Sony, Samsung, LG-led consortium develop home network HDBaseT cable spec

Distributing entertainment throughout a home network has never been a plug and play experience, but the HDBaseT cable consortium hopes to change that with a specification that can not only accommodate any video and Internet data signals, but even electrical power.

Formed by a banner consumer electronics group that includes Samsung, Sony, LG, and Valens Semiconductor, the HDBaseT consortium claims that their so-called "SuperCable" will be able to help consumers distribute video and data content throughout a home without the jungle of cables currently required to support each device connected in a home network. In one scenario, the HDBaseT cable advocates claim a consumer could connect one DVR to multiple TV sets within a home.  

A key component of the HDBaseT technology is the advent of 5Play technology, which can support full uncompressed HD video, audio, 100BaseT Ethernet, high power over cable and various control signals through a single 100m/328ft CAT5e/6 LAN cable. The finalized HDBaseT 1.0 base specification will be able to support 100 Mbps of data throughput with an upgrade path supporting Gigabit Ethernet.

While the HDBaseT-based products won't be available until the second half of 2010, the obvious benefit for the consumer would be a simplified way to distribute their content-something all consumers want.

For more:
- see the release here
- Forbes has this article

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