Crestron have announced their new "DigitalMedia" HDMI distribution system. Available from March 2009 it will send uncompressed digital audio and video signals over a choice of either CAT5e/6 or fibre. Creston say there will be a full selection of switcher input cards, wall plate transmitters, and room controllers available to support a complete range of analogue and digital signal types.
"Crestron has created a new solution to meet the many technical challenges of HDMI. The leader in control system technologies for HDMI, Crestron has launched DigitalMedia, the first complete HD AV distribution system to allow any mix of AV sources to be distributed throughout a home from a centralised rack location, without loss of quality or inherent latency.
DigitalMedia distributes uncompressed digital audio and video signals over a choice of CAT5e/6-based copper wiring or a single multimode fibre cable. A full selection of switcher input cards, wall plate transmitters, and room controllers provides extensive connectivity throughout the home, supporting a complete range of analogue and digital signal types all through one switcher – another industry first!
DigitalMedia intelligently manages all of the different signals and devices, matching each source's output to the capabilities of the selected display(s) without using scaling or compression. Every signal is preserved in its native video resolution and audio format, ensuring a pure, lossless signal path throughout. Of course DigitalMedia handles more than just audio and video. Integrated Gigabit Ethernet and USB mouse and keyboard distribution allows computers, media servers, and video game consoles to be installed out-of-sight and accessed from anywhere in the house. And naturally, Crestron control is also built-in for control of displays and other room devices without additional wiring.
Crestron DM Switchers serve as the central hub of a DigitalMedia system. Featuring a modular architecture, there is no need for external converter boxes or twisted-pair extenders. Crestron offers a wide selection of input and output cards, each painstakingly designed with extra features to address the usual, and not so usual, signal routing and processing requirements that other systems ignore. Two DM Switcher models are offered. The DM-MD8X8 features 8 individually configurable and field-upgradeable input card slots, and a choice of 4 or 8 CAT5e/6 or fiber DM outputs (or 4 of each). The DM-MD16X16 has 16 input slots and up to 16 DM outputs. Each is rack-mountable in 4 or 7 rack spaces respectively
And, Crestron’s exclusive QuickSwitch HDTM technology eradicates the switching latency that plagues other HDMI switchers by maintaining a constant HDCP connection with each HDMI device in the system. By eliminating the need to re-authenticate each time a different source is selected, QuickSwitch HDTM achieves very fast switching of HDMI signals, and only Crestron has it!
DigitalMedia™ Key Features:
- Distributes uncompressed digital audio and video over CAT5e/6 or fiber
- Supports HDMI 1.3 with Deep Color and 7.1 channel HD lossless audio
- Supports video resolutions up to 1920×1200 or 1080p/60
- Wiring distances up to 450 feet for 1080p/60 using DigitalMedia Cable
- Extended distances for native 1080i or 1080p/24 formats
- Up to 1km for 1080p/60 w/Deep Color using CresFiber
- Full audio and USB breakaway
- Advanced video detection on every video type, including resolution, frame rate and colour depth
- QuickSwitch HD™ technology minimises HDMI switching latency
- Configurable inputs support a complete range of digital and analogue signal types
- Supports up to 16 DM room controllers
- Built-in power distribution for DM wall plates, repeaters, and room controllers
- HDMI loop-thru on every input for system expansion
- Integrates with analogue audio distribution systems
- Enables simultaneous output of stereo and surround sound
- Manages HDCP digital rights management for every device
- Performs automatic resolution management via EDID
- Enables device control over HDMI connection using CEC signal
- Includes integrated Gigabit Ethernet switch
- Distributes USB mouse and keyboard (HID) signals
- Easy software setup tool
- LCD front panel diagnostics
- 19-inch rack-mountable
DigitalMedia will be available from March 2009. For further information please call Crestron direct on +44 (0)845 873 8787 or visit the company website: www.crestron.co.uk."
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