HDBaseT basics
HDBaseT offers all kinds of advantages to those who must distribute digital signals. It is intended by it’s creators to provide a connectivity technology optimized for multimedia distribution. HDBaseT delivers uncompressed full HD digital video, audio, 100BaseT Ethernet, power over cable and various control signals through a single 100m/328ft CAT5e/6 cable with RJ45 connectors. Where did it come from? The HDBaseT Alliance, incorporated on June 14, 2010 by Samsung Electronics, Sony Pictures Entertainment, LG Electronics and Valens Semiconductor, was developed to promote the HDBaseT technology originally created by this place called Valens.
Specific coolness:
- Uncompressed video/audio up to 10.2 Gbps.
- Maximum single hop distance of 100m, including support of multiple hops, up to 8 x 100m
- Low cost standard Cat5e/6 LAN cable
- Utilizes a standard RJ-45 connector
- Supplies up to 100W of power – could actually be used to power something bigger than a shoebox.
- Support for 100Mbps Ethernet
- Uses your existing in-wall Ethernet connectivity
- USB support
- Supports HDCP
- Networking support including extended-range daisy chain and star topologies
- Video and audio
Detailed coolness:
- HDBaseT supports TV and PC video formats including standard, enhanced, high-definition and 3D video,and also supports all standard audio formats.
- HDBaseT delivers Full HD/3D and 2K/4K uncompressed video to a network of devices or as a point-to-point connection. Uncompressed content supports all video sources, including legacy products, accurately renders gaming graphics and features such as electronic program guides (EPGs), and does not degrade video quality or add latency.
- 100BaseT Ethernet HDBaseT supports 100Mb Ethernet capabilities, enabling televisions, hi-fi equipment, computers and other CE devices to communicate with each other and access multimedia content, including video, pictures and music stored in multiple locations.
- Power over cable Sending power over the same CAT5e/6 cable gives people the option to forego plugging devices into the wall outlet for power, allowing greater mobility. HDBaseT can power remote TVs and other devices up to 100 watts.
- Various control signals HDBaseT delivers different types of control signals for different purposes, starting fromCEC, to RS232/USB and IR that operate remote equipment even when in a remote location.
The Technology behind the coolness:
- HDBaseT uses an asymmetric method, sending video, audio, Ethernet and controls from source to sink, but only 100Mb are transferred back (Ethernet and controls). Unlike conventional data communication which is a symmetrical application by nature, requiring a bit error rate (BER) of at least 10 to the minus 12, the asymmetric nature of HDBaseT is based on an innovative DSP engine and an AFE (Application Front End) architecture.
- A special line coding scheme was developed to provide better transfer quality to some kinds of data (audio, controls, Ethernet) without the need to give up all that overhead protecting the video content which consumes most of the bandwidth.
Finally, HDBaseT also deals with video control signals and the reconstruction of video clocks. BUT: These elements are not part of the conventional LAN communication and require deep understanding of uncompressed video interconnects.
What does that even mean? Next post will deal with LAN communication into and out of the HdbaseT system we have just described.