4K Distribution: More Cables? More Features? Compression? What is the right combination for your application?

Posted on Posted in Display Summit Agenda 2015

Session Description

4K video content requires more bandwidth – a lot more bandwidth. A 4K (4096×2160), 4:4:4, 10-bit, 60 fps signal requires at least 16 Gbps, but dropping down to 4:2:2 color sampling brings the data rate to just over 10 Gbps. 8K requires even more bandwidth, of course.

Multiple new connection standards such as HDMI 2.0, DisplayPort 1.2 and 1.3, 12G-SDI, MHL, HDBaseT, AVB, SMPTE 2022, Ethernet, Thunderbolt 1 and 2 and others are here or coming to support higher data rates. In addition, some of these new standards go beyond the transmission of just audio and video by multiplexing various combinations of control signals, metadata, keyboard, mouse, power, Ethernet and more.

Compounding the confusion are all the cabling options. Some standards are physical layer agnostic meaning they can be transported over several types of cables and connectors, while others are not. Extending these signals to longer distances means some solutions run on CATx cable or fiber optic cable.

All these standards feature the transport of uncompressed video, but some solutions also use proprietary or standard compression options to squeeze more video, audio or other elements into a finite bandwidth pipeline.

It is a confusing morass of standards, connectors, cables and protocols, which is why this session is designed to try to bring more clarity to the problem of increasing the data rates.

 

Demo

The demos are designed to showcase the state of the art in bandwidth and multiplexing capabilities. What are the strengths and limitations of these approaches? Where should they be deployed and used? Is compression going to be acceptable?

  • Thinklogical will showcase its 2K and 4K integrated KVM and video extension solutions over one or two fiber optic or CATx cables
  • HDBaseT will showcase how bandwidth can be allocated to 4K AV or a combination of video with additional options like power, control and Ethernet signaling
  • Lattice Semiconductor will be showing the world’s first superMHL/HDMI 2.0 port processor – the SiI9779, which supports superMHL and can deliver up to 8K 60fps video resolution and immersive object audio.
  • ZeeVee, Inc. will showcase the ZyPer4K that allows for the distribution and switching of high definition uncompressed video, audio, and other data signals using ZyPer4K encoder and decoder modules and off-the-shelf 10Gb Ethernet switches (both fiber and copper)