Options
Just Add Power HDMI over IP module for AMX now available
Nded
Posts: 11
Just Add Power launched the HDMI over IP solution into the public eye at CEDIA in September. You can watch a YouTube demonstration of the HDMI over IP solution on the homepage of www.justaddpower.com . Since the big exposure at CEDIA, we have had several dealers working on writing drivers for specific home automation solutions. I am very happy to announce that we now have a Right Sized HDMI Matrix AMX module ready for sharing with the AMX community. I've attempted to attach the module to this thread, but you can directly request a copy of this module by sending an email request to support at justaddpower dot com. I am also expecting that this module can be posted in the shared publich module area of this forum.
I will suscribe to this thread and be happy to answer any questions about HDMI over IP and how it can be used with AMX technologies to implement a Right Sized HDMI Matrix.
Ed Qualls
Just Add Power
I will suscribe to this thread and be happy to answer any questions about HDMI over IP and how it can be used with AMX technologies to implement a Right Sized HDMI Matrix.
Ed Qualls
Just Add Power
0
Comments
How many gigs was the backbone on the 2960 switch.
As far as the mod goes:
Get rid of the #IF_DEFINED for the debug. Just create a simple oneline function like fnDeBug("'xxxxxxx'") so if you choose to compile w/o debug just find & replace fnDebug() w/ //fnDebug(). This would clean up the code and make it readable.
I would also determine my length_arrays prior to the for loops so that, that function doesn't run on every iteration of the loop.
Now what's the cost for these xmitters/receivers? I've been basically setting up every job to provide for HDMI over CAT 6 baluns but this w/o the need for a switcher per sei has potential. Of course a good Catalyst switch with a couple of gigs backbone isn't cheap.
It is simply a matter of telling the Managed Ethernet switch (via RS232) which VLAN the Receiver is assigned to. Every HDMI Source/Transmitter is put on its own VLAN, and the Receivers "change channels" by switching which VLAN they are a member of. The module in the OP provides this function. The end result is instant seamless switching as demonstrated in the YouTube video at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z0LNaUdWnCA The current limit is 200 Receivers, however we can quite easily increase that to 250 if needed. The Transmitter is sending out an IGMP multicast which allows the Receivers to quickly join/leave a broadcast. The HDMI over IP solution is totally HDCP compliant. If the HDMI source only supports 16 clients, only 16 Receivers can join the broadcast. If it only support 1 client (i.e. the genius who designed the Motorola Cable STB'), only 1 Receiver can be attached. However, it should be noted that some of the more creative pro installers have observed that using a Component to HDMI converter with those contrary devices will effectively eliminate the key restrictions. The 2960 we used for our proof of concept development is the 24TT-L. This switch has 16GB of bandwidth, and has a street price of $600-$700, with dealer costs being somewhat less than that. That switch has 24 100BT LAN ports, and 2 1000BT backbone ports. You can implement VLAN Trunking with these switches, allowing you to distribute the VLANs across multiple cascaded/bridged switches. In the YouTube demonstration video we had 5 HDMI sources (PS3 Blu-Ray at 1080p60, Xbox 360 Video Game at 720p, VuduXL at 1080p24, VuduBX100 at 1080p24, and a Sony HDMI Camcorder at 1080i30) being distributed to 9 screens. The Cisco 2960 24TT-L was showing 4% bandwidth utilization with all 5 sources going at the same time. Keep in mind that because we are using a multi-cast, the bandwidth requirement pretty much stays the same whether we are sending to 2, 20, or 200 screens.
FYI, we intentionally chose to demonstrate a 5x9 matrix to demonstrate the unmatched flexibility and scalability of the HDMI over IP solution. Unlike the legacy Matrix switchers, our solution can be upgraded in the field quite easily at any time. The theoretical maximum number of inputs is 4096 (IEEE 802.1Q VLAN specification), but the switch we were using "only" supports 256 VLANs.
Another subtle message in the YouTube video was that we had a mix/match combination of screens with some only supporting 720p, others able to show 1080i but not 1080p, others able to show 1080p60 but not 1080p24, and some that could support 1080p24. We even had 2 DVI computer screens with a native resolution of 1440x900 which demonstrated the value of the integrated scaler in the solution. Basically you can broadcast any source resolution to various screens, allowing each screen to show its preferred native resolution, regardless of the source characteristics. I will make sure the author of the module gets pointed to this thread. While these devices were launched at CEDIA with an introductory price of $299 for the Transmitter and $250 for the Receivers (with dealer costs being somewhat less), we have since removed these introductory prices from our website at the request of the dealer community. After all, you really can't frame this product with a "retail" price, as it requires systems integration to deliver the magic, and that has a value that only the dealer and customer can agree upon. You can get dealer pricing in the US from www.tecnec.com . If you are in the UK, dealer pricing is available from www.connectivityuk.com. If you are in Europe contact www.comm-tec.de or www.cbk.no for dealer pricing. If you are somewhere else, send me a PM please.
Ed Qualls
Just Add Power
Thanks,
Paul
Hi Paul,
With regards to support for HDMI 1.3a I'd like to first point you to http://www.hdmi.org/learningcenter/faq.aspx#112
The HDMI over IP devices are compatible with the HDMI 1.3 standard. Is there something within the 1.3a manufacturing and testing issues that you are specifically focused on?
As for upgradability, there is a flashable EPROM on the HDMI over IP printed circuit board, but we do not anticipate releasing any updates or changes to these "A" series devices. We are working on enhancing the solution, but practically every desired feature requires changes to the hardware, not the firmware. Over time we expect to have several variations available to address the demands of different market segments. We expect this low cost model to remain popular, even after we introduce some more sophisticated (and higher cost) versions.
Ed Qualls
Just Add Power
I sent you a PM on this.
FYI that switch lists for $1,295.00 so dealer cost is slightly over the amount you specified. The 2960G 24TTL which has 10/100/1000 x 24 ports is over $3k list.
Now on the Cisco site, which BTW, I hate cuz I can never find anything I'm looking for, they don't specify which switches have serial ports for IOS command line programming nor do they say anything about telnet connection for IOS CLI. I'm kinda bummed cuz my Catalyst CE520 doesn't have a serial jack & doesn't telnet so I can't even play w/ changing the VLANs. I can obviously use Cisco Config Assistant (CCA) or Cisco Network Assist (CNA) but that defeats the purpose of changing VLANs through AMX code. So do you know if the 2960 supports telnet? Like I said I just can't find anything that even says they have serial ports. I know the Integrated Serives Routers (ISR's) have both & so does my UC520. Unless I call Cisco TAC I can't figure which models I could choose from. I'd prefer telnet over serial but...
Do the xmitters start broadcasting IGMP availability upon a live video feed and then starts streaming the video when a client joins that group? Just trying to figure out how this operates.
No, I thought auto lip sync was introduced with 1.3a but it looks as if it was implemented in 1.3.
Paul
I don't know if it makes any sense at all, and I honestly have no idea what the docs have to say about the matter. I've just used tons of them in the past, so I figured I'd throw that answer out there....
I know the 2960-24TT is sold to end users by CDW for $809 ( http://www.cdw.com/shop/products/default.aspx?EDC=850878 ), and when I google for them, I find plenty for sale for about $600. It is "hearsay" from talking with dealers on the phone that has led me to believe that if they are in the network business, they can get it for something less. We don't directly sell/buy the Cisco gear, so I really can't be sure what the street price is for resellers. A more economical switch that has demonstrated itself to work quite well with our HDMI over IP devices is the Dell 3524.
This gets a little complicated on the actual timing, as any HDMI source that requires HDCP will not stream video until the first Receiver connects to the Transmitter to handle the HDCP handshake requirements. This translates into a few seconds of dark screen time for the first screen to connect to an HDMI source device over the HDMI over IP LAN. The second through 200th device to connect (if allowed by the HDCP keys) join the in progress video stream instantly.
Yeah, the good old team at www.hdmi.org have really muddied the waters on this matter. I'm still waiting to see if when anybody is going to stick their neck out and mass produce anything with any of the "features" in HDMI 1.4.
Here's a picture of the 1RU unit (has 3 HDMI inputs and 3 LAN ports).
This device is fully compatible with the AMX driver in the OP.
If they don't answer a simple sales question which will generate them revenue I can't imagine how forth coming they'll be regarding tech questions and problems. This after I'm basically done with my module to control the Cisco switch via IP and now I'm not sure if it's a smart decision dealing with a company that doesn't respond to queries especially ones that will make them money.
Hmmm! Anybody got anything positive to say about them?
Ed Qualls
Just Add Power
Why did you write a module to control a Cisco switch?
Paul
Can't you do that from the switches web browser? Or are you changing VLANs in real time in response to user requests? I can't imagine a scenario where one would need that functionality.
Paul
Jeff
But that's cheating isn't it?
Paul
There presently aren't any 12 x 12 hdmi switchers or 8 x 16 or 24 x 24 or 10 x 30 and you can even casacades switchers to as many as there are possible vlans which I think are 256 with the Cisco 2960 switches.
Also the switches are under 1k and the tramitters/receivers are he same ans any other type of HDMI over 1/2 CAT5 device. This is just HDMI over IP matrix switching via a manageable switch.
It should be noted that the Just Add Power HDMI over IP devices use an HDCP Compliant licensed process that overcomes the key limitation. Regardless of how many keys the source device holds, we can shows it on as many screens as needed. For example, a Motorola cable box with only 1 key can still be watched on multiple screens, just as long as each screen has a valid HDCP key. You cannot use the Just Add Power HDMI over IP devices to show protected content on a screen/sink without a valid key.
Keep in mind that you can link multiple switches together to build a very large matrix. The switches we recommend have STACK ports that automatically distribute the vlans across the network. It is quite easy to connect 8 48 port switches together to realize 384 ports, where any port can be an input or an output to the matrix.
At a conceptual level, the entry level switches like the Dell 3524 support up to 64 HDMI over IP Transmitters, the intermediate switches like the Cisco 2960 do support up to 256 HDMI over IP Transmitter, the enterprise class switches from Cisco and other companies can support as many as 4096. While the Receivers currently cycle through 200 IP's, it is fairly easy to support installations with several hundred or thousands of screens using a multi-zone implementation of our HDMI over IP solution. This multi-zone scheme is ideal for large venues like airports, casinos, convention centers, and sports arenas. It has been noted by some dealers that the Just Add Power HDMI over IP devices have a similar price point as other quality HDMI over CATx baluns. Their observation is that when you buy the Just Add Power "baluns", you get a matrix switch for free. Best of all, it is a right sized matrix that can be upgraded and expanded in the field at any time. This is just not possible with the legacy matrix technology being offered by other companies.
But in an earlier post, you said:
These seem to contradict each other... ?