Custom HDMI Applications

by Ralph Parrett
Liberty AV Solutions' Director of Quality & Technical Services

Liberty has a long tradition of supporting the custom installation market for audio and video. We'll deliver the raw components for install, partially build products, custom kit products, or supply the completed product. Now we get to apply that same service to HDMI and DVI installations.

First though, a little cable education regarding HDMI.

HDMI and cables have had a lot of industry noise for many years now. HDMI changed the way they refer to cables and the specification number (that pesky 1.2, 1.3, 1.4 number) is now a non-issue with cables. Instead the cables are categorized by their data throughput and features. No cable should ever be called a "1.3 cable" or a "1.4 cable".

There are five cable and interconnect ratings:

Top of the line with all features:High Speed HDMI® with Ethernet.
Top of the line: High Speed HDMI®
Normal with all features:Standard HDMI® with Ethernet
Normal: Standard HDMI®
Automotive

The Ethernet versions support what HDMI calls the HEAC channel. This is 100BaseT Ethernet and Bi-directional audio. Not many applications can use this cable yet but it is 100% backwards compatible to the non-Ethernet cables. The cable design is slightly different with 5 shielded TMDS pairs versus the standard cable's 4 pairs.

The speed rating refers to the data rate. Standard HDMI is 2.25 Gbps. A 2.25 Gbps signal supports up to 1080p24 8-bit color. High Speed is 10.2 Gbps. This supports all 3D formats, 4Kx2K resolution, Deep Color. Both cable types support all known HDMI supported audio formats.

Cable education done (Don't even ask if it's 1.4 J)

Liberty has a number of solutions to assist the custom installer.

Our newest products are field terminable HD cables. These HDMI cables are built from fully HDMI compliant products. The connectors and the bulk cable are HDMI certified and approved. The final product built by the installer cannot be called HDMI certified because these cables are terminated in the field. They have to be submitted to an ATC (Authorized Test Center) in order to be called compliant. This unique cable design is different then previous versions on the market before due to the use of Flat Ribbon Cable (FRC). FRC has excellent performance due to its construction. Those claims of Flat HDMI cable performing better then round cables actually have some merit. This new design reduces the chances of crossing wires and getting opens or shorts on the cables.

The field terminable HD system has some system tricks and best practices. Full 10.2 Gbps High Speed HDMI® with Ethernet is supported up to 16.5 feet (5m). 1080p is supported up to 30 feet (9m). Standard HDMI® with Ethernet is supported to 55 feet (17m). The installer can add an in-line equalizer (DL-HDMEXT) to support 1080p to 55 feet.

Another great field install application is our Digital EZ-LINX line. This line uses a low profile 19-Pin DIN to connect the