What is HDBaseT – and Why it isn’t AV over IP

 

Sometimes in order to succeed you need to learn how not to fail. There are many things you should do in order to have a successful, fully functional, state-of-the-art AV system for applications such as IPTV. One of those is having an optimally designed IP network for AV solutions (whether GPON based or more typical ethernet switch based.) Another is understanding what is, and what isn’t an IP-based system..

The HDBaseT ‘Myths’

Although the introductory statement above may seem obvious to some, one of the most common questions I still get asked when talking about or presenting AVoverIP solutions (for example, for LAN based IPTV distribution systems) is how it differs from the more traditional AV distribution technologies - especially HDBaseT.

The answer is, well, fundamentally, quite a lot.

I still get asked this, even now, as it seems I guess rather common belief (perhaps more for those not fully conversant with IP systems) that because HDBaseT uses Cat/x cabling to distribute audio and video signals it somehow uses IP do to this.

Well – it doesn’t. It uses HDBaseT technology to distribute signals, and this technology just happens to make use of Cat/x cabling. But that’s where any similarity ends.

And another, more common belief, is people referring to something called the ‘the HDBaseT standard’.  

The HDBaseT.org website certainly seems to freely use this term in its description of the HDBaseT technology, stating as one of its capabilities:

Interoperability

The HDBaseT’ standard ensures that any two HDBaseT supported devices, regardless of manufacturer, will work at the highest possible version of their shared feature set, thus leading to more choice for installers and end users.

Is this really the case? In my experience at leasst (and I would welcome you to share yours if it’s any different to mine..) I have not come across a single manufacturer of an HDBaseT system or device that interoperates with another manufacturer’s device or system.

This sometimes comes as a surprise to many people.  

HDBaseT systems have been around a number of years now after all, and we’ve all been used to seeing and hearing vendors of HDBaseT equipment referring to it as ‘the standard’ for transmitting things like video, audio and USB over Cat/x cabling.

But, as much as they would like us to believe otherwise, I would suggest that it takes a lot more than just including the word ‘standard’ in the same sentence as ‘HDBaseT’ to make it a standards-based technology.

HDBaseT was originally developed by Valens to as an alternative to HDMI extender technology. It enables the transmission of video, audio USB over Cat-5/6 copper cabling up to 100m and fibre transport for further distances. It utilises a feature set called 5 Play for the simultaneous transfer of these signals. Many manufacturers of AV equipment include the Valens chip in their products in order use this technology to transport these various signals over Cat/x cabling – but that does not mean these products are compatible.

There even an HDBaseT Alliance in existence - a group of interested parties, founded by Valens, to represent this technology which even includes some major players – Sony, Samsung, Panasonic and LG are some of the names involved. But even co-operatives like this do not ensure standardization.

In this case it cannot be referred to as a standard (in the true sense of the word) for the simple reason that different HDBaseT equipment from different manufacturers do not work together – they are in main, and at least in my experience, incompatible. There is no standards-based platform or technology that exists in order to facilitate any ‘inter-communication’ or ‘inter-working’ of HDBaseT devices offered by different vendors.

In simple terms, a transmitter device manufactured by one vendor cannot communicate with an HDBaseT matrix switch or even a receiver device manufactured by another vendor even though this is all sold as HDBaseT equipment, and all use the Valens chip. Only equipment manufactured from the same vendor is designed to actually work together.

So despite the marketing gloss, in real terms, HDBaseT remains proprietary to the manufacturer.

 

The AV Manufacturer’s Ambush?

Cynics may say that this is done by design. All AV manufacturers want you to buy equipment only from them, and that means having their own ‘version’ of HDBaseT ensures that once you have invested in ‘their’ technology then you have little option other than to continue to do so, even down to the seemingly insignificant things like cables and connectors. Otherwise they state, if you don’t they ‘cannot guarantee full functionality’ of the system.

This, to my mind is an employed strategy that not only has the detrimental effect of limiting choice and flexibility for AV professionals and end-users, but also, arguably more damaging, stifles creativity and inhibits inspiration in the design and implementation of modern, innovative AV solutions for the benefit of all.

Investing in proprietary technologies like HDBaseT can only lead to the limited approach of manufacturer tie-in.

And this some argue, is only one of its drawbacks.

HDBaseT devices, especially the transmitters and receiver devices are notorious for being power-hungry. The inevitable result is that they typically run very hot. Proper heat-management needs to be designed into the product at board level, and if this has not been done, chances are the products won’t last long. With the glut of HDBaseT devices flooding the market from a large variety of manufacturers, there is certainly no guarantee of this – not all products are created equal, so you need to know what you’re buying.

And, on the subject of power, it is also worth mentioning that the PoE (Power over Ethernet) implementation for HDBaseT, a version called POH (Power over HDBaseT), tends to be a bit of a lottery. Even though there are recommendations made by the aforementioned Alliance for the PoE capabilities HDBaseT devices should adhere to, many manufacturers implement random power – some systems use 12 volts, others 24 volts, and yet others 48 volts.  This not only causes a problem for compatibility between devices, but more importantly it can be dangerous to run PoE on Cat/x cable without the correct safety precautions having been designed into the products.

There are also resolution black spots with HDBaseT.  With HDMI offering up to 1080p at 60fps, there is a bit of gap to the next ‘mainstream’ resolution of 4K by 2K at 30 fps. But there are many other different resolutions being used in the market today. Specific applications, especially medical and military prefer utilizing different resolutions, for example 2560x1440 or 2560x1600. HDBaseT does not have support for those.

 

Are there Alternatives?

Certainly. In this age of open systems, AVoverIP solutions have been designed around a standard-based platform, one that has been around for decades - the IP network. Any modern network switch can be used virtually off the shelf as the switching platform for AVoverIP systems, with minimal setup (in some cases some switch configuration may be necessary -  no expensive programming of switch architecture as required by proprietary AV matrix switch systems)

The flexibility of IP can be leveraged to switch any signal, video, audio, IR, RS232, USB – with no requirement for extra interconnecting cabling or wiring. To the network its just another multicast stream – regardless of signal or content.

True AVoverIP solutions offer many advantages over traditional, proprietary AV switching technologies –  they offer greater flexibility, are inherently more scalable, offer shorter deployment times and are easier to manage – which all can mean one thing - lower overall costs. And that’s just the start of it.

The point of this article is to make you aware – and help you avoid – any of the potential pitfalls of using traditional AV systems such as HDBaseT and fixed-size matrix switches to address the requirements of the modern AV world – and to offer a realistic, proven, state-of-the-art alternative technologies such as AV over IP for TV and AV distribution systems that are available to address (and even surpass) the AV distribution requirements of today.

Even if you think you may not be ready to adopt new technologies such as AV over IP for applications such as TV, I urge you to contact us and find out what this technology is able to fully offer you. We’d appreciate the opportunity to convince you otherwise.

I’m sure you’ll be pleasantly surprised.