Here’s a question that I’ve heard from various ports–why do I need HDMI? A lot of people look at their home theatre equipment, and they’re all a little skeptical that they need to get some new cables when their component video cables are still perfectly good.
Plus, they’ve heard that places like Best Buy love to overcharge for the Monster cable line, so they’re all probably questioning the value of these cables just a bit.
But the HDMI cable is actually a very good idea, and if you get the chance to use that little fella–if both your TV and your devices have these ports, then you definitely should. Why? Well, of course, it offers a very high definition signal. HDMI transmits a video signal at a maximum resolution of 2560 x 1600. This is roughly fifty percent again higher than 1080p.
Also, HDMI serves a HUGE efficiency purpose. HDMI can transmit fully eight channels of audio, along with a video signal. Interestingly, in order to get 7.1 channel audio, along with HD video, would require eleven total cables per device, where HDMI does it all with just one.
So if you’re looking to avoid a whole lot of time spent plugging, and get back a whole lot of time spent playing, then you’re going to want to go HDMI.
NXG is ready for to supply HDMI 1.4 cables to your 3D display. The NXG Technologies Black Pearl HDMI v1.4 cables are both 4K and 3D compatible and they are available to dealers only for now. 1m of such cable will cost them $44.95 while 20m will sell for $380. The cable will offer HDMI Ethernet Channel, Audio Return Channel, beyond-1080p resolution and much more. Too bad the TVs capable of such features will only appear sometime next year.
Cabling has been a critical part in the delivery of quality audio and to make sure that connections are done properly in preparation for the shift towards v1.4 hardware, NXG Technology launches its new v1.4 capable HDMI cables which add Ethernet connectivity and return audio path to existing HDMI formats.
These cables are forecasted to be the “future-proof” of delivering competent and improved video and audio speed for people setting up their home entertainment systems. The said v1.4 capable HDMI cables are now available and should be great alternative as v1.4 capable hardware are expected to come out by 2010.
HDMI 1.4 has yet to find its way into a wide array of devices but regardless, Panasonic has gone ahead and announced that they will begin offering cables in Japan next month.
These HDMI 1.4 cables will reportedly drop on August 27th and will range from 1-10 meters with prices of $42 - $210.
Sure it’s expensive, but once the technology catches on and is more widely used the prices will drop thus making us, the consumers, happy.
Whether you want to play games or watch streaming video online, one factor you have to address would be that of the speed on how you get the feeds into your own network. Upgrading certain parts of your network infrastructure may be a good recourse but why bother if you can do so with your existing setup? All you need is one device and that is the Gigabit Powerline HD Starter Kit from Belkin.
Improve the network signals you receive with the Gigabit Powerline HD Starter Kit. With its high Gigabit speed, you can be assured that the Gigabit Powerline reduces online gaming latency and provides large bandwidth. The Gigabit Powerline can deliver content of up to 1000Mbps of speed.
How to set it up:
Plug one end of the Adapter into an available wall outlet.
Connect the other end to any device with an available Ethernet port (RJ45), such as a gaming console, set-top box, or computer.
Features:
Ideal for ultrafast high-quality transmission of multiple video streams, reducing online gaming latency and quickly transferring large data files
Includes one single-port Adapter for a gaming console, HDTV, or a computer and another single-port Adapter to plug into a router
Stream multiple HD movies and game online
Improves Internet connectivity in remote rooms or places hard to reach with wireless connections
Provides a secure, stable networking signal
Push-button security
Plug-and-play setup
Compatible with HomePlug AV products
The Belkin Gigabit Powerline HD Starter Kit is now available in North America for $149.95. It will also be available in Europe by this August.
TRU Company shifts its marketing attack to high gear with the aggressive promotion for their latest HDMI cable, the VOLO Pro V Gamer Series. The new cables are aims to provide a higher quality for home theater experience and gaming which will certainly get the exposure it needs with this new marketing alliance.
A free issue of GamePro Magazine has been bundled with the new HDMI cable for every purchase. The give-away is part of a larger promotion to introduce VOLO’s new line of high-quality, low-cost HDMI cables to consumers.
“For everyone who is still nursing an E3 hang-over, we are here to help with a fun give-away, to introduce our high-performance HDMI cables to the gaming community. Our PRO V Gamer Series caters to their specific needs at a much lower price point,” said TRU President, Mitch Norton.
When the HDMI cable first hit store shelves it effectively took the market by storm; combining HD video and HD audio all into one cable was something people had never seen before. Well, HDMI has come along way and the guys behind the interface are gearing up to launch its latest version, version 1.4
This new version will not only continue to support both HD video and audio but it will now throw Ethernet and 3D into the mix. This means with one cable you’ll have HD video, audio, Ethernet and 3D an almost ridiculous amount of stuff to stuff into such a small space. But that’s not all, it was also announced that HDMI 1.4 will support video resolutions up to 4x greater than whats currently being offered today, 1080p.
When these cables do hit the market there will be 4 different versions, standard and high speeds. The only different between the versions is that they will come with or without Ethernet. This is obviously to keep the cable in the hands of those who can’t afford to pay a premium for such a luxury.
Cabling has always been a problem for households and now that home theater setups are blossoming and growing in demand, you can imagine the cable management issues they have to deal with. There will be accessories and alternatives but the real issue here is not to sacrifice quality entertainment by turning to organizer-friendly components.
As far as connectors for flat panel displays, Monster unveils a new super think HDMI cable. These new cables are specially designed for use with a wide variety of electronics devices, ranging from today’s super-slim flat-panel TVs to digital video cameras, home theater systems, gaming systems or portable computers.
Here are the varied specs and pricing for these new cables from Monster:
Digital Life SuperThin High Speed Powered Cable for HDMI (SRP) 4ft. $89.95, 8ft. $99.95 and 16ft. $119.95.
Digital Life SuperThin High Speed Powered Cable for camcorder; Mini HDMI to HDMI 8ft. (SRP) $99.95.
Monster’s Core Line of SuperThin Powered Cables for HDMI 1m $79.95, 2m $89.95 4m $99.95, 5m $119.95.
To address the problems of feed and improper distribution of audio and video, Tripp Lite unveils a rackmountable VGA over Cat5 extenders, excellent for remote surveillance monitors as CCTV or for broadcasting purposes. Model B132-004 extends a VGA video signal up to 500 feet from the source, while model B132-004A extends both video and audio.
Features:
Optional 1U rackmount bracket accommodates up to three B132 units
Utilize efficient, inexpensive Cat5 cabling
Support video resolutions up to 1920 x 1440 at 500 ft.
Compatible with VGA, SVGA, XGA, UXGA and WUXGA displays
Equalization and Gain adjustment screws assure crystal-clear picture
“These new rackmountable VGA over Cat5 extenders are ideal solutions for high-quality video distribution,” said David Posner, Tripp Lite Cables and Connectivity Product Manager. “They provide high-resolution content over long distances while keeping the source secure and out of sight, which makes them perfect for retail, educational and similar applications. By rackmounting multiple B132 units with the 1U rackmount bracket, a large number of video displays can be supported without large demands on space.”
You certainly have to get used to HDMI connectors in your life and that’s why you’d better keep up with the news in the connector business. Various companies have designed new prototypes which are based on the Type D spec set and will probably be more suitable for gadgets like cell phones, GPS system and other similar devices.
One such prototype has been manufactured by Molex Inc and it’s about the same size of a regular micro-USB connector and it has the same 19 pins just like the regular HDMI design. Another mini-HDMI prototype has been designed by Japan Aviation Electronics Industry Ltd, and it was design for automotive use.
We’ll keep you posted once the new cables get launched as we hear that the first mini connectors are set to arrive in the second half of the year.
It looks like Monster Cables is laying down its cards in looking for new potential suppliers in Greater China. The company has reportedly sent five buying teams to Shenzhen to source audio/video cables & accessories and power conditioning products.
Global Sources’ Chairman and CEO, Merle A. Hinrichs, said: “Monster Cable has a reputation among the world’s audio and videophiles for offering the industry’s highest quality cables. Their participation is testament to the quality of suppliers that Private Sourcing Events deliver.
“Top buyers have a lot invested in their brands so they need to be extra careful about whom they work with. Because we only allow verified Global Sources suppliers to participate, more and more big buyers are using these events as a channel to find new products and suppliers.”
Monster Cable’s Vice President of Asia Pacific Business Development, Leo Lin, said: “Our customers have very high expectations of the products we sell. Therefore, the suppliers we work with need to understand that quality comes first and everything else comes second. Private Sourcing Events help us find top tier suppliers whose high standards are in line with our own.”
Sources R&D has launched wireless adapter set that allows people to view PC contents on TVs, monitors and projectors. The Wireless USB Display Adapter, to be distributed under the Warpia brand, allows users to view video, Internet content and pictures from their computer on monitors and HDTV displays without the hassle of extra cables.
The Warpia Wireless USB Adapter Set features VGA and HDMI connectivity options and supports up to 1400×1050 screen resolution. It provides a wireless range of up to 30 feet (in the same room). The set is expected to be available in retail stores in May at an MSRP of $129-$149 USD.
“The Wireless USB Display Adapter Set is the most innovative, low cost and high performance solution in the market today,” noted David Yaish, Wisair president and CEO. “We are pleased to cooperate with Source R&D, and will continue offering high performance solutions to enable the introduction of affordable, best-in-class Wireless USB products.”
The Warpia Wireless USB Adapter Set was launched last week at the Retail Vision event in Florida, April 27-30.
TRU Company has brought out its new VOLO product line, which responds to consumer demand for affordable, high-quality home entertainment and gaming accessories. For eco- friendly shoppers, the company has partnered with AGI Media (a MeadWestvaco Resource) and its Natralock® product, with a new approach to eco-friendly product packaging.
The high-value HDMI cable line has been available since June 2008 and is currently available in several specialty Consumer Electronics stores as well as Amazon.com. VOLO’s HDMI cables are all 1.3b certified and provide one simple to use HDMI cable for all your Digital Audio and Video connections. The Home Theater line Volo Home Theater HDMI is made up of 3 models (ProV100, 200, and 300). Quality cables without the high prices.
Doesn’t it seem like the number of flat panel TVs out there are placed on top of traditional furniture? Weren’t flat panels designed to be hung on the wall? Perhaps part of the the issue is the unsightly cables hanging down the wall. HD-Products, Inc has tried to address this with their line of PowerBridge products.
The Total Solution Slim-Line system’s main function is to hide all of your power, audio, video, and coaxial cables behind the wall - out of sight. It provides a cleaner look - the way a flat panel was meant to be. Available in black or white. Retails for around $99.95.
Sony has recently announced they are going to be released HDMI cables that have the capability to swivel for those hard to reach places.
These cables will have the ability to rotate either 45 or 90 degrees and lock in place. Featuring gold plating, triple electronic shiedleing, and a high speed bandwith of up to 120Hz, these don’t skimp.
You can get these cables in either horizontal swivel or vertical swivel version and will retail at $50 for a 3ft cable and a 6ft for $60.
Kramer VP-728 ProScale Presentation Scaler/Switcher allows people to worry less about having to change in between cables, especially if you have more than one projector or TV installed. The VP-728 is a 9-input scaler/switcher that sets new quality and performance benchmarks in the Kramer line up of ProScale scalers and scaler/switchers with the incorporation of Silicon Optix HQV video processing.
The VP-728 is HDTV and HDCP compatible offering 720p, 1080i and 1080p HDTV output resolutions as well as numerous other user-selectable pre-defined output resolutions and one user definable output resolution setting.
The VP-728 can switch between any of 9 inputs that include 3-wire universal video inputs on RCA connectors, 2 computer graphics video inputs on 15-pin HD connectors and 2 HDMI inputs. There is also 1 USB input for uploading JPEG images and installing convenient firmware updates.
The unit also accepts stereo audio inputs for each of the 6 analog inputs. The VP-728 will output both analog stereo audio and S/PDIF audio. Also, any audio associated with one of the analog inputs will be embedded in the HDMI output signal.
For those of you using your big screen TV mainly for Xbox 360 games, we have some good news. An existing bug that prevented everyone from transmitting signals from the box to your TV via HDMI has been apparently fixed. Microsoft worked for two months to release it but an official patch is finally available. That means you will soon enjoy HDMI sound on your Xbox 360. Just get the patch and fix the problem!
One thing that most home theater addicts have to deal with is cable exposure management. Depending on the number of home theater gadgets you have, cabling can pose to be a problem especially if you are the kind who wants to keep them hidden as much as possible.
But while hiding the cables is a problem, perhaps the Flexicord Cables can ease that burden.
Flexicord has a thick pipe cleaner that sits alongside the cable, which makes it possible to bend the cord. That will give you a better way to tuck those cables into the shape you need. If you wanted to, you could even wrap this around a couple of other cables to help out the ones that do not have the pipe cleaner inside. Flexicord comes in several different types, to name a few, they offer USB, S-video, networking cables and HDMI.
The Actiontec MoCA Network Adapter adds high-speed Internet access anywhere without the hassle or high cost of complex infrastructure modifications. The Adapter is being debuted at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas Nevada, and is the result of a joint effort between Entropic Communications Inc, and Actiontec Electronics.
“Today millions of residential customers have MoCA technology running in their homes. These solutions are powering the home entertainment network, providing DVRs, home theaters, and DLNA devices a high-performance, high-reliability network connection behind the entertainment center,” said Michael Ehlenberger, vice president of Channel Sales, North America at Actiontec Electronics. “In the past, installers would have to pull cabling, which is time consuming and expensive. Now these connections can be set up in minutes. Not only does MoCA technology fit in high-end installations, but it also enables dealers to provide cost-effective services for the average household.”
Sony’s AV products like BRAVIA flat screen TVs, VAIO PC and laptops can now provide high quality sound and better video using the newly launched high performance AV Cables. These cables support full 1080P HD signals and come in 1, 3 and 5 metre length. The connectors of the AV Cable are 24K gold plated to prevent them from corrosion.
These high grade cables give excellent signal transmission. The cables have an outer jacket that prevents them from heat and bending and improves sound quality. With OFC braided and OFC spiral wiring, aluminium tape and triple shielded core wire, the high performance shielding system reduces interference. The easy to install cable maintains a constant electrical current as it is made by 99.996% oxygen free copper (OFC) and hence the result is high quality audio and video signal transmission.
Here’s a question that I’ve heard from various ports–why do I need HDMI? A lot of people look at their home theatre equipment, and they’re all a little skeptical that they need to get some new cables when their component video cables are still perfectly good.
Sony’s AV products like BRAVIA flat screen TVs, VAIO PC and laptops can now provide high quality sound and better video using the newly launched high performance AV Cables. These cables support full 1080P HD signals and come in 1, 3 and 5 metre length. The connectors of the AV Cable are 24K gold plated to prevent them from corrosion.