AMX Adopts HDBaseT for Long-Distance HDMI

When we saw it at CEDIA 2009, we applauded AMX/Autopatch’s new UTPro 8x8 switcher which delivered uncompressed video, audio and AMX control signals across two pair of Cat 5 cables.

Dealers loved the product for its "Instagate" fast-switching capabilities, eliminating the long lags typically associated with HDMI switching.

During a demo at the AMX booth last year, Autopatch product manager Paul Hand showed just how quickly the TV responds when an HDMI source is switched – about one second.

"We're continuously validating all of the connections," he said.

That product never shipped … but that’s the good news.

HDBaseT is in the House

Shortly after demonstrating the UTPro 0808, employing AMX’s own Cat 5 transport technology, the company discovered HDBaseT technology from Valens Semiconductor.

HDBaseT enables the UTPro 8x8 to deliver the same audio, video and control functionality as before, but it only requires a single Cat 5 (or better) cable. Furthermore, HDBaseT ups the distance for Cat 5 distribution to 100 meters (330 feet).



The new UTPro is “virtually the same product except that every output to the receivers can go much greater distances – up to 100 meters – over a single Cat 5,” Hand tells CE Pro.

Previously, he adds, “we were looking at 100 feet or 150 feet max, even with two Cat 5. We just doubled the capability.”

Hand says AMX has been working with Valens for “quite awhile, watching the technology develop and staying in touch with them.”

Since HDBaseT was refined late last year, AMX saw little reason to proceed with a two-wire solution. The new UTPro 8x8 is now shipping at a retail price of $11,900, just like before. The price includes eight receivers, making the product particularly affordable.

Featuring AMX’s NetLinx protocol, the UTPro products plug right into an AMX ecosystem.

“Every receiver shows up as a native NetLinx control port, just like you’d see on a NetLinx central controller,” says Hand. “It’s like a free control point at every display.”

Are HDBaseT Products Interoperable?

So far, three companies have implemented HDBaseT in their Cat 5 audio/video/control switchers and extenders – Gefen (HDMI Extender), Crestron (DigitalMedia 8G) and AMX.

While Valens touts the technology as a standard, however, the existing products are not interoperable.

Hand considers AMX’s solution to be a “proprietary implementation” of HDBaseT, similar to the way AMX, Crestron and others implement the ZigBee automation protocol.

So far, none of the three HDBaseT adopters is using the technology’s power-over-Ethernet capabilities.

“POE exists,” says Hand. “We just didn’t implement it in this particular rollout. Is it really that important? If it’s going to the display, generally there’s an outlet there.”

AMX demonstrated the UTPro 8x8 at Infocomm in July. Home systems integrators will get their first look at the product during CEDIA Expo 2010.

Better than Extron, Crestron?

In its dealer newsletter, AMX claims the UTPro 8x8 bests similar products from "Extra" and "Crestra."

AMX UTPro 8x8 Features

When you need true HDMI matrix switching and economical UTP distribution, the HDMI UTPro 0808 delivers crisp, beautiful 1080p, HDCP compliant content anywhere. The HDMI UTPro line features a HDMI / UTPro combined 8x8 transmitter, a receiver, repeaters and distribution cables for the perfect, competitively priced solution from AMX.

Whether your display is in the family room or down the hall, your sources can be distributed to 8 different locations. For even longer runs, add an HDMI UTPro Repeater and extend signals even further. And since UTPro signals are carried over commonly available Unshielded Twisted Pair (UTP) cable, they are also extremely cost effective solutions to install.

• HDMI 8 by 8 matrix switcher delivers crisp, beautiful 1080p, HDCP compliant content
• Transmits HDMI audio, video & control ALL over standard UTP cabling – that’s the ‘Pro’ in UTPro
• HDMI UTPro receivers deliver HD content and include IR and serial control ports for local display input & bi-directional control
• Add up to 3 of the new HDMI UTPro repeaters and extend your HD content 100 additional meters over the same standard UTP cabling
• InstaGate technology effectively ‘opens the HDCP gate’ by pre-authenticating connected devices for interruption-free delivery of your HDMI content
• HDMI 1.3 Compatible & a native NetLinx device
• Special Promotional Kit Price includes 8 receivers and cables averaging 38% less than the competition
• The HDMI 8 by 8 matrix switcher is also available as a standalone device and board as part of the AutoPatch Optima line (without UTP Distribution)

The new HDMI UTPro Kit (HDMI-UTPRO-0808-8RX) includes all the components necessary to set up a start to finish true8x8 HDMI UTPro Matrix Switching and Remote DistributionSolution.

Included in the kit are:
1 - HDMI-UTPRO-0808 HDMI Matrix Switcher and UTP Distribution Hub with Control Panel
8 - UTPRO-RX Receivers
2 - UTPRO Distribution Cables