powered splitter be better than a passive one?" We'll go ahead and assume Daniel's looking for one that can pass a 1080p signal without degradation, so recommending that Dollar Tree box you saw probably isn't the best thing to do. On the real, feel free to shout out any positive / negative experiences you've had with extenders and switches -- hopefully one of 'em will fit the bill here.Got a burning question that you'd love to toss out for Engadget HD (or its readers) to take a look at? Tired of Google's blank stares when you ask for real-world experiences? Hit us up at ask at engadgethd dawt com and keep an eye on this space -- your inquiry could be next.
Teq AV/IT's HDCP-friendly TPH372 extends HDMI over CAT6
It has been quite some time since we heard from Teq AV/IT, but for folks looking to extend HDCP-laden signals over HDMI, it's latest box couldn't have arrived soon enough. The TPH372 is completely HDCP 1.3 and DCC compatible and can pass along 1080p content over a single CAT6 cable up to 130-feet. If you're down with 1080i or 720p, you can make those runs 170- or 200-feet, respectively. Expect it to start shipping October 1st for $395.
Tributaries' HXMini5 extends 1080p HDMI signals up to 100 meters
Forget 130-feet -- how's about 100 meters? The new long-range solution from Tributaries (dubbed HXMini5) extends Full HD video (with audio) just over 300-feet with no loss of quality or reliability. The box can sling 1080p/60Hz HDMI signals up to 100-meters and 1080p/120Hz up to 55-meters, and of course, it's fully HDCP compliant. Being compatible with HDMI v1.3 also gives it the ability to understand Dolby Digital / DTS audio transmissions, and the self-calibrating active amplification and equalization enables it to "automatically adapt to cable length and signal rate." Get your HDMI signals to go further for $450.
Tributaries Cable's HX101 joins the 130-foot HDMI extender club
For all of HDMI's promises of "one cable to rule them all," there sure seem to be large number of accessories to go along with the format, many of them for supporting longer runs. Tributaries Cable has added its HX101 to the growing number of repeaters/extenders that will stretch the not-so-long arm of HDMI to 40-meters (130-feet). The HX101 will pass all kinds of good bits you might be using, like HDMI 1.3 with HDCP, Dolby TrueHD, and DTS-HD MA; and you can rest easy knowing features you're probably not making any use of -- 1440p resolution, Deep Color and xvYCC -- are just fine, too. Sure, the device is a little more portly than some we've seen recently, but this kind of thing isn't really system showoff material anyways, and the $150 price will save you a little money.
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.
Impact Acoustics reveals diminutive HDMI repeater
It's not the first HDMI repeater you've seen, and it most definitely won't be the last. Impact Acoustics is pumping out its own tiny box in order to extend that HDMI signal of yours another 130-feet (or 200-feet if using two). Nothing too special going on with this one, just the obligatory HDMI 1.3, Deep Color, Dolby TrueHD, DTS-HD Master Audio and 1080p support. If this is just the thing you've been looking for to run HDMI to your garage / sun room / etc., you can claim your own for a penny under $200.
Apogee reveals HDMI 1.3 CAT5e / CAT6 Extenders
Not like you really needed another option when selecting a HDMI 1.3 extender, but Apogee's giving you just that, anyway. The firm's new HDMI 1.3 CAT5e / CAT6 Extenders enable users to stretch 1080p signals up to 60 meters and 1080i signals up to 120 meters, and if you're serving up 480p / 720p, you can string those over 200 feet without degradation. Additionally, it's backwards compatible with older HDMI versions (and DVI, too), and it appears to function with CAT5e or CAT6 cabling. You can get yours this very moment for $109.99.
Brando offers up CAT5 / CAT6 HDMI extenders
The same folks bringing you a colorful line of HDMI cables are also doling out a new set of HDCP-compliant HDMI extenders. Up first is the VP3OT001200, which enables 1080p signals to be carried an additional 30 meters over CAT5, promising signaling rates up to 2.2Gbits / second. If 30 meters won't quite cut it, the VP3OT001300 enables transmissions to go an additional 20 meters by utilizing CAT6 cabling instead. Both choices come with a power supply, sender and receiver module and can be snapped up now for $59 and $71, respectively.Read - 30 meter VP3OT001200 HDMI extenderRead - 50 meter VP3OT001300 HDMI extender
