Just Add Power 3G+ questions

[ERDrPC]

My integrator and I are discussing HDMI video distribution

I brought up the option of using Crestron DM Matrix 16x16 using Cytexone's driver/help. That is still on the table as I will be running CAT6A x2 and Multimode Fiber x2 to each TV drop. 

I currently have an 8x8 Atlona HDBaseT matrix but it will be staying as a part of the sale of my house. If not then I may use it for now as a cost savings measure.

I will have a Mikrotek CCR1072-1G-8S+ router with 8 x SFP+ and 1 gigabit port. I will have a top of the rack Cisco SG350XG-48T switch and a Cisco SG500X-48P-K9-NA POE switch. All connections to the router with be with SFP+ (potentially LACP'd). I've thought about pfsense but can't find a hardware solution with 4 to 6 SFP+ ports. 

Sources- 3 x directv HR DVR (non-genie), 3 x cable box (may change service to access 4k), Kalediscape, Roku 4, UHD player (hopefully oppo), oppo 103D, PS3, HTPC (have 150 movies backup on a NAS), HDMI from NVR. May swap out the HTPC for another Roku 4 with either plex/kodi. 

PS If anyone knows a cisco certified person close to Oakville ON that would be great. I've contacted 3 different companies as I no longer want to be own IT guy on the network side and nobody wants my business :(. 

1. Is it better to use a dedicated switch for JAP or a large switch with VLANs. I wonder because network traffic has to travel to the router when using a VLAN but traffic on the same switch doesn't have to. Could this extra step introduce a delay? I'm already not as happy with Atlona's blank screen 3 second pause with i) source change ii) when someone jumps on a currently viewed source iii) resolution change within the same media box - directv HD and non-HD content. I need 10 POE ports for IP cameras. If also used the SG500X-48P for JAP then I guess I would need VLANs. The other option would be to use 2 x SG500X-24P with one just for JAP. 

2. In my current setup - I have Dolby True HD-MA running to my theater receiver and 2 channel audio broken out for my distributed audio matrix. How is that possible if I plan on have Atmos sources - Kaldescape, Roku 4 or Amazon Fire (waiting to see if Zappati 4k or PCH VTEN work out their bugs). I'm looking for 4k content from Netflix and Amazon prime with audio. 

3. Would a Tx also be needed in addition to a Rx for TV based content to get the audio back for distributed audio? Ie Audio return channel functionalty. VUDU can do 4k streaming with Dolby Atmos and Dolby vision. How would the audio get back to the rack for the room amplifier? 

4. After reading about 8K from ISE and NAB I was wonder if 4K distribution is another 3D fad???

[thecodeman]

1) All our J.A.P. jobs use dedicated switches for the video distribution and other switches for the network. This keeps it clean and makes our system design easier. All of our J.A.P. jobs plan for expansion, so we keep extra ports on the switch free for future transmitters or receivers. If you have a 24 port switch full with say 20 video distribution and 4 network ports, then you don't really gain much either way. Switches are pretty cost effective. With just add power, if you can set all the sources to the same resolution then you get instantaneous switching. If someone else selects the same source, you dont get a resolution change either. 3G product gives you the ability to downscale 4k sources so that they can show on 1080p screens as well as 4k. Pretty nifty.

2) Just Add Power now has a 3G+ Hifi transmitter that supports Atmos. - http://justaddpower.com/product-range.html. HDMI loop outs mean you can loop the source into a receiver for a theater if you want, in addition to transmitting the video and audio on the system to other displays. Because they have dolby licensing they have the ability to send dolby surround plus have 2ch stereo audio extraction to feed into an audio matrix. A lot of other products dont have this - for example, leaf - so the hdmi audio must be changed to 2ch stereo so that you can also get the analog out.

3) Instead of using the tv app and trying to send audio back, I would get a Roku 4. It supports vudu 4k and can be shared among all TVs. HDMI audio return via JAP is not supported at this time, and a lot of TVs have optical audio out that they want you to use so you'd have to have another balun for that.

4) No, not a fad. 4k is just getting started in the market with content. Yes, 8K is coming but I predict based on the product life cycle on blu-ray/1080p HD that was approx 10 years.  While 8k tvs will be technically available "soonish" the infrastructure for creation, workflow, distribution, and content for 8K wont be commonly available for about the same amount of time. So... you can wait for 8k but there's nothing on the market that supports it. I also will go out on a limb and say it will not be HDMI but SuperMHL as well. Whole other ballgame.

If you're a dealer you should talk to @Kevin L at Blackwire they can get your Just Add Power questions answered. If you arent a dealer, have your dealer talk to them. I am currently deploying 2 different 25x25 4K systems with Just Add Power and Blackwire. Good stuff.

 

[ERDrPC]

So it seems like JAP 3G+ or Crestron DM with fiber is the way to go. I've read up on SuperMHL and at NAB it was announced there is now a single chip for 8k processing in devices. 

[thecodeman]

16 minutes ago, ERDrPC said:

So it seems like JAP 3G+ or Crestron DM with fiber is the way to go. I've read up on SuperMHL and at NAB it was announced there is now a single chip for 8k processing in devices. 

True - we are *just now* getting 4K and HDR sorted out from a manufacturing side, and theres no HDR standard either (dolby vision, HDR10, and mfrs like Sony who use their own logo). Content is coming but is slow. You can use JAP with Fiber, just put fiber to copper media converters in place. Or if you have the flexibility, put conduit to your TV locaitons (at least 1.5" if not 2") from accessible attic space and just pull whatever cable you need in the future. Maybe we'll have 300' SuperMHL over fiber, who knows - Celerity already has HDMI over Fiber up to 1000' but it isnt cheap.

[Kevin L]

Go with Just Add Power

[ERDrPC]

Okay one last question

Does the 1st port in the switch need to be used for control? Ideally I am going to each switch via SFP+ to the Mikrotik router. Do I also need to connect the switch I'm using for JAP to the switch I'm using for the C4 EA-5 or is connecting each switch via SFP+ good enough?

[thecodeman]

1 hour ago, ERDrPC said:

Okay one last question

Does the 1st port in the switch need to be used for control? Ideally I am going to each switch via SFP+ to the Mikrotik router. Do I also need to connect the switch I'm using for JAP to the switch I'm using for the C4 EA-5 or is connecting each switch via SFP+ good enough?

I have two 24 port luxul switches stacked for JAP in this example.

Standard network is 192.168.1.x , JAP network is 192.168.200.x

Port 1 on the master switch is connected to your router or switch on the standard network via copper cat (in my case it plugs into my router). Switch 1 is stacked to switch 2 with a fiber SFP. Thats it. You dont need SFP from jap to your network, its just receiving commands from c4 not transferring video bandwidth.

A static route in my router from 1.x to 200.x allows me to log into the transmitters and receivers and make any changes to them individually, if necessary, from my standard 1.x network.

Buy it from blackwire and its all configured for you, for free.