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Happy 1st Anniversary!!!!

Today marks the one year anniversary of our blog.  Here is to another year of great education and commentary from Metra Home Theater Group.  

Happy Thanksgiving from Metra Home Theater Group

Education Is Very Important

Education is more important than ever due to the hot button feature everyone is talking about:  High

Dynamic Resolution or HDR for short.  With all the hyperbole about this new technology being thrown around, along with the talk about new cable certifications- one can get confused quickly.  An example of how this confusion can spread happen in our office last week in the form of an email from China.  It read as follows:

“Dear friend,

    Good day. Hope you enjoyed your weekend^_^

Attached is our HDMI 2.0 HDCP 2.2 100m extender (HDBaseT) quotation to you. Please check for your reference.”

Whoa, wait a minute! HDBaseT has upgraded to HDMI 2.0 and can therefore now support 4k/60, HDR and 4:4:4 color?  Without a clear understanding of HDMI 2.0, 2.0A, 4K and HDR one would think this HDBaseT was something to consider purchasing to use with the new 4K, HDR components because of “HDMI 2.0” listed spec.  This email could cost your business money if you do not fully understand the HDMI 2.0A spec.  HDMI 2.0 (and HDMI 2.0A) has a range of performance capabilities and if a product falls within this range, companies can say it is HDMI 2.0 compliant.   Yet if this product does not support the FULL RANGE of HDMI 2.0A spec, the product will not support 4K/60, HDR and 4:4:4 color.  The specs of this product will tell the full story of just how much of the HDMI 2.0 spec this extender supports.

After reading the header, a laymen’s translation of the above email from China is “Our HDBaseT extenders will support anything that you can throw at it”. Unfortunately this is not the case, HDBaseT will only work with in the older HDMI 1.4 spec, meaning this product will not support the full range of HDMI 2.0 spec up to 18 Gpbs and this full range is important because of HDR. HDR is without question the biggest change to picture quality since the introduction of High Definition. HDR itself is a technique used in imaging to reproduce a greater dynamic range of luminosity than is possible with standard digital imaging techniques, this means that you and your client will see much greater definition in the depth of the picture and its shading.

To validate my comments look at the data listed below that were part of the afore mentioned email, the specs listed is not the full range of HDMI 2.0A you will not see 18 Gbps listed anywhere:

  In conclusion, read the specs when you see HDMI 2.0 on any products to see if you are using the correct products for installations.  If full HDMI 2.0A spec is what you need – make sure that is what you are purchasing.

Have any questions regarding this topic?  Leave a comment.

The Back Story of the M3B

Our Metra Multi-Media Broadcast System (M3B) caused quite the stir at CEDIA this past October.  While discussing the back story with one of our product developers on how Metra Home got the idea for this product, I found it extremely interesting.  I thought others might find it intriguing as well.   Please let me know

your thoughts.

How did the idea of M3B come about?

Product Developer:     I was standing in a train station noticing how clear the information signage panels looked. Not being one to pass up a learning opportunity, I looked at the video cables and I realized that there was only a single coax running from each display to the next (at one point going through a splitter). This got my attention.  Like most old school guys I am familiar with “RF” modulation products, but I had never seen one look this good.  Armed with this knowledge we were able find and modify the technology for CI needs.

Explain how one would set up this system, how it works and why it is exciting to the CI community.

The new M3B Multi-Source, Multi-Display Coax Based HD Video Distribution System is exciting because it is a great way for the integrator to compete with any central hardware based Matrix system.  It is a simple solution for CI to broadcast HDMI over coax without rewiring the entire house.  Most houses built in the last 20 or so years are already pre-wired with RG6 coax. This was of course done to provide cable TV, however it does give us what we need to build Multi-Source, Multi-Zone HDMI Distribution systems.  With the introduction of our new M3B, HDMI over “RF” technology it is now possible the same coax infra-structure that has been in our houses since the 1980s.

Here is how you set it up:  (1) take any (or all) HDMI 1080P source(s) with or without HDCP and plug it or them each into an M3B TX1 encoder(s), (2) on the front of the M3B TX1 your select the RF-ID for the source, (3) you will then connect that unit(s) into your house wide coax system.  Here is the really exciting part, this system will share the same coax as your off air antenna or CATV system. Once connected to your coax, the encoded source(s) can been seen on ANY coax connected display in your home that has one of the M3B RX1R decoders connected to it. The M3B RX1R decoder comes with an IR receiver that when plugged in it will allow you to select which of the M3B TX1 RF-ID’s that you want to watch. It is that simple.

This sounds almost too good to be true.  Is there a down side to this M3B system?

I can only think of two things that some might consider as a down side to this product.                                                                                                                                                       

1.   It will take about 6.5 seconds to change RF-ID codes on the RX1R (on par with any AVR).                                                                                                

2.   Audio is PCM 2 channel (this is done because a lot of common displays will not accept 5.1 audio on HDMI inputs).

Why You Need Our HDM-GA1

In previous posts, we discussed our HDM-GA1 and the three awards it won during CEDIA 2015 in Dallas.  Awards are great but if our customers do not understand WHY this product is winning awards, then Metra Home is not educating our customers.  Education is key to staying on top of the CI game and here at Metra Home we want to be the go-to resource for CI questions. 

We made our name in the early days of HDMI by providing the first “Made in America” long distance HDMI cable solution, and we have continued to develop and refine these capability with our latest (and still) “Made in America” extender the HDM-GA1.

4K and HDR are real, products will be shipping this Christmas and in the hands of your clients by the first of the year. How will this affect you and more importantly how do you plan your installs to accommodate this expanded bandwidth requirement? 

Well… if your jobs are based around category cable extenders or current Redmere enabled cables, you will be in a world of hurt as neither of these technologies truly support 4K/60 4:4:4 or HDR content.  If instead you use the older style passive HDMI cables (up to 15 meters in length) you can take your jobs forward and include ANY capability that HDMI 2.0A by using our HDM-GA1.

The HDM-GA1 allows the installer to utilize existing in-wall passive HDMI cables up to 15 meters in length to upgrade and support the full 4K/60, 4:4:4, HDR signal soon to be available in many video products.  We know that there are a lot of systems already installed in the real world that have quality passive HDMI cables in them and we also know that as an integrator you must build into the job the best possible avenue for future technology expansion.  Again the HDM-GA1 is the solution, why beat your head against the wall with worry about will a given format support what is coming when we already have the answer.

Here is what the HDM-GA1 will do for you.

1: It will take an existing passive HDMI cable up to 15 meters in length and allow it to support every single option that HDMI 2.0A can provide. That means 4/60, 4:4:4 Color, 3D, all available Multi-Channel Audio Codecs and (most importantly) High Dynamic Resolution [HDR].

2: When (not if) technology exceeds the HDMI 2.0A bandwidth all that you will need to do is replace the HDM-GA1 with the newer, higher bandwidth model.

3: My favorite, “ESD” damage, if you have an active that becomes damaged by “ESD” (electro static discharge) you can just write it off, there is no way to repair this damage and you must replace the cable. However if you are using a passive cable with our HDM-GA1, when this type of damage occurs you need only replace the HSM-GA1 and leave the cable alone.

An easy 4K/HDR upgrade solution.  It. Just. Works.

CEDIA 2015 Wrap Up

In the craziness of returning from Dallas last week - this post was not posted on the blog.  We apologize.  

Whew!  What a whirlwind CEDIA 2105 was in Dallas.  It was the best show Metra Home has had to date and it is largely due to the combination of great products and staff.  Seriously, our staff is the hardest working staff I know and no other company can touch our products.  My co-workers are a great group of people.  As I sat in the front desk during the show, I overheard things being said by staff and attendees and I made up a list:

• ·         WOW nice booth!
• ·         My feet hurt.
• ·         Don’t lean on the front desk.
• ·         Who left coffee on the front desk
• ·         Where is my coffee?
• ·         My feet hurt.
• ·         You sure that is the correct price?
• ·         Are you seriously taking an order on a trashcan?
• ·         I have not eaten all day
• ·         My feet hurt.

I also heard from Attendees the phrase “That’s a problem solver right there” after they saw the demo of the M3B.  This could explain why this product is flying out of the warehouse.  Good problem to have from where I am sitting.  The HDM-GA1 was awarded three awards

 and our first run is all sold out.

The show never slowed down for us and even though we are home – the pace has continued.  Here’s to hoping CES is just a wonderful show.

Construction of a HDMI Cable Part #6: Testing Procedures

If you have made it this far in the series you have seen how important each part of the cable is at least in our option. The real question is, how can this be validated as truth and not just be set aside as the ramblings of a PR/Marketing department?

Let us return for a moment to a contributing factor in what triggered this series, http://www.cnet.com/news/still-more-reasons-why-all-hdmi-cable-are-the-same/ and http://www.cnet.com/news/4k-hdmi-cables-are-nonsense/. The issue here for us is the testing methodology, all that was done to verify the quality of a given cable was (A) borrow a tone generator/scope and sweep/Eye pattern test one channel at a time of the three video channels and (B) plug the cables in between a source and a display. This is not a good or accurate way to test as timing of the 3 channels together is critical and without this concurrent channel testing results will be skewed.

So, how can you know if a cable is worth a damn?  DPL testing that’s how.

In theory, any cable that has the HDMI logo on it has been tested and approved by HDMI LLC.

We all know of course that this is not true (I have seen cables being sold at a price that is lower than the HDMI license fees). As evidence to this just before CEDIA 2015 HDMI LLC announced a new “Premium” certification program.  Apparently the previous “HDMI 1.4 High Speed” certification did not prove to be robust enough of a test to verify and validate the actual bandwidth needed to properly support the HDMI 2.0 feature sets. Also, in the past month was the announcement that “Underwriters Laboratory” was getting into the cable performance testing game.  Now to be fair both of these entities do an acceptable job of high speed video performance testing, unfortunately since each assumes that the bare minimum ATSC test for EDID is good enough neither one push’s the envelope for low speed data.

So “Meh”. Well who can you trust?

For Metra Home Theater Group it is again DPL (Digital Performance Labs), they are recognized as the strictest and most quality consistent testing facility in the AV world. A cable that can show and prove the DPL Seal of Approval is a safe choice for your installation. As mentioned before this could all be a line from marketing but time and many participating companies have proved that DPL knows what they are doing and can be trusted to tell you the truth. If you have any questions about a cable line or length go to http://www.dpllabs.com/ and check on that product. If it is not there ask yourself why.

What does this have to do with cables?

As mentioned in a previous installment of this series, DPL certification is neither quick nor cheap.  First, it takes a while to design and build a cable that meets the DPL standards. Second, in order for DPL to maintain “truth in testing”, ongoing testing is required.  DPL does not get these samples from the vendor instead DPL purchases them from dealers and/or distributors to test what is out in the field.  So like “UL” certification DPL has a yearly fee to keep you (the vendor) up to date.  For the dealer this is a fantastic resource as well as a great and timely report of what is tested and real.

We hope you enjoyed this blog series – if you have a suggestion on another topic please comment below.

Part 5 of Construction of a HDMI Cable: Termination

In the previous installments of this series, we have discussed everything needed for the best performing HDMI cable and to improve overall performance in a system.  With that being said without the proper termination quality parts will mean nothing and the cable will not provide top performance.

It is very important to control the heat, silver content, quantity and flow of the solder. Less is more in this application and of course “Cleanliness is next to Godliness”.  Extra solder closes the gaps between the connection points and that can/will create its own RF field. To add insult to injury, when it comes to the soldering process ROHS (Federal Lead standards) has mandated that lead be mostly removed from solder for safety reason.  Unfortunately this means that solder most be applied at a higher temperature for it to flow. Higher temps mean a greater chance of thermal damage to any board level components.

What does this have to do with cables?

                                                           

Solder work must be done with the greatest of care and with a very small thermal operating window.   Careful is not cheap and cheap is not careful.

Part 4 of Construction of a HDMI Cable: Silver Content

Now we are starting to get into the more esoteric physics of an HDMI cable. For many years, mainstream analog audio cable manufacturers talked about “Skin Effect” and how higher frequency’s tend to migrate to the surface of a cable and that lower frequencies stayed in the middle.  As it turns out, there is some truth to this statement. Oh, not in the analog audio domain, that is still BS (in our opinion).  However, in the high speed world of HDMI surface silver content and the type of dielectric do play a part in the performance of a HDMI cable.  Now just throwing a thicker cost of silver onto the copper is not the complete answer.   There must be a proper balance. Copper provides a stable high tinsel substrate for the silver plating, this will help the wire to keep its original length and shape which is necessary for the higher bandwidth and speeds (see #1 & #3). 

What does this have to do with cables?

Proper balance between copper and silver is mandatory for consistent performance.

Part 3 of Construction of a HDMI Cable: Bandwidth and Speed

Bandwidth and Speed are very important when discussing the construction of a HDMI cable.  One has to have a general understanding of how these two words pertain to cables as well as how they play into the cables functional capability.  Bandwidth and Speed are a very difficult and confusing concept for most people to grasp.

What is Bandwidth?  What is speed? 

Although bandwidth and speed have much in common, they are different and are frequently and incorrectly used by both consumers and the manufacturers to express the same thought. 

·         Bandwidth refers to how much data can pass thru a device at the same point and time. 

·         Speed refers to how quickly a device can create the data. 

For example, when discussing the differences in bandwidth needed to produce a 1080P picture (5 Gbps by Spec) and a 4K/60, 4:2:0 picture (9.2 Gbps +/-) what we are really comparing is the width of the high-way and the number of available traffic lanes.  Think of it this way: You send a 100 vehicle convoy between two cities down a 2 lane road at 60 miles an hour, this will give you 2 columns 50 trucks deep. The last truck in line will not arrive at the same time as the first. Now we increase the road to 10 lanes across and we are only 10 trucks deep closing the time gap.  In widening the road, the trucks can now go faster and vehicle speed increases to 120 mph.  A 10 to 1 increase in traffic flow is the result.

The trucks become data and you get our point – wider bandwidth increases the speed of the data in a HDMI cable.

What does this have to do with cables and why is this part of our series?

How fast a HDMI cable sends data is one of the most important facts of a cable and in our opinion must be a part of this series.  There is not one physical part of a cable that increases bandwidth and speed.  Wire gauge and consistency of the twist ratio determine both speed and bandwidth. Better quality product equals better data transfer.  A cable must be well built to be able to produce wider bandwidths and increasing speed. DPL certification on HDMI cables is a good way to know if the cable will provide the best bandwidth and speed. 

DPL certification is neither quick nor cheap. First it takes a while to design and build a cable that meets the DPL standards. Second in order for DPL to maintain “Truth in testing” on going testing is required and DPL does not get this samples from the vendor they come from dealers or distribution, so like “UL” certification there is a yearly fee to keep you (the vendor) up to date.

For the dealer, this is a fantastic resource as well as a great and timely report of what is tested and real.

Part 2 of Construction of a HDMI Cable: Shielding

The second part of this blog series we are discussing the two types of shielding and why they are important.  The two types of shielding that a HDIMI cable should have to provide the best protection are braid and foil.  

A braid shield keeps outside noise from interfering with your HDMI cable by cutting down the 110/60Hz interference.  If outside RF/EMI noise penetrates the HDMI cable it can cause all sorts of havoc. Since pretty much everyone has had some experience with HDMI Cat/x Extender failure due to high voltage switched devices (lights, motors, etc.) cause a short term dropout of the HDMI signal, there is an understanding of this issue.   

Foil shield reduces the high frequency interference and keeps the noise within the cable.  A foil shield also protects components from damage caused by spurious HDMI noise from running amok in your system like a gremlin.   Foil shielding around the TMDS feeds of a HDMI cable also keeps the noise from causing problems with infra-red components and RF control systems.

Here is a cutaway to demonstrate where the shielding is in our Velox cables:

What does this have to do with cables?  Better materials and more coverage within the shielding protects all of the system components and promotes a higher level of performance.

Next week we will discuss bandwidth and speed.  Comment below if you have any questions regarding this blog series so far.  We will do our best to answer you ASAP. 

Construction of an HDMI Cable Part 1 of 6

We talk a lot about our cables while we are planning our displays for the CEDIA booth.  Hours are spent grouping our cables together by category and the different technology they provide.  I ask questions about each of our cables and when I started looking at my notes I saw these questions: 

“What is the truth regarding HDMI and is there in fact a difference from one cable to another? Is there a reason to buy a better HDMI cable?”

In getting these answers, this blog post was born and over the next six weeks we are going to discuss the six parts of an HDMI cable and why customers should purchase a better (and preferably one of Metra Home’s) cables.

As most dealers know Metra Home has been a DPL member (www.dpllabs.com) since its inception.  In our association with DPL we have learned that the vast majority of claims made about HDMI and HDMI cables are confusing and misleading.  Metra Home has been fortunate to be associated with DPL and has over time received a reputation for good working, reliable and affordable products due to this association.

Here is a short synapses of what they taught us about cables and the differences that they possess:

#1: Cable Architecture and Timing, Intra-pair & Inter-pair Skew: -

HDMI is all about timing, timing of the TMDS feeds, timing of the DDC feeds, timing of the voltage trigger and timing of the Hot Plug return. Timing can be affected by poor wiring architecture with-in and between the twisted pairs, also depending on where and how the twist ratios are incorrect will determine whether the issue is intra or inter pair skew related. In the graphic below you will see the cause of each of these failures.

Intra-Pair Skew refers to the length time difference between the two wires within a single shielded pair and is displayed in the top graphic , it is not uncommon to see the twist point offset from the crossover center line. This failing can cause jitter in the Audio and Video. Inter-Pair Skew is caused by the length and twist points variance between the shielded pairs and will typically manifest itself by showing sparkles in solid color or white on the display depending on which cable (or how many pairs have an issue).

What does this have to do with cables?

Well, wire gauge and consistency of the twist ratio determine both Inter-pair and Intra-Pair Skew. Better quality product better data transfer.  It is important to purchase a quality HDMI cable to ensure good wiring architecture to avoid timing failures.  Metra Home tests all HDMI cables to receive the DPL seal of approval and because of this we have over time received a reputation for good working, reliable and affordable HDMI cables.

Follow our blog to get the next installment of this six part series.

Why You Need to Visit Our CEDIA Booth 4942

New Videos Are Posted

We are gearing up for CEDIA 2015 in Dallas  and this process includes shooting informational videos.  The first batch of videos are up and ready for viewing.  

Here are the new videos:

HDBaseT and 4K

How to Avoid Thermal Issues

HDCP 2.2 Explained

To go directly to our You Tube channel click here.  We appreciate feedback– so feel free to post a comment or suggest a video topic.  If you are attending CEDIA 2015 in Dallas, put booth # 4942 on your agenda.  We have some exciting products debuting this year.

Top Five Products and the Problems They Solve

Lists are always popular on blogs but lists can also be boring.  This list is informative and important, just like our staff!  Please leave comments and let us know if you agree. 

1.       HDM-DAD

What it does – verifies that all the EDID signals have the necessary integrity.

Problems Solved – Provides analysis of the Low Speed Data Stream which includes the 5 volt feed from the source to the display, the Hot Plug Detect return voltage from the display to the course, the Data line and Clock feed. The LED display lights on the top of the case indicate the status of these EDID components. If there are issues with any of these feed the DAD will repair them.

2.       HDM-JR

What it does – Less expensive EDID repair tool to leave at the job site to solve all the same issues of

the HDM-DAD.

Problems Solved - Audio drop outs, long sync times between sources, “HDCP not supported” issues on your display screen, “Mode not supported” on your display screen, “Mode out of range” on your display screen, black screen on your display and Picture and Sound drop out for a few seconds and then returns are all solved by this product.  The HDM-VI2 is fully HDMI 2.0, 18 Gbps compatible meaning this product will fulfill your needs of today and into the future.

3.      

HDM-VI2

What it does – repairs some common HDMI problems.

Problems Solved – It fixes the 5 Volt and Hot Plug supply failures; resolves the common problem of the Display returning its Hot Plug Detect signal before the AVR (or Matrix) is prepared to hear it.

The HDM-VI2 is fully HDMI 2.0, 18 Gbps compatible meaning this product will fulfill your needs of today and into the future.

4.      

HDMI SP2

What is does – help reduce the chance of your HDMI electronics being damaged by Electrostatic Discharge (ESD) spikes up to 8000 Volts.

Problems Solved – act as the final defense against ESD damage to your devices. The HDM-VI2 is fully HDMI 2.0, 18 Gbps compatible meaning this product will fulfill your needs of today and into the future.

5.       CS-DAC

What it does – Takes the 2 channel (PCM) data stream from the digital source and converts it to the analog RCA format for the distribution system.

Problem solved – Connecting sources without analog audio outputs to house audio systems. 

This and other products can be found here. 

Our Annual Lunch and Learn Event

Space is limited so reserve your chair and complementary lunch today.  Click here to reserve your seat.

This is a very well attended event and there will be limited standing room.

Our staff wrapped up the CEPro Top 100 Summit in National Harbor, Maryland today.  We are all getting excited for our next show CEDIA in Dallas, TX.

Miranda Grantham, National Sales Manager and Zak Yarnell, West Coast Regional Sales Representative manning the booth.

A Question Came Up in the office Today

A customer asked this question: How does HDBaseT claim 4K performance when it does not support 18 Gbps?

Well now that is a very good question.

I know I have posted about 4K versus UHD and all the confusion that surrounds this subject previously and it seems like this issue is not any clearer for our customers.  In the helping our customers make more educated purchases when it comes to this new technology, let us revisit this 4K/UHD issue one more time by using an actual issue that came up in our office.

4K is really meant to describe the output resolution of Professional Video products (usually at a Theater), whereas UHD is for the Consumer Electronics market.  UHD is a very wide ranging spec that covers everything from 4K/30 which less than 9 Gbps data (I call this HDMI 2.0 Lite) up to 4K/60, 4:4:4, HDR which needs around 17 Gbps. Currently the products the customers are using only need 4/K60, 4:2:0 (9 Gbps) as the carrier (again HDMI 2.0 Lite). As this fits nicely into the bandwidth requirement of HDMI 1.4 it will work with most current HDMI High Speed products (10.2 Gbps).  This is how HDBaseT can claim UHD capability.  It is important to understand the two caveats that come with this. First, 4K range will only be around 70% of the rated distance spec AND second there is currently no way to move beyond this 10.2 Gbps wall.

In short – HDBaseT fits the spec for today (4K/60 4:2:0 color) but there is no growing room for future specs.  If you are a installer that likes to prepare for current and future specs, this information is important when making an educated purchase.

A Typical Day

In the past year, we have seen a spike in the return of “defective” extenders.  This trend upset our sales and management team because there had to be a reason.  The technical support staff collected all the defective units, ran some tests and came to an interesting conclusion.  So interesting, that I wanted to include it on this blog as an example of the lengths our customer service team goes for our customers. 

The technical staff found that all but one was NOT defective and after talking with one of the installing companies’ job supervisors on how these were being installed our tech staff cleared up the entire issue. 

The problem: Improper installation leading to overheating.

When you look at the vast majority of HDBaseT extenders that are on the market there are vents on the long sides of the chassis and on the better units a heat sink on the top of the processor. These are very important to the flow of air that provides the ventilation and cooling of the HDBaseT “Valens” processor. 

Over time without the proper ventilation and cooling the multi-layer circuit boards will start to heat in an uneven fashion, when this happens the layer impedance will start to fluctuate and since a stable 75 ohms is needed to carry the video signal the unit will fail. If the unit(s) are unplugged and allowed to cool they will once again function, that is until they get hot. Each time this happens the interval between failures will decrease due to the minute damage sustained during heat related  of the circuit board. Eventually the unit will suffer irreversible damage and not reset and work again.

Here is how you can prevent this from happening on jobs.   First and most importantly make sure there is 4 to 6 inches of space between the units. A very good way to achieve this is with our new CS-RV2U, this is a 2U Hook and Loop rack plate for rear of rack. The CS-RV2U comes with Hook and Loop, the hook side is already mounted to the face of the plate in the package. Just cut and adhere the corresponding loop to your extender and press it into the hook at a 45 degree angle (this will allow for ventilation) you can then attach more units at the same angle with 3’ of spacing between the units. Installing your extenders in this manner allows for multiple units in a tight space while at the same time providing all of the needed ventilation.

Just another day supporting our customers with answers as well as great products.

Get Your HDMI Questions Answered

We pride ourselves on helping to educate our customers and support their business.  It is because of this that we are sponsoring a special webinar tomorrow, Tuesday, July 21 at 2 p.m. EDT featuring Jeff Boccaccio, president of DPL Labs and a columnist of CE Pro's "HDMI Corner". This webinar is free and not intended to sell you on HDMI.  It's designed to help you make the best cabling decisions possible. 

To sign up for the webinar please go here.  Do not miss this opportunity to have all of your questions answered.

Into the Future of HDMI

By C. I. Source

In Part 1 we discussed “In the Beginning”: specs, roadblocks, software, hardware, cables, standards, and more.  Now, let’s look Into the Future of HDMI.

Here is what we will need to do to continue to work:

Now that you are completely flummoxed and plotting your escape from the world of “CI” to a job flipping burgers, how do you salvage your career and start planning for the future? You will do this by looking forward -- great scott! For years we wired the world with coax in various forms, from one to six cables per bundle. It worked pretty much every time. Then along came HDMI. We had to switch over to Category X cables to get some distance. At first, it took Cat/X 2 cables, but now we are down to one -- or are we? Yes, there are cables that will support the UHD standard of 4K/60, 4:2:0, some even up to 100’. Ethereal Evolv cables are an example and we do have a new “true” 18 Gbps cable in the new Velox series, now shipping.

Most installers still want to install a bulk cable that they can terminate as needed. For this I recommend that they use two RG/6 cables and two Cat/6 Cables. Why two each? Right now SDI 3G (single coax) allows a dealer to push 1080P up to 300+ feet and soon they will be able to support the current UHD standard down that same cable with SDI 12G. However, that will not be enough in just a few years! By adding one more coax on the job site the dealers will be able to use the Dual 12G SDI products that will be introduced to the market soon. The same applies to the Cat/6 cables. HDBaseT may require that we double up on cables and transceivers to carry the needed bandwidth in the future.

I mentioned our new 18 Gbps Velox Cable. This product has been designed and built to go well beyond the existing HDMI 1.4 High Speed Max Cable Spec of 10.2 Gbps* which is the most recent spec available.  VELOX UHD cables are now available in lengths of one up to 12 meters and can handle anything the HDMI 2.0 spec can throw at it! VELOX UHD cables are the first-to-market cable line to combine evolutionary design and engineering techniques to support the new generation of HD, Ultra-HD and 4K video applications.

The elephant in the room HDCP 2.2:

HDCP is all content providers are concerned about -- and is the most important part of HDMI. It is what protects their intellectual property from theft by copying. HDCP has been with us since the very beginning of HDMI, in fact HDCP is the real reason for HDMI. Over the years, HDCP has gotten more sophisticated and harder, but not impossible, to hack. However, with the introduction of HDMI 2.0 and HDCP 2.2, content is fairly secure. It is important to note, despite common thinking, having HDMI 2.0 in your product does NOT guarantee that you will also have HDCP 2.2.

OK, then when will HDCP 2.2 impact your installations? Simple! Anything that switches, processes, distributes, displays or extracts must be HDCP 2.2 if the source is HDCP 2.2. Cables and extenders as a rule are not subject to this rule.

HDMI 2.0 Cables: Who makes them and how much are they?

There is no such animal! HDMI LLC does not have a spec or a test to support any cable technology beyond the current 1.4 High Speed Cable specification.

Does HDMI 2.0 require new cables?

No, HDMI 2.0 will work with existing HDMI cables. Higher bandwidth features, such as 4K@50/60 (2160p) video formats, will require existing high speed HDMI cables (Category 2 cables).

Here is what HDMI states about cables:

http://www.hdmi.org/manufacturer/hdmi_2_0/hdmi_2_0_faq.aspx#144

So are there any products that exceed this spec?

Yes, yes there are, and as usual we have them.

Our new VELOX UHD cables are the only cable as far as I know that will meet and exceed the 18 Gbps requirement without Eq. 

Hopefully this information helped clarify UHD and HDMI 2.0, so that along with Metra Home 

Theater Group’s technical support and products, you feel more confident with your gear choices and installs.

*Remember that just because it is “high speed cable,” it does not mean it reaches the 10.2 Gbps capability.

So, what do you think? Be sure to send me your questions and any feedback you may have. I’d love to hear from you!

History of HDMI: In the Beginning

By C. I. Source

Although HDMI 2.0 has been out for a while, this technology still has a dark shroud of mystery surrounding it.  Dealers and manufactures are afraid of HDMI while customer demand is looming. We’ll examine some of the issues we’ve had to deal with as we get underway with this new frontier in Part 1. Be sure to watch for Part 2, Into the Future of HDMI in our next installment.

The question is:   “As an industry, how do we salve the fears and provide the client with what they need to move forward with the new HDMI interface?”

To fully understand the new technology, let’s review. Let’s look at how we evolved, where we are presently, and where we are headed in the future:    

I

n the beginning, there was DVI created by silicon image which was intended to be a computer video interface that provided a true Digital High Speed Video connection over a relatively short distance. DVI performed as intended -- but not without problems creating a roadblock to future implementation.  Some of the issues were the lack of a single Plug/Wire standard; the inability for the signal path to travel more than 15’ consistently; no audio standard; and a very large terminal.

Not long after DVI was introduced, the movie and TV industries started looking for ways to secure their new “HD” content.  They felt motivated by and ultimately compelled to limit market availability due to what they assumed were their intellectual property rights. They would not release “HD” content to without a strict level of “Intellectual Property” protection.  To fix this shortcoming, Silicon Image (creator of DVI) took the functioning structure of DVI and the HDCP protection scheme developed by Intel and put it all together into a smallish terminal that carried the High Speed Video, Multi-Channel Audio, Intelligence and Security together as one.

The original HDMI Spec 1.0, 1.1 and 1.2 (2002-2006) allowed for 5 Gbps of data transfer, this supported 1080P, 8 Bit color, Multi-channel Audio and EDID/HDCP.  In 2006 the HDMI 1.3 spec was released, this covered several new features and an expanded bandwidth of 10.2 Gbps.  This revision had the first actual cable performance change (from 5 to 10 Gbps) since the introduction of HDMI and is where we still are almost 10 years later! The HDMI 1.4 spec introduced in 2009 added features to the electronics but did not have any cable changes except for the “not yet used” Ethernet support.

This brings us to HDMI 2.0 and the new 18 Gbps standard. When HDMI 2.0 was introduced with much Fanfare in September of 2013 (wow time flies!) there was a lot of misunderstanding and misinformation. This new version of HDMI made a giant leap in bandwidth and now calls for 18 Gbps bandwidth capability.

Whoa….wait a minute, did not HDMI LLC say that they would not need to institute a new cable spec to support this? Yes, HDMI stated, numerous times, that the current 1.4 “high end” cable spec will do everything that is needed for this new format.

And that brings us to the reason for this article: How is this going to work? More importantly, how do we plan for the future?

Here (in HDMI LLC’s opinion) is how it is supposed to work:

Equalization! HDMI assumes that if you have a “true” High Speed cable that is in fact capable of 10.2 Gbps and if you can throw 25 db of EQ onto the signal at the display side you will be able to recover enough data to get a “true” UHD 4K picture.

There are of course some serious issues involved with this plan. A vast number of cables are not really 10.2 capable, even though they are rated high speed. That means a fail. The display side equalization, while over-all adaptive, does not appear to be frequency specific adaptive. This means that if your cable does not have a very linear signal loss between 10 Gbps and 18 Gbps (with a max loss of 25 db) you will have a statistically high opportunity of failure. This theory also does not work well with longer distances and extenders, of any sort.

Here (IMO) is how it is working:

How is it that there are systems with long cables and extenders working with UHD right now? Well, they really aren’t doing HDMI 2.0.

HDMI 2.0, more importantly UHD, only needs about 9 Gbps to carry all of the current formats. I call this HDMI 2.0 Lite.

Aren’t UHD and HDMI 2.0 the same thing? No, no they are not. Thinking of the HDMI 2.0 spec as the USA, for example, UHD is about the size of Rhode Island! So while all UHD formats fit into the HDMI 2.0 Spec, and as a general rule the HDMI 1.4 spec, there is no way that all of the HDMI 2.0 features fit inside the boundaries of UHD.

Here is how current UHD 4K/60 works inside of the HDMI 1.4 spec:

Current UHD started showing up in products such as the Sony 4K server in the summer of 2013. This version was only 4K/30 meaning the picture was refreshed 30 frames per second (FPS.) While this looked great on static or slow moving pans, when there was an action scene the video became very jittery. This did not go over well with the consumer. The push was on to get the video refresh rate up to 60 FPS. The only way to accomplish this with the cables and digital roadways that are available is to cut corners on the “chroma sub-sampling rate.” This Chroma sub-sampling rate is represented as three numbers, 4:4:4, 4:2:2 and 4:2:0. This is very important to both the overall quality of the picture and the bandwidth needed to carry the signal. 4:2:0, available in UHD, cuts down on the necessary bandwidth by doing a lot of data averaging. This is done so they can cram a lot of data, in theory, into a small pipe.  In 4:4:4 each and every pixel can display any color independent of any other pixel. In the 4:2:0 pixels are arranged in groups of 4 which all show the same color. This is how they cut down on bandwidth, instead of needing enough bandwidth to provide every pixel its own color information, they now only need enough to cover a quarter of that need.

Thank You to AVS Forum for this Graphic

That’s enough for this issue, don’t you agree? Stay tuned for Part 2: The Future of HDMI in our next issue.

Be sure to send me your questions and any feedback you may have. I’d love to hear from you!

HAPPY 4TH OF JULY!!!

HAPPY 4TH OF JULY!!!!!

FROM METRA HOME THEATER GROUP

Introducing C.I. Scource

In an effort to better engage and inform our customers, Metra Home Theater Group would like to introduce our mascot - C.I. Source ! C.I. Source (appropriately named after the Custom Integrator audience he will serve), is an adorable, approachable, tech-savvy, and slightly frazzled-looking, home theater enthusiast created to provide brand recognition for Metra Home Theater and serve as a tool to educate and provide solutions to our customer base.

To ensure customers fully appreciate our new mascot, we gave C.I. Source a rich history:

C. I. always had a passion for technology dating back to the days of turntables and loudspeakers. While selling Hi-Fi in his college days, C.I. decided to turn his passion into his life’s work. After an illustrious career in the car audio business, he expanded into other areas including home automation. C.I. was right in the middle of the mix when digital came along and changed the home entertainment industry forevermore. Instead of boxes going out the door, customers wanted video and audio in every room, with custom functions ranging from automatic draperies to home monitoring.  This meant new electronics – distribution amplifiers, projectors, switchers –- and it all had to be designed to work seamlessly in the home. C. I. was thrilled to take on this challenge, which would be the first of many as he was faced with wider bandwidths, fascinating new delivery systems and extreme home theater advances. C.I. – who is married to his high school sweetheart, Sandy Tereo aka S.Tereo (now hyphenated Stereo-Source.) They have one son, Di’Gital. C. I. is passionate about making home theater and home automation accessible to all.

Metra Home Theater Group strives to be a problem solving resource for CIs by sharing a wide range of content and actively communicating with our Custom Integrator audience.  By creating C.I. Source, we hope our customers past, present and future will find him an accessible, fun way to get the guidance and support so many crave in setting up and operating their home theater and automation systems exactly to their specifications, needs and wants.

The Internet of Things

Back in March I posted about the Internet of Things (or IoT for short).  Since that post I have seen the #IoT in regards to a wide array of topics.  The uses of the IoT are varied with some being downright scary.  Some examples that I have run across in the last few weeks are as follows:

•  Disney has plans to change its experience at theme parks and hotels with its wearable device. From an app or wristband one can get into a park, purchase a souvenir and even sign up for the fast pass on various rides.  All of this can be done from a wristband or phone app.  Learn more here.  No more paper tickets or waiting in lines for rides. 
• Hospitals are using the IoT helping sick children play interactively with shelter pets helping the children forget about their illness for a small time.  
• TheLevis Company is using the IoT to develop clothes that connect to the internet to help people interact more with the real world around them instead of staring at phones. 

Convenience, helpful & scary is how I categorize the above list.

The IOT can help make lots of things more organized (Disney) and helpful (kids in hospitals).  What scares me is there may be a market for wearable clothes that help people be more interactive with the real world. What is that about?

The INTERNET OF THINGS needs to help people be more INTERACTIVE with the REAL WORLD!  People do stare at their phones a lot when out in public.  I am guilty of that myself.  In my house, we had to implement a rule that all cell phones are turned off and put away during family dinner.  Sadly, the rule was put in place for my husband and myself – not my children.  To think that clothes might connect with our cell phones in the near future makes me fear for my grandchildren.  Will we have to change clothes before dinner to continue the tradition of eating as a family and the end of every single day?  Smart phones have changed society in positive and negative ways.  How will Smart Clothes change the next generation?  Do we really need an IoT device (clothes) to help us connect more with reality or should we just be more responsible with the technology we have?  IF the smart clothes catch on – where will this lead us as a society?  Will we start living the science fiction books I grew up reading?  Sounds great in theory but the reality of all of this “connectivity” may be it actually make us less “connected” to real people and the real world around us.

I would love to hear what others think about this Brave New World that is upon us. #IoT #GlobalIndustry #BigData #WearableTech

Most asked Spyclops Tech Questions

Our Spyclops tech department is busy helping customers and I happen to sit in the same room.  So the thought came to be one day, “What are the most asked questions?”    I fired off an email and asked “What question do you answer the most regarding our Spyclops line?”

I was given the top three most asked Spyclops tech questions:

1.       I am having issues connecting on my phone with ESEE, HELP? 

Make sure you have full signal on your Smartphone or tablet to pull the video through, especially if you have more than four cameras connected.  Videos pull more bandwidth than games or regular apps.

2.       I have an Android but I can only view four cameras, where are the other cameras?

Make sure you selected the correct number of cameras when you added your DVR.  If you did, then simply swipe the screen left at the camera view to scroll through all the cameras views.

3.       How do I verify my DVR is recording:

After you set up your recording information, you will see one of the three icons in the upper right hand corner of each camera view that is actively recording.  You will see a clock for timed recording, a red dot for manual recording or a yellow running man for motion recording.  If one of these icons are showing, your camera is recording.