Just when you thought HDMI was the end-all-be-all connectivity solution, along came HDBaseT. As an Ethernet-based distribution solution for audio, video, control, power, USB and Internet, it gives you the power and flexibility to meet the networking demands of large residential and commercial applications easily and affordably. Unlike HDMI networks, which require the addition of baluns to stretch content beyond 30 meters, HDBaseT can transport multiple signals over Cat 5 or Cat 6 as far as 100 meters/328 feet without sacrifice in speed or performance.
HDBaseT Chip Supports 4:4:4 Color
HDBaseT has helped home systems integrators break into bigger, more complex jobs, but the evolution of this technology marches on. One of the most recent and noteworthy advancements is the introduction by Valens of a new HDBaseT chipset. This new chip eliminates the chroma subsampling of a compressed 4:2:2 signal to a true-color 4:4:4 signal. This results in video that maintains its color accuracy–an enhancement that may strike your clients as being more impactful and noticeable than even video of higher resolution.
As stated in a blog by ClearOne, a global developer of network streaming solutions, “If two video streams with identical content are placed next to each other, one at 720p 4:4 color and the other at 1080p 4:2:0 color, chances are high that the average viewer will choose the lower resolution image with the true color as more impactful. Color trumps resolution pretty much every time.”
Integra Leads the HDBaseT Evolution
Capitalizing on the ability for new HDBaseT chipsets to render 4:4:4 color is Integra. A variety of its products going forward will incorporate the new chip, beginning with its new DRX-7.1 9.2-Channel Network A/V Receiver, DRX-R 1.1 Receiver, and DRC-R1.1 preamp. Along with the ability to distribute ultra-high-definition in 4:4:4, Integra receivers that feature this new and improved HDBaseT chip support 4K/60Hz video, including HDR10 and Dolby Vision up to a full 18GB per second over the same Cat 5/6 cabling at a maximum distance of 100 meters, as well as audio and POC.
Even if your customers have a current or legacy Integra AVR or A/V processor with a HDBaseT output on board, it can become part of an HDBaseT network, thanks to the addition of Integra’s new HDB-RX1 4K HDBaseT Powered Receiver.Carrying an MSRP of $400, it is an affordable upgrade that offers your customers the best A/V distribution experience available today.
“The introduction of the new chipset and its implementation into Integra products marks an evolution in how content is moved around the house,” says Keith Haas, Integra Director of Brand Development, Premium Brands. “In a hardwired configuration when you run into the limitations of HDMI, HDBaseT continues to be a viable option. And with the new chip, we are putting ourselves into the position of being the end-to-end solution for A/V specialists.”
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