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 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. 

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.

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.

Feedback From Las Vegas

Last week Jason and Bob were at the ISC WEST Show at the Sands in Las Vegas.  This is the first time Metra Home Theater Group has exhibited at this show and we featured our Spyclops line.  I hear the show went well and the booth looked fantastic.  When the staff returns, I like to ask a few standard questions to get a feel for a show and how it went, how to improve, etc. I email them the questions and they answer them within the first few days of being back in the office.   I work with some funny people and sometimes these answers make me laugh.  This was one of those times.  I decided to make it my ISE Show Wrap up post because it shows why we are such a tight group here at Metra Home Theater Group.  I hope you enjoy these as much as I did.

1. What did you learn at the show?  Las Vegas is just as hard on us Floridians in April as it is in January when we are there for CES.  When breaking down the booth we need to make sure our crates get there on time.  It’s difficult to work hard when your body is craving humidity.
2. What did you think about booth location?  I think by the time people got back to us, they had seen it all and they gave us a glance and turned around.  Still got some good leads in between nose bleeds.  Also, we need to make sure we do a nose check during the show.  Nose bleeds can happen at any time and scare people off no matter where we are located next year.
3. How many exhibitors were there?  Over 10000 and they all had big TVs in their booths.  We need big TVs next year to help draw in the crowds. 
4. What can we do to improve at the show next year?  Didn't you just ask that?  Well, big TVs are the way to go next year.  They catch the eye and will bring in traffic. Packing a humidifier in the crates so we are prepared for environment will also save us from multiple trips to the store after the show.
5. What was one positive from the show?  Break down goes really fast when you are ready to get home and breath the fresh Florida air full of humidity.

Metra Home Theater Group will showcase the Spyclops Surveillance Systems line, April 15 to 17, 2015 at the Sands Expo in Las Vegas, NV.

Jason Lundell and Bob Pancari will be attending the ISC West Show in Las Vegas, NV this week.  This is the first time Metra Home Theater Group has attended this show and we are excited.   We have been in Vegas for other shows but they have been held in the HUGE convention center.  ISC West is held in the Sands.  We feel that the more intimate booth conditions will give future customers a more one-on-one experience. These conditions are where customers learn about our best feature - our award-winning staff which is why we are #MoreThanProducts.

But the show is about products and Spyclops product line will be featured at this show.  The line includes camera accessories, as well as DVRs and DVR kits designed to work with compatible power distribution systems.  There is, of course, a remote surveillance service with 24/7 access via Web browser or smart phone.  Specifically, the Spyclops line includes bullet indoor/outdoor security cameras; domestic dome style cameras; 16-, 8- and 4-channel DVRs; 5-, 9- and 18-way power distribution boxes and various security cable.  Metra’s three new DVRs feature full 960H recording capability on all channels. In addition to higher recording resolution, the new DVRs offer four sensor inputs with one alarm output, as well as upgraded hard drives that are designed for 24/7 use.

Metra Home Theater Group cannot talk about our Spyclops line without mentioning our tech support.  We have designated employee that answers our tech line to help with all of your Spyclops tech support issues.  Deanna Mann is here for something as simple and unplugging the RJ45 Ethernet Cable from the back of a DVR to adjusting the masking area to no blue boxes, she can help.  Deanna is an example of how dedicated to excellent customer service we are here at Metra Home Theater Group and why we are #MoreThanProducts.

If you are attending ISC West next week – stop by booth #29109 to see for yourself how we are there for our customers.

Welcome Changes to Metra Home Theater Group

Metra Home Theater Group has made some changes to continue providing our award winning customer services.

•                     Please welcome our new Northeast US Territory Manager, Bob Pancari.  Bob brings with him 15 years of sales experience. 

•                     We also have a new Regional West Coast Sales Representative, Zak Yarnell.  Zak has worked in the manufacturing industry for last 5 years and brings with him extensive sales and supply chain knowledge.

•                     Miranda Grantham has been promoted to National Sales Manager. 

•                     Jason Lundell has also been promoted to Southern U.S. Territory Manager and Product Specialist.

•                     Erika Baily has been transferred to the Southeast Region with Jason Lundell from the West Coast.

To stay informed on all the exciting things that Metra Home Theater Group does, follow us on social media.

The Confusion Surrounding 4K

Last week, the blog discussed what 4K means to the customer and it caused quite the stir with my CI co-workers.  In an effort to clear things up a little and to add to the controversy of the subject, this post will outline some of the topics discussed in our offices.

Right now, 4K to the CI means confusion. This is because 4K, to most people (consumers), means twice as many pixels horizontally and twice as many pixels vertically to make up the picture on the TV.  4K meant the HD picture quality had to be improved for the consumer wanting bigger and bigger TVs.  Non-4K TVs have a 1080p picture with 1920 pixels horizontally and 1080 pixels vertically.  Since the 4K televisions double both the number of horizontal and vertical pixels, we get: 2 x 1920 = 3840 and 2 x 1080 =2160.  Meaning 3840 x 2160, which equals 4K for the consumer.  This doubling is where the consumer gets the term 4K.  Here is a visual that helps people grasp exactly what that math represents:

However, the term 4K is not interchangeable for both the professional and the consumer version of this technology.  The term “4K” has been pushed on the consumer, but there is a professional 4K, which is totally different. Technically, “4K” is not correct when discussing the professional grade in cinemas and theaters.  The CI using the commercial grade resolution is actually dealing with a picture that is 4096 x 2160 pixels and call this the “real 4K.” This does not sound near as sleek as 4K – I can understand why the marketers wanted to use 4K. It just sounds better, but is confusing the subject.

To distinguish between the two, the Consumer Electronics Association coined the term ULTRA HD, or UHD for short.  For whatever reason, the TV makers stuck with 4K instead. It just sounds better than UHD.  Because it still is confusing to the professional CI to have two terms, things (at least for now) seem to have settled on using the term UHD 4K for consumer TVs.  I guess that is so they can leave room for UHD 8K in the future - which really will make things more confusing.

My question is why couldn’t the /Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) use one term for the consumer (ULTRA HD Anyone) and 4K for the CI?  Like regular gas and premium gas.  I am sure the concept would have caught on and not have confused a soul.

What is 4K?

4K ready cables.  4K televisions.  The term “4K” is being thrown around a lot lately and does anyone really know what it means?  I recently tried to explain the importance of 4K and how it will impact everyone’s life one day over dinner with a group of friends.  I was met with “I just don’t get it” comments.  Undeterred, I went to work and started a conversation on what is the best way to educate the consumer on the importance of 4K.  Other co-workers have had similar conversations with their friends and family members. 

“What is this 4K I keep hearing about? Should I care? Is this something that should be important to me?”

“I understand that it is something to do with TVs, but does that mean I have to replace all my other gear to go with it – a new Blu-ray player, a new AV receiver, new Blu-rays, new set top boxes or even new cables?”

“Will I have to upgrade my subscriptions to services like Netflix?”

These are some of the questions that came up in our office during our discussion of how to educate customers on the importance of 4K.  These questions led me to this blog post and what needs to be addressed first.  Metra Home Theater Group needs to define what 4K is for our customers before anyone will understand why it is important.

THE DEFINITION OF 4K – stands for four times the resolution of a high definition 1080p TV picture to newer TVs.  The picture looks stunning, especially with 4K content.  The terms 4K and/ or Ultra High Definition (UHD) can be used interchangeably.  So if you are in the market for a new TV, purchase a 4K TV because 4K is coming and according to statistics released by Strategy Analytics, half of U.S. homes will have Ultra HD/4K TVs by 2020.

Eventually, customers will have to purchase a new Blu-ray player and Blu-ray movies, but they are not available for purchase yet.  Most UHD TVs are Smart TVs which means you can watch UHD/4K content using Netflix or Amazon.  In addition, receivers older than six months may not support the UHD content.  Meaning, if you want to see UHD/4K content on your new TVs, you will need an updated receiver.  As the standard moves toward UHD, cables that support UHD content will have to be used in conjunction with your components.  Investing in UHD/4K ready cables will be necessary at this time.

The best advice that Metra Home Theater Group can give you at this moment is the following:  if purchasing a new TV and you plan on having it for 3 years, get 4K Smart TV and the UHD cables needed.  Start making the investment so you are prepared when 4K/UHD becomes the standard. 

WHAT IS THE INTERNET OF THINGS?

The term "Internet of Things" (or IOT for short) is everywhere.  Do you know what this means?  Do you know how this effects you?  I took some time to read up on the Internet of Things to educate myself because frankly, the phrase annoys me.  It sounds pompous.  This phrase reminds me of rich people saying “money does not solve everything.”  Really?  Money does not solve everything?  I am pretty sure money would have solved my problem of trying to figure out how to pay for books for college.  With that being said, the IOT sounds like it might solve everything.  The IOT is being thrown around in articles about everything from kitchen appliances to smartwatches. Yet no one has explained exactly what the Internet of Things means.  There is a hashtag to following and everything – yet no explanation.

Until last Friday.

I found Dan Sung’s article at Wearable.com and he explained what the internet of things means:

“It's an all-compassing term that refers to the internet changing from a giant network of connected PCs to a mega-network including everything around you. From your kitchen to your car and everything in between, the Internet of Things (IoT) is changing the world”

Read the fully article here. 

It is a wonderful explanation of how this Internet of Things revolution is important, how it could change our lives as we know it and the downside.

Read the article and see if it reassures you on the Internet of Things and how it is set to change everyday life. 

Personally, I have gone from annoyed to a little scared.

Our Staff - The Best Reason to Follow this Blog

To be relevant today in the electronic industry one must be online. By online, I mean online on all of the relevant platforms.  How do you determine which platforms are relevant?  Well, as the new (and first) Marketing Director at Metra Home Theater Group I started using the platforms I used personally.  With that being said, it’s easy to get overwhelmed if you don’t start with a strategy.  I have pared down this list and decided to start with a blog for Metra Home Theater Group with the goal of giving our customers more information that they can use in their businesses.

Now, blogs have to be interesting and current to obtain followers.  Luckily for me, I have a writer’s gold mine at my disposal because I get to work with all of the colorful characters here at Metra Home Theater Group.  I mean this in the nicest possible way.  The staff of our home theater division is the hardest working, most intelligent and eclectic group of people. Thanks to their amazing knowledge base, I never know what subject will be the topic for the day, and thanks to their sense of humor the topics are also not guaranteed to be politically correct.  While our friendly conversations are not the domain of human resources, they are often very helpful to learn from each other and help translate what Metra does to our customers.  It was during one of these conversations that the idea occurred to me that I needed to do a blog for Metra Home Theater Group.  I’m very happy that I have the opportunity to sprinkle in the characters of MHTG with the business information.  We are a highly entertaining group and I think our customers whole heartedly agree. 

The Metra Home Theater Staff at CEDIA 2014

I plan for the blog to be informative and entertaining for my followers.  In addition to the latest in product development, this blog will star the hard working staff of Metra Home Theater Group.  Have my blog posts emailed directly to your in-box so you can read all about the fun group in Holly Hill, Florida!  Because where else will you find the technical director of 4k HDMI and the CFO discussing the death museum in California?

ISE 2015

Our staff leaves this weekend for the ISE show in Amsterdam, NL.  Put our booth # 7-R165 on your schedule.

Customer Service - Metra's Key to Success

Metra Home Theater Group is a leading source of electronics accessories for over 65 years, and this longevity is greatly due to the manufacturer’s investment in taking the time to understand the needs of residential integrators. We believe that customer service and technical support includes professional troubleshooting and brainstorming installation questions right alongside the customers. Product manager Brent McCall—who picks up the customer service line from 8 am to 10 pm seven days a week—understands that integrators need to both comprehend the installation inside and out as well as look great in front of their client. McCall, who has been in the industry since 1978, is comfortable taking application specific questions, working out contingencies, or even flow charting the system to take an overhead view and find the best solution. Metra Home Theater Group excels at customer service because their team appreciates the opportunity to discuss the many facets of technology. 

We are a Residential Systems Stellar Service Award winner due to this dedication to customer service.  Congratulations to all the staff on receiving this award.  The entire staff’s dedication to customer service is what makes Metra Home Theater Group stand out from the competition.

CES 2015 Wrap Up

Whew!  CES 2015 was a whirlwind of excitement and it set the tone for 2015.  The booth was the best one yet.  Professional booth builders were shocked to learn we build our own booth. Some booths built by professional booth builders did not look as great.  Our booth got some attention at CES which lead to a great way to kick off 2015. 

In addition to a fantastic looking booth, our product 4K Ready HDMI Cables won an award from TWICE.  It is always exciting to win an award during a show.  We would like to give a big thank you to the judges for the TWICE Picks Award for bestowing this honor on our new cables.  

CES is held in Las Vegas every year and every year the staff suffers because of the environment change. Going from gorgeous Daytona Beach, Florida to dessert-dry Nevada is a blow to the sinuses.  If the staff does not get sick at the show, we get sick upon return.  This year most of the staff stayed healthy while in Las Vegas and got to do some of the wacky, tourist attractions in their down time.  Here is a picture of staffers at Madame Tussaud’s Wax Museum.

Currently, everyone is back in the office after an annual post-show visit to the physician for medicine.  This is a step in the right direction!  Next year’s goal is to stay healthy during and after CES.

It is now back to work!

Customer Service: Our Edge Over the Competition

Have you ever purchased a product and got home or to the job site and found that you have issues but can’t get support? Then you call the help line only to get a computer or even worse some foreign help center? 

This is one example of how Metra Home Theater Group stands out from the pack when it comes to customer support.  We have (GASP!) live people in our office that answer the phones, one of which is our head tech and product guy Brent McCall.  Brent has been in the electronics industry for 40+ years playing every role from sales and support, to product design and installation.  He is an important part of the exemplary customer service that Metra Home Theater Group provides to its customers.

Brent provides extended hours tech support for Metra Home Theater Group’s customers.  In addition to seven day a week tech support, he follows several online forums to offer help for all brands.  At this year’s CEDIA Show in Denver, one of our customers had wonderful things to say about our products and Brent.  See her video here.  Brent was recently featured in December CEPro’s Magazine article recognizing the unsung heroes of the custom electronics industry.  Brent is just one part of the sales and support team that makes us different.

If you are attending CES 2015 in Vegas January 6 – 9^th, put booth #12434 on your agenda.

Come see for yourself why people call Metra Home Theater Group for custom integration and retail electronic needs.

Continuing Education to Build Relationships

On our first post for this blog, we introduced our affiliation with the Installer Institute and the training that it can provide home theater custom integrators. This was not by sheer happenstance. We at Metra Home Theater Group strongly believe in continuing education for our sales staff.  We provide monthly sessions with our entire staff just to touch base and hear what our customers need and are asking for.  In addition, we require all of our sales, product and support people to attend product training, most often on our own time to learn the latest technologies and how it will affect us and our customers.  One of the top reasons to buy from us is that we strive to educate our entire staff so we can pass along this knowledge to you our customer.

One of the ways that we provide continuing education our dealers is thru our “YouTube” video series.  The content ideas for these videos come from our sales people, tech support staff and you the “CI”.  You can see our YouTube channel here.  The playlist titled “How To” is a great collection of videos that were produced with the “CI” in mind (Go here to see this playlist).  Metra Home Theater Group also holds multiple training sessions on the show floor in our booth at the annual CEDIA EXPO. We even include lunch!

It is Metra’s firm belief that building relationship’s and trust with our customer’s is our most important job.