Back to the Present: Solving Today’s Technology Challenges with HDBaseT

Over the last thirty years, the professional AV industry has experienced incredible advancements powered by innovation and resilience. Advancements in audiovisual technology have entirely transformed global business for various markets, including corporate, education, gaming, defense and intelligence, entertainment, sports and medical. There have been numerous changes to devices that capture, reproduce, distribute and manipulate audio and video, and their performance, interoperability and quality. Specifically, these connectivity and distribution solutions have experienced some of the most significant changes and advancements globally.

As the professional AV industry evolves, so do the product categories. It’s a natural progression in any industry, and professional AV is no exception. Today, the industry is filled with product categories for connectivity solutions – from HDMI to USB-C and everything in between. Many of these categories were introduced decades ago but are still being implemented today.

For example, nearly 20 years ago, the first HDMI specification was released. HDMI was introduced as a digital replacement for analog video standards. Since then, about 10 billion devices have been enabled with HDMI technology. In 2010, HDBaseT introduced a global standard for HDMI. HDBaseT created a standard for transmitting ultra-high-definition video and audio, Ethernet, controls, USB and up to 100W of power over a single, long-distance cable. Based on a commitment to interoperability, each new version of HDBaseT solutions is backward compatible, ensuring any two HDBaseT devices will work at their highest standard feature set.

After two decades, HDMI technology is still reliable, useful and interoperable. The problem is many manufacturers have moved on to the next product category. Lightware is unique. Since 1998, Lightware has delivered technologies for the future of the AV industry. And, we’ve maintained a strong leadership role in current technologies, like HDMI. As a member of the HDBaseT Alliance, Lightware offers a full range of transmitters, receivers, smart extenders and integrated controllers featuring HDBaseT. Whether an application is a simple point-to-point extension or complex signal routing, Lightware has a solution that can meet the challenge.

Like many other industries, the world of AV technology changes rapidly, and these changes inevitably bring challenges to any project or operation. Fortunately, Lightware provides solutions for current advancements and the future of AV technologies. Our mission is to recognize these challenges and create products that overcome them – today and in the future.