The What: Black Box has introduced its Active Optical Cable product range, which enables transmission of ultra-high-bandwidth video and audio. That company says that with just one, easy-to-install cable, users can extend HDMI signals with resolutions up to 4K at 60 Hz 4:4:4 and DisplayPort signals with resolutions up to 8K @ 60 Hz 4:4:4 for more than 200 meters.
The What Else: In addition, supporting the full feature set of the HDMI 2.0 and DisplayPort 1.4 specifications, the cables provide immersive audio, including PCM 8-channel, DTS-HD, and Dolby Digital True HD surround sound along with the video signals. The cables' hybrid fiber/copper design allows power to be pulled from the source and transmitted over copper to the display side, with no external power required.
"Our new Active Optical Cable range provides a simple, time-saving alternative to bulky HDMI/DP cables or costly AV extender kits that add another level of complexity in deployment and maintenance in high-density installations," said David Muzinic, product manager in the Technology Products Solutions business at Black Box. "With this addition to our pro AV solution offerings, users can guarantee UHD video and the highest quality digital audio at an attractive price point."
The Bottom Line: Available in standard lengths of 10, 15, and 30 meters (box), and 50 or 100 meters (spool), the hot-swappable Active Optical Cables from Black Box require no software and are compatible with third-party equipment, including displays and video switches, as well as with Black Box video wall controllers, media players, and high-performance KVM (keyboard, video, mouse) systems, AV switches, and AV splitters.
