The What: Gefen from Core Brands has begun shipping its new EXT-UHD600A-44, the latest addition to its Ultra HD 600MHz Series of signal distribution products.
The What Else: The Gefen EXT-UHD600A-44 matrix routes video and audio from the newest HDMI sources and provides output scaling to incorporate UHD and HD displays. The matrix accepts the HDMI 2.0 signal at its highest specification of 4K 60Hz at 4:4:4 chroma subsampling, along with HDR (High Dynamic Range) and HDCP 2.2 support.
“HDMI’s recent update to the 2.0a standard is taking the AV industry by storm and catapulting the possibilities for resolution, color, contrast, and audio signals to new heights,” said Core Brands’ Gefen product manager Jason Fitzgerald. “The need for products that switch, split, and extend this new signal format continues to increase as more sources and displays are developed to embrace its capabilities. The addition of the Gefen EXT-UHD600A-44 matrix to the 600MHz series guarantees that commercial installers can fully utilize the cutting-edge signal standards available today.”
According to Fitzgerald, the new Gefen EXT-UHD600A-44 includes a professional API that provides data for interactions between control/monitoring systems and Gefen products. The EXT-UHD600A-44 also features Long Range Power (LRP) that eliminates the need for commercial installers to use an external power supply when using a compatible extender to increase the matrix’s output beyond an HDMI cable’s limits.
To address the use of streaming sources requiring USB power, two USB power ports have been included on the back panel for extension and media streaming devices that draw power from a standard USB port.
This product has also been designed to work with the Gefen Syner-G software to simplify initial IP configuration and EDID Management.
“There has been and always will be a need for external products that perform the duties of switching, splitting, and extension in the AV distribution business,” Fitzgerald said. “Gefen has always maintained a strong heritage in supplying these types of products while integrating the latest trends in connectivity technology.”
The Bottom Line: The Gefen EXT-UHD600A-44 is engineered to surpass the requirements of a typical UHD system and delivers 4K and DCI/Cinema picture quality up to 4096x2160 pixels at 60Hz without subsampling color. With independent scalers that are built into each output, two of the outputs on the EXT-UHD600A-44 can downscale a 4K signal to 1080p while the other two outputs can upscale an HD signal to 4K Ultra HD, thus maximizing compatibility in a mixed-resolution display system. The audio breakout features enable audio to be extracted from each output and routed to a separate audio amplifier for added impact in large venues or for use in multi-zone applications.
