The What: Extron has announced the immediate availability of its XTP II CP HD 8K I/O Boards, which the company touts as the first pro AV 8K switching and distribution system. They accept HDMI 2.1 data rates up to 40.1 Gbps, enabling support of uncompressed 8K video with HDR.
The What Else: These HDCP 2.3-compliant boards provide input equalization and output reclocking and feature connections for powering active, ultra-high-speed HDMI cables. The XTP II CP HD 8K I/O Boards leverage the 50 Gbps backplane of XTP II CrossPoint Series matrix switchers to deliver a future-proof AV infrastructure that supports convenient growth and upgrade without needing to replace equipment.
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“We are excited to be first to the market with uncompressed 8K switching and distribution products,” said Casey Hall, vice president of worldwide sales and marketing for Extron. “XTP II CrossPoint matrix switchers have always supported the high data rate of HDMI 2.1. Now with the introduction of our new 8K HDMI I/O boards, existing systems and new designs will now support 8K and other combinations of high resolutions, refresh rates, and color bit depths for unmatched performance.”
The Bottom Line: The XTP II CrossPoint Series matrix switchers provide high-performance routing of video, audio, bidirectional control, and Ethernet in a future-ready integrated solution. The 50 Gbps backplane accommodates the combination of resolutions, frame rates, and color bit depths supported within the HDMI 2.1 specification, ensuring infrastructure that will last for years.
