I am just checking to see if anyone is using this product and what you think of it. I understand there is a RTI driver available. Any limitations or complaints?

I've spent the last couple of weeks hammering this out for our demo stuff, and this is what I have to share.

- The "driver" is not a driver, I told the people at Just-add-power to stop referring to it as such since it's a bit of a misnomer. The "driver" is only the RS232 strings that someone wrote for their RP6 to control a Dell managed switch, and a nearly useless readme file with how they set it up.

- If you are only planning to split one thing, then they are very very simple. The way it works is their receiving units take an HDMI signal, and convert it to a compressed video stream. They send this information over a network to anything connected to the network. There is no setup on the sending or receiving units what-so-ever. They either send out a signal, or look for one. One sending unit can theoretically work with hundreds of displays, even through multiple switch levels.

- If you are planning on using the system as a matrix, it is far more complicated. You need a managed switch in order to create and manipulate VLANs for distributing the multiple video feeds. I used a Dlink 3226L. When you finally get the switch set up the way you want (and that's the fun part), you use the serial port to issue the commands to change the VLANs around. The fun part is there really aren't any specific commands per se, you are just essentially navigating the menu system as if you were using a terminal interface, so every time you change a setting you need to issue commands to log in, go to the appropriate spot in the interface, do what you need to, and exit out so the next time you send a command it will do it all over again.

- When all of that is working, it works well, and it's far cheaper than a traditional matrix/balun situation (especially one that deals with HDCP correctly). However, there is a price to be paid in the quality of the picture. Since they are converting the video signal, they compress it a good bit. You will only get stereo PCM, and the picture has noticeable artifacting. It is entirely watchable, but you definitely don't want to put one of the outputs on a projector. For distributing cable boxes and some dvd players around the house, it's very adequate.

Well, that's my say. I'm sure it will generate more questions than I have answered.

-matt

Matt, thanks for the info.
This is very helpful, and answers several questions I had about the quality and about using it as a matrix.

Thanks Matt. That is what I understood and heard also, just wanted to confirm w/ someone w/ experience. Do you have any experience w/ any other hdmi matrix that does not cost $10k (or much more)?

Honestly, my hdmi experiences thus far have been limited to necessity. The troubles I have had with hdcp and edid before have been enough to make me avoid even trying matrixes to this point, so unfortunately I don't have much basis for comparison. However, after attending an hdmi panel discussion at cedia last year, I've realized we're going to have to deal with it sooner or later (more sooner). The just add power system is a reasonable compromise with the issues of edid and hdcp in my opinion, though obviously not perfect because of the compression. However, until we get a customer that wants to drop five figures on hdmi distribution, I'm not likely to be inclined to try out some of the other solutions.

I just finished a job with an 8x8 HDMI matrix with category cable outputs, and had excellent results. The model was AT-HD88M-SR from Atlona. Now, keep in mind all of the wire was new cat6 in excellent condition, terminated to a patch panel on the send side and RJ45 on the receive side. The runs were all between 75' and 150'. As long as you have a good pre-wire, I would definitely recommend it. We passed 1080p from one source and 1080i from the rest without any problems. There were no issues with multiple displays watching the same source (key limitations), and the video quality was very good. On the shorter runs, the picture does tend to pick up brightness, however there is a gain adjustment on each of the receive units for this (not to mention in the display). When switching between sources outputting the same resolution, the switching speed is instant and the display does not resynch, which is pretty cool. The RS232 couldn't possibly be easier to implement, display letter to source number (i.e. display 3 to source 4 = C4\r). The sources used were Directv DVR's, KScape players (new and old), Roku, and a camera DVR using an Atlona VGA to HDMI converter. I don't know about the cost comparison between this and J.A.P., but the ease of implementation and image quality is definitely there.

Hi Matt,

I'm glad to hear you have found the Just Add Power HDMI over IP solution to be watchable.  It has been our experience that the characteristics of the TV (i.e. EDID and preferred resolution), combined with the proper calibration of the screen are the keys to having a great viewing experience with our HDMI over IP devices. Just this last week at EHX in Orlando we were showing HDMI over IP on 7 screens and the new 2010 Samsung was the best result we have experienced to date.  We continue to advise new dealers that the first logical step is for them to play with a few pieces so that they can learn the strengths and limitations of the current HDMI over IP devices.

If you don't think we should call our example "driver" for RTI a "driver", what should we call it? Is there a special vernacular for RTI devices that would mean something to RTI dealers? We call of our HDMI over IP RS232 control examples for other devices (i.e. AMX, Control4, Crestron, M-Control, Savant, URC, etc...) "drivers" and none of those dealers have complained about the nomenclature.  I just know that the RS232 codes we provide for the RP-6 allow the RTI owner to implement our right-sized HDMI over IP matrix solution. Our example is specific for the Dell 3524, however I'd like to get a copy of your re-write of the "not a driver" that you put together for the Dlink 3226L. We want to be as helpful as possible to the dealer and custom installer community.

"Drivers" in RTI land indicate 2 way, and currently can only be written by RTI themselves.

RS232 commands or codes makes more sense for RTI.

what Branden said. 

With RTI, if you have a "driver" then it's a two-way driver that RTI wrote and you load the driver file into your project.  With RS232 you just add the codes you need as you need them.  The "driver" means any interaction with the piece of equipment becomes [kinda sorta] native to the programming environment.  Instead of picking the rs232 command for the DVD input of an AVR, if you have a driver loaded for it you just select the AVR from a drop-down of loaded drivers, then select Input, then select from the list of available inputs that are programmed in the driver.

That's all