November 2006 - HowTo - Reference Theater Part 2: Prewire And Connectivity - page 3
The HDMI Debacle
We are currently running five HD sources in the reference system. All of them have HDMI 1.2 output, which should make for easy connection, but don’t believe the hype. The HDMI format offers tremendous promise and, when not inhibited by the dreaded HDCP copy protection, HDMI can work pretty well. When in the case of, say, my Toshiba HD DVD player, the idea of running the unit using HDMI was such a nightmare that we simply abandoned it. It was no fault of the switchers we tried or the cables or even the preamp. The fact is that the powers behind HDMI, as they feverishly work on the highly-touted version 1.3 of their standard, better find a way to make their copy protection work or people will simply reject the idea and/or manufacturers will look to other solutions for copy-protected HD connectivity.
 Because of reliability issues, we added an Extron switcher for component video for analog HD video. The Meridian 861 can take up to three component video inputs and I needed far more than that to make this system work. Industry icons at this point argue whether HDMI 1.2 has better video than component video cables. My instinct is that HDMI looks better, but I would leave that to someone like the Imaging Science Foundation to test more scientifically. The reality is that everyone is waiting for HDMI 1.3, which is likely to be dramatically improved over 1.2, including better audio, way better video bandwidth and actual reliability that we can count on. Right now, the only sources I recommend you connect via HDMI are non-HDCP-protected ones like scaling DVD players, HD receivers or D-VHS decks.
 One area we were quite successful with HDMI (with a DVI adaptor) was on the run between the Faroudja processor and the Meridian Faroudja projector. There is no analog connection between the Faroudja processor and the Meridian MF1 three-chip D-ILA projector. The feed is always 1080p, no matter what source is running, which brings up an interesting question for those installing or thinking about 1080p: how do you get 1080p over a long HDMI cable? Many companies we work with have good solutions, including Impact Technologies, Accell Cables and Ultralink. Many of their systems are over copper wire, which is how traditional cables work. The solution we used is from Dtrovision and can cost from $1,000 to $1,500, depending on cost for a fiber optic solution for HDMI. Using as many as five fiber strands, this cable system connects to two control blocks at each end. In our case, we needed to run it through another conduit from the rack to the projector and connect the blocks at each end. The advantage of fiber optic is that it can carry a lot of bandwidth over a long run. We didn’t need this amount of cable, but Dtrovision say they can effectively run as long as 300 feet. As HDMI 1.3 makes its way to market some time in 2007, fiber optic cables both long and short run could become a really hot solution for those looking to make their video really look great.
More to Come
Stay tuned for more how-to topics from the reference theater, including looks into the world of both wired and wireless connectivity for home theater systems, as well as a look at fabric walls, advanced acoustical treatments and room tuning.
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