Achieving 4K/UHD without Moving to IP: How We Made it Possible

Written by Linda White

Sometimes creating a full-blown network just to connect a computer and printer is overkill. In other words: Depending on what you need, it’s possible to overdo your technology and/or infrastructure.

In broadcasting, for example, viewers may be demanding 4K resolution – but not every production calls for IP in order to transmit 4K/UHD signals.

 

When 4K/UHD was first introduced to broadcasting – promising four times the resolution of 1080p – existing coax cables and SDI technology (a digital video interface standard used since the early ’90s) couldn’t support it in a single link. 4K resolution used in production and digital cinema called for higher bandwidth, resolution and pixels than what coax could support. Instead, IP and fiber became the preferred method of achieving 4K quality for production and UHD for broadcast signal transmission.

 

The only way around this was to use four coax cables – each supporting 3 GHz – to send one 12 GHz UHD signal (this is referred to as a quad-link configuration).

 

This fix may have gotten the job done in terms of transmitting 4K/UHD signals, but it was expensive, bulky and cumbersome for broadcasters to manage. Quad-link configurations take up lots of space, max out weight limitations in mobile applications and increase cable expenses by requiring four cables for a single link.

 

Although some very large broadcasters and media companies were able to make the move to IP or fiber right away to support 4K/UHD signals, smaller broadcasters across the country were left in a bind. They, too, wanted to provide viewers with high resolution and 4K/UHD content – but weren’t quite ready to make the move financially.

 

After hearing from a number of broadcasters about their frustrations with this dilemma, we knew there must be a way to help them find middle ground. And that’s where Belden’s 4K UHD Coax Cable for 12G-SDI enters the picture.

 

This cable supports a bandwidth of 12 GHz and maximizes 4K/UHD transmission distance over a single link, decreasing the bulk and expense associated with dual-link and quad-link configurations. The 4K UHD Coax Cable for 12G-SDI also exceeds return loss specifications for the performance required for such high-speed signals.

 

Using this solution, broadcasters can now continue using SDI standards and coax cable instead of IP or fiber solutions – while still achieving a 4K/UHD picture (and without dealing with four cables to transmit one signal).

 

Instead, broadcasters simply plug in one coax to send a high-quality, 4K/UHD signal. Instead of rushing to take on a new level of broadcasting complexity, this innovation allows them to shift to IP or fiber when they’re ready – and when it makes financial sense to do so.

 

Creating the cable was only one part of the equation, however: Equipment manufacturers also had to be ready to support the required connections. Although many broadcasters wanted to use the cable, much of the camera and broadcast equipment on the market lacked I/O to accommodate it.

 

To make this happen, production and broadcast leaders sent an open letter to equipment manufacturers with a plea: to include 12G-SDI ports as standard features on all video equipment capable of working in 4K/UHD mode.

 

As a result, if you take a close look at today’s broadcast equipment used around the world, you’ll find 12G-SDI ports integrated to support this innovation that began with Belden. Broadcasters now have a way to give viewers the resolution they want without having go compromise on quality, embark on a complete technology overhaul or make a large capital investment.

 

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Double Success At NAB For LEMO®’s Brand New 12G-SDI 4K UHD

Written by LEMO®

 

Only just launched onto the market, LEMO’s 12G-SDI 4K Ultra-High-Definition connector won straightaway TWO 2023 NAB product of the year awards in Las Vegas!

Our solution came out the best in the following categories:

Camera Support, Control and Accessories
Hardware Infrastructure.

Developed by LEMO’s Swiss R&D team, our award-winning connector is the first ever Push-Pull 12G SDI. Forget complex multiple connections: 12G-SDI 4K UHD is all you need to transport 4K images at 12 Gb/s. Highly compact, rugged and reliable, with up to 12 GHz signal frequency, the new LEMO connector is the perfect solution for your cameras and patch-panels.

NAB Show is produced annually by the National Association of Broadcasters at the Las Vegas Convention center. NAB is the premier advocacy association of America’s broadcasters. The 2023 edition registered over 65,000 visitors.

The official NAB awards program recognizes some of the most significant and promising new products and technologies showcased by exhibitors at the Show. NAB Show Product of the Year Award Winners were selected by a panel of industry experts in 15 categories and announced in a live awards ceremony at NAB Show on April 18.

Common Questions: HDBaseT

HDBaseT has become the leading solution for delivering ultra-high-definition (UHD) 4K video and audio, USB 2.0, 100 MB Ethernet, control and 100W on a single cable. This is what the HDBaseT Alliance refers to as the “5Play™ feature set.” It’s a huge benefit to have one cable that supports all these applications up to 330 ft for AV installations.

How HDBaseT Works with HDMI

The HDMI connector has become the industry standard for AV applications. It’s estimated that there are more than 4 billion HDMI devices currently in use. The HDMI 1.4 specification requires bandwidth of almost 10 Gbps. The HDMI 2.0 specification requires 18 Gbps, and the new HDMI 2.1 specification requires 48 Gbps. It’s clear that we’re seeing a rapid increase in bandwidth demand.

HDMI cables, however, have some distance limitations. Anything longer than 15 ft should have a chip to boost the signal (directional). Anything longer than 50 ft should be over active optical connection (AOC). Note: Cable distances supported for the newest 2.1 specification are still unclear because products are not available yet. In addition to distance limitations, HDMI can be difficult to install because the cables aren’t typically field terminated. These limitations cause real problems, especially in commercial installations.

This is where HDBaseT steps in. It can take the HDMI input, along with the other 5Play technology signals, and transport it 330 ft over a field-terminable, 4-pair twisted copper cable. Not only can you achieve longer distances, but, with the use of a switch, you can use multiple inputs and outputs.

Although HDBaseT was originally intended to work with standard category cabling, there have been some issues. As a result, we recommend that you choose a cable designed for the HDBaseT system you’re implementing.

The Best Cabling System for HDBaseT

Belden has performed several cabling tests to analyze bundling, power and 4K performance among different cabling systems. These tests have identified the cabling that can reliably support HDBaseT technology.

During testing, key parameters were identified in HDBaseT signal and design. This resulted in Belden’s creation of the industry’s first cable designed specifically for HDBaseT 4K video. These key electrical parameters are increased over standard category cable while still maintaining a cable that’s easy to install due to size and flexibility.

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Cable Braid Design: The significant Factor in New 4K Coax Cable

There is a revolution transpiring with 4K coax cable design. We outlined factors which set new 4K coax cable design apart (silver-coated copper center conductors, the insulation, polyethylene types and foil shields bonded to the core). Then we concluded our post by promising to tell you about the last remaining factor that sets new 4K coax cable designs apart from the others: the cable braid in 12 GHz 4K design.

Learn more about the most difficult part of the journey to a new 4K coax cable design …

Cable Braid Performance

After the first foil, which a braid layer with 95% coverage – the most coverage possible in a single cable braid. Enhacing cable braid performance is one of the most difficult aspects of creating a new 4K coax design.

If you look at the impedance of the cable (return loss), old designs have a bunch of spikes at different frequencies. These are caused by the dimensions of the braid, the relationship between the individual conductors, how the cable braids are woven with each other, the angle at which they cross each other (braid angle) and lots of other factors.

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Belden Brilliance™ Broadcast Coaxial Cables

Belden Brilliance™ broadcast video coaxes are modelled for maximum bandwidth, minimum return loss and minimum attenuation loss. These cables meet the very taut specifications for electrical properties and are suited for both analogue and digital video in broadcast, post-production and other critical video applications.

Brilliance™ broadcast video coaxes’ performance is specified to 4.5 GHz. Every reel is sweep tested for return loss and verified to the higher frequency. This reassures broadcasters, leading edge broadcast equipment manufacturers and the standards bodies that BeldenCable™ delivers execution and reliability.

 

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Are Category Cables Sufficient for HDBaseT?

New discoveries have been made about HDBaseT™ signals over the past couple of years, impacting the types of cables that are best suited to transport these new signals.

Recent test results indicate, category cables – which are optimized for Ethernet traffic – often battle with the HDBaseT signal. The characteristics of category cables are often overkill for HDBaseT applications; other times, category cable characteristics are not sufficient to guarantee a great signal. HDBaseT is a dissimilar type of signal, and 4K video is jolting that threshold even further.

To better understand the capabilities of category cables when it comes to HDBaseT, we want to share the outcome of Belden’s in-house cable testing. But, first, it’s vital  to know what standard we tested to.

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HDBaseT: Let’s talk Convergence

There has been talk about convergence in the cabling world; some driven by new technology and market overlapping. Today’s system integrator has the ability to install a system that covers phones, computers, security, audio/video and also low-voltage power.

There are two types of convergence that we often discuss: technology and infrastructure.

Technology convergence uses a single network system, such as Ethernet, to support multiple devices. All of these devices share the same cable and active equipment. An example, you can now plug your desk phone and computer into the same telecom switch. Ethernet networks can support just about every aspect of communication, voice, data, security, building control and even AV applications. This is not the convergence we are talking about.   

Infrastructure convergence uses the same cable to support multiple systems. All sorts of devices connect to their own system using a common cabling system. The biggest type of communication cabling being used today is Ethenet category cable. While the entire system shares the same cable, the devices don’t speak the same language; therefore, they cannot communicate with each other. This system offers customers a universal, low cost-cabling system. But is it really the best solution for each application?

This article examines one version of this type of convergence: the use of category cabling for HDBaseT signals.

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