Goodbye HDMI, Hello HDBaseT

[Calleja]

Goodbye HDMI, Hello HDBaseT

When I first got sent this link I was prepared to curse and complain about how little time HDMI was given and how the greedy bastards were already introducing a new technology that would cost lots to replace...

But then I read the article. It's all based on the CAT 6 cable we know as the "ethernet cable". It uses THE SAME cables. This... this could be quite awesome.

 

[Azurephoenix]

You know what... I had the same initial thought as you... but man... cat 6 cable for your tv/monitor hookup? That would be awesome. If for no other reason than you can get long cables for reasonable money compared to how stupid expensive quality HDMI cables are.

 

[Matt²]

that's quite odd/funny.. I was just pondering YESTERDAY, when HDMI2 or SUPER HDMI or some next version, would come out? Two weeks ago I was trying to hook up my friend's 50" 1080p screen to FiOS' HDMI box, only to have it not accept the data connection, save for sound.. was very frustrating.

If they can pull it off, great! ... but there's still a lot of tv's that have JUST been replaced, that people are loathe to do so again!

 

[Jay]

Let's be honest, there's a lot of work needed to be done with the HDMI tech. It's far from perfect and a better standard is definitely an option that many seek.

I got pretty lucky, I bought 3 HDMI cables from Monoprice for less than 35$ Canadian. They work and look fantastic.

 

[Vagabond]

I can't wait for more of this.

 

[makare]

I can't wait for more of this.

he gets turned on by quality cable... but then again who doesnt.

 

[Denbrought]

I can't wait for more of this.

he gets turned on by quality cable... but then again who doesnt.[/QUOTE]
I don't. For me it's all about the sockets.

 

[SpecialKO]

I conceptually approve, but by the time I get a new TV, there will probably be a newer standard anyway.

 

[PatrThom]

Been hearing about this of late, and I'm glad to see it. There's no good reason why someone has to invent some goofy proprietary system when something else that already exists will do the job just fine. The only reason to do otherwise is to try and squeeze money out of people for no good reason (Yes, I'm talking to you, Sony).

--Patrick

 

[Jiarn]

Sony is one of the companies heading this new movement up....

 

[Chazwozel]

Sony is one of the companies heading this new movement up....

Because they're not making any money off HDMI.

 

[figmentPez]

There's no good reason why someone has to invent some goofy proprietary system when something else that already exists will do the job just fine.

When HDMI came out, I'm not sure anything else did the job just fine. Ethernet is 8 pins, HDMI is 19. I'm going to guess that when the HDMI spec was finalized, eight years ago, it was too expensive or impractical to send the same amount of data over less than half as many pins. DVI has more than enough pins, but is a bulky connector that doesn't have audio in it's specification. It would have been better if HDMI weren't proprietary, but a new connector design did serve a very real purpose.

If HDBaseT does make it into consumer electronics, expect customer confusion. I can imagine the amount of tech support calls from people who have connected their TV to their laptop's ethernet port expecting video to come out.

 

[Calleja]

Yeah, but it won't be long.. if this takes off, that is... for Ethernet ports to actually DO send video out, not just bandwidth. They'll consolidate it all into one port. It's the lowest common denominator for consumer friendliness... one port to rule them all.

 

[Azurephoenix]

...and in the darkness bind them!

 

[Baerdog]

Shit, does that mean we're going to have to go on epic adventures to get rid of our ethernet cables from now on?

 

[figmentPez]

Yeah, but it won't be long.. if this takes off, that is... for Ethernet ports to actually DO send video out, not just bandwidth. They'll consolidate it all into one port. It's the lowest common denominator for consumer friendliness... one port to rule them all.

Yeah, it would be nice for the ethernet port on laptops to do double-duty (assuming not too many people need it to do both jobs at once), but it's going to be a long time before adoption rates on both displays and laptops reach the point where it's an easy solution. That's assuming that Intel/nVidia/AMD are quick to integrate HDbaseT support into their graphics chips. If it takes an extra chip for HDbaseT support, then there will be a lot of laptops that never have the tech in them.

 

[Soliloquy]

May I just add that this might end up causing the price of Cat 6 Cables to skyrocket?

 

[Calleja]

Buy as much as you can now, then

 

[Matt²]

There's no good reason why someone has to invent some goofy proprietary system when something else that already exists will do the job just fine.

When HDMI came out, I'm not sure anything else did the job just fine. Ethernet is 8 pins, HDMI is 19. I'm going to guess that when the HDMI spec was finalized, eight years ago, it was too expensive or impractical to send the same amount of data over less than half as many pins. DVI has more than enough pins, but is a bulky connector that doesn't have audio in it's specification. It would have been better if HDMI weren't proprietary, but a new connector design did serve a very real purpose.

If HDBaseT does make it into consumer electronics, expect customer confusion. I can imagine the amount of tech support calls from people who have connected their TV to their laptop's ethernet port expecting video to come out.[/QUOTE]

I sincerely hope the crossed signals doesn't SHORT OUT a bunch of components should this happen. Reason I bring this up is I recall reading about hooking up cables improperly a few years ago when I was trying to find a 300 foot video solution for my church, and I read on one connection type (I think BNC to ethernet???) how if you hooked up the wrong types of signals and hooked it up to a computer, it could fry the ethernet port on the computer) but I don't remember the specifics of it.