Aug/090
Is HDMI the ultimate digital source or just souped up DVI
High Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI) has been largely hailed as the ultimate interface to enjoy supreme quality high definition audio and video but is it really that good, after all, surely DVI is just as good. Do we really need HDMI?
HDMI was developed with the specific intention of replacing DVI. DVI was primarily used to convert analogue signals to digital for computer monitors. There are actually three different types of DVI, which are DVI-A, DVI-D and DVD-I.
DVI-A uses analogue signals the same as VGA. DVI-D uses a digital signal (as with modern home cinema systems and consumer products). DVI-I is a combination of both DVI-A and DVI-D. Modern electronics use the single link standard for performance but DVI-I can handle this as well as dual link to make it adaptable for future advancements. DVI-I supports a fully digital protocol, which means video up to 1080p can be viewed.
HDMI on the other hand offers an uncompressed digital audio and video interface that has the full support of manufacturers including Panasonic, Sony, and Toshiba to name but a few. Major movie companies too have backed HDMI including Warner Brothers and Universal Pictures. HDMI offers an interface that can connect any audio or video source together. It can do this through a single HDMI cable.
HDMI supports high definition video, normal video as well as digital audio and also have bandwidth to spare in order to make it ready for future advancements in HDMI technology. It must be remembered though that HDMI and DVI are a lot similar and are actually based on a set of specifications that were extremely alike, in fact, HDMI was derived from the DVI requirements.
So, is HDMI any different to DVI? Well yes it is. HDMI actually incorporates a form of content security known as High Definition Content Protection (HDCP). HDMI also can support both audio and video signals through one cable at the same time whereas DVI is limited to only video.
The number of cables needed to set up with DVI is at least two. One is for the audio and one is for the video. HDMI requires only a single HDMI cable therefore leaving fewer cables to be tangled up behind the electronic equipment. This means that anyone using HDMI is going to end up with a cleaner less cluttered space around their equipment.
The important thing to remember is that quality wise; HDMI and DVI are the same. This is because as mentioned earlier they are both derived from the same specifications but HDMI’s ability to support digital audio gives it the edge over DVI. Combine this with the fact that HDMI can do this through a single HDMI cable and it is easy to see why HDMI and HDMI cables have proved to be so popular.
Aug/090
Optoma Released the Sub-$1,000 1080p Projector
At the beginning of August, Vivitek made a splash by announcing the H1080FD, a $999 1080p HD projector, the first to come in below the $1,000 barrier. 
Sure enough, Optoma Technology has introduced the HD20, a 1080p DLP digital projector, also priced at $999 and now available through a variety of retailers and e-tailers.
Incorporating Texas Instruments’ 1080p DLP chipset, the projector offers two HDMI inputs, allowing users to connect to more than one device at a time, such as their cable/satellite receiver and DVD player or video gaming system. It also provides VGA, component and composite video inputs for connection to other devices. The HD20 is rated at 1,700 ANSI lumens, with a 4,000:1 contrast ratio. The projection lamp is rated to last up to 4,000 hours in standard mode or 3,000 hours in bright mode.
The HD20 operates at a native 1080p resolution (1,920 by 1,080 pixels), while it also is compatible with most computer formats, such as UXGA, WXGA, SXGA+, SXGA, XGA, SVGA, VGA resized, VESA, PC and Macintosh, and it can also accept common global video inputs and video formats up to 1080p (HDTV, EDTV, SDTV, NTSC, PAL, SECAM). The HD20 weighs 6.4 pounds and is equipped with a remote control (with batteries) that has backlit illumination, a composite video cable, and other accessories.
The HD20 incorporates a rapid shutdown feature, and it comes with a one-year parts and labor warranty, with the lamp being covered for 90 days.
Aug/090
Atlona Extends HDMI Range Way Beyond Your Neighbor’s House
Atlona Technologies, manufacturer of Audio Video accessories, is about to release its newest line of HDMI extenders featuring RS232 and Stereo Audio over Dual Cat5/6/7. Its new, upcoming siblings, that it is excited to announce, are the AT-HDS100SR and the AT-HDS250SR. These new little components of its massive line-up of audio video connectivity accessories are designed for long HDMI runs and are a twisted pair of transmitter and receiver modules that feature stereo audio, as well as RS-232 data signals.
HDMI signal along with stereo audio and RS-232 inputs are converted into dual cat 5/6/7 by the transmitter units of the Atlona extenders. The receiver modules then decrypt that twisted pair signal back into the HDMI with stereo audio and RS-232 data signals. Just like any extender setup; you get an encoder and a decoder that can communicate between themselves over a bigger range than the signal you want to extend.
The AT-HDS100SR modules are capable of extending HDMI signal way up to 100 meters, usable for indoor parties in large locations, conference rooms and such. The AT-HDS250SR, on the other hand, can extend the signal much further, reaching 250 meters. That’s already outdoor festivals lengths, politic speeches or something like that.
For the given lengths, both modules can maintain the full quality of HDMI with video resolutions up to 1920 x 1200 with no signal degradation. Atlona’s new HDMI extender units are both stocked full of features including an embedded equalizer, gain and CTI adjustments. Of course, a built-in EDID for necessary data storing was not forgotten. Besides being HDCP compliant, these modules come included with wall mountable brackets.