Technical Support / FAQ
Technical Support / FAQ
Q: What is HDMI?
A: HDMI (High-Definition Multimedia Interface) is an audio/video interface for transferring uncompressed video data and compressed/uncompressed digital audio data from an HDMI device (Blu-ray player, DVD player, gaming console, computer, cameras, camcorders, tablets, smart phones, and so on) to a compatible computer monitor, video projector, digital television, or digital audio device. HDMI is a digital replacement for existing analog video standards.
*External Link: http://www.hdmi.org/
Q: What is HDMI 2.0 and what's new in HDMI 2.0?
A: HDMI 2.0 is backwards compatible with earlier versions of the HDMI 1.x specification, and it significantly increases bandwidth to 18Gbps (from 10.2Gbps of HDMI 1.x) and includes some advanced features as follow:
- Support 4K@50/60 (2160p), RGB 4:4:4 at 8 bit, and RGB 4:2:0 at 8/10/12/16 bit
- Support 4K@24/25/30, RGB 4:4:4 at 8/10/12/16 bit
- Up to 32 audio channels
- Up to 1536kHz audio sample frequency
- Support wide angle theatrical 21:9 video aspect ratio
- CEC extensions provide more expanded command and control
There is currently no solution for existing HDMI 1.x devices to be upgraded with HDMI 2.0 features, because, the new enhanced feature set of HDMI 2.0 requires new hardware and firmware to be implemented.
CYP is among the first few manufacturers to license this new HDMI specifications and become HDMI 2.0 Adopter.
Q: What is HDR and what it is for?
A: HDR (High Dynamic Range) is a feature referenced in CEA 863.1 standard. Basically, an HDR video source is able to transmit static metadata information to a sink / display, and tells it (if it is HDR-compatible) how to present the most optimal color and contrast range in the underlying video image, so to enhance the viewing experience. HDMI adds the HDR support to its HDMI 2.0a specifications, and Cypress has this ability implemented in all its HDMI 2.0 models.
Q: What is the HDBaseT technology?
A: HDBaseT technology can connect all the entertainment devices in the home through its 5Play™ feature set, converging uncompressed full HD digital video, audio, 100BaseT Ethernet, Power over HDBaseT (POH) and various control signals all through a single 100m/328ft (or 70m/230ft the lite version) CAT5e/6 cable.
*External Link: http://hdbaset.org/
Q: What is HDBaseT 2.0?
A: HDBaseT 2.0 is the latest specification released by HDBaseT Alliance, is adds new features such as USB 2.0 support and HDMI 2.0 capabilities including 4K@60, on top of the original HDBaseT 5Play (transmission of high definition video, audio, Ethernet, power and controls over single Cat5 cable) feature set. While HDBaseT 1.0 addresses the Physical and Data Link layers only, HDBaseT 2.0 adds networking, switching and control point capabilities. HDBaseT 1.0 defined a point-to-point connectivity standard, HDBaseT 2.0 defines point-to-multi point connectivity, thereby providing multi-stream support.
HDMI extenders of HDBaseT 2.0 can transfer 4K content over a longer distance than those of HDBaseT 1.0 specs.
CYP is one of the pioneer manufacturers selected to develop and build products of HDBaseT 2.0 specifications, and Cypress has released its first HDBaseT 2.0 extender set in Q3 2014.
Q: What is a video scaler?
A: A video scaler is basically a device that can convert the resolution of video signals, resulting a different output video from the input. Besides changing the size (the number of horizontal and vertical pixels) of the original video signals, video scaler products provides additional features including analog-to-digital or digital-to-analog signal conversion, noise reduction, de-interlacing, comb filtering, motion picture improvement, aspect ratio conversion, video system conversion, frame rate conversion, and others which can optimize the output video signal for given display settings.
Q: What is UHD or 4Kx2K resolution?
A: UHD is an abbreviation of Ultra High Definition which includes 4K UHD (2160p) and 8K UHD (4320p), which are two latest digital video formats. 4K UHD (or 4K UHDTV) generally refers to a resolution of 3840 pixels × 2160 lines (8.3 megapixels, aspect ratio 16:9), while 4Kx2K can also be a resolution of 4096 × 2160 (8.8 megapixels, aspect ratio 17:9) for 4K film projection.
Q: What is HDCP?
A: High-bandwidth Digital Content Protection (HDCP) is a form of digital copy protection to prevent copying of digital audio and video content as it travels across connections. Types of connections include High-Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI), Digital Visual Interface (DVI), DisplayPort (DP).
*External Link: http://www.digital-cp.com/
Q: What is HDCP 2.x?
A: HDCP 2.x stands for the digital content protection specifications released after HDCP 1.x, mainly HDCP 2.0 and HDCP 2.2 versions.
HDCP 2.0 uses industry-standard public-key RSA authentication and AES 128 encryption, to support scenarios requiring compressed content and wireless transmission, while HDCP 1.x technology offers protection mainly for uncompressed content. The interfaces which utilize HDCP 2.0 include DiiVA, NetHD, WHDI, WiHD, and some IP-based extending solutions.
HDCP 2.2 is the latest version of copy protection, it comes with encryption on the keys (encrypted keys between the source and the display) more advanced than previous versions, and it is essentially about UltraHD 4K content. HDCP 2.2 is not backwards compatible with HDCP 1.x, but since only content with resolution of 4K and above will have HDCP 2.2 implementation, the currently popular 1080p playback scenarios (of Blu-ray and HDTV) will not be affected. For example, your current 1080p displays will work fine with new HDCP 2.2 source devices, presuming you're not trying to send content with HDCP 2.2 protection, also, your current Blu-ray player will send 1080p to a 2.2-enabled receiver, or to a 4K TV, with no issues.
CYP has launched its HDCP 2.0 products for years, and for HDCP 2.2, Cypress started developing over solutions with HDCP 2.2 specifications by early 2014, and has already entered mass production for new models.
Q: What is EDID and how does EDID Management work?
A: EDID stands for Extended Display Information Data, it is one of the standards defined by Video Electronics Standards Organization (VESA). A digital display or monitor provides EDID to a video source to describe its capabilities such like supported audio and video formats, color space and color depth.
EDID Management basically refers to two types of operation, one is EDID selection and the other is EDID manipulation, both features are widely adopted by Cypress Technology (CYP) in its products of several categories.
Most of CYP HDMI matrixes and splitters carry EDID selection feature which allows user to switch between external EDID (of the display) and internal EDID (built-in). And there are CYP EDID selectors and signal generators, these products allow user to modify the audio and video specifications in the EDID before send it to the video source.
EDID Management helps to solve incompatibility between display and source, and is very useful for system diagnosis for integration of audio and video equipment.
Q: What is CEC?
A: Consumer Electronics Control (CEC) is an HDMI feature designed to allow the user to command and control multiple CEC-enabled devices, that are connected through HDMI, by using only one of their remote controls (for example by controlling an HDTV, DVD player, and Blu-ray player using only the remote control of the TV). CEC also allows for individual CEC-enabled devices to command and control each other without user intervention.
CEC features are widely adopted by CYP HDMI products, and there are 3 major utilities provided by CYP HDMI matrixes, splitters, switchers, extenders and other products.
- CEC Bypass: CEC commands will be routed among the connected devices or from the transmitter to receiver of an extender set, just like HDMI video / audio signals, and any CEC-enabled device in the installation chain will respond the command and operate accordingly.
- CEC System Reset: CYP HDMI matrix or splitter with this feature can send a built-in CEC command to all connected CEC-enabled HDTV / displays, every 8~10 minutes, to force them to switch their source input selection to HDMI 1 port.
- CEC Control: Connecting to a PC/NB and using the bundled software application, CYP CEC Controller can send CEC commands to control any CEC-enabled device in the installation chain.
Q: What are HDMI ARC and HEC for?
A: ARC (Audio Return Channel) and HEC (HDMI Ethernet Channel) both are new features HDMI introduced to the market few years ago.
ARC allows audio from a TV display device to be transmitted over the HDMI cable back to the AV receiver or speakers, this direction is used when the TV is the one that generates or receives the video stream (from tuner or set-top-box) instead of the other equipment. Some CYP HDMI switchers provide additional ARC support to the convenience of professional / home A/V system installation.
*External Link: http://www.hdmi.org/manufacturer/hdmi_1_4/arc.aspx
HEC provides a bidirectional Ethernet communication at 100 Mbit/s (100BaseT network), over the HDMI cable, which eliminates the need for a separate Ethernet connection to each network-enabled device (HDTV, Blu-ray player, AV receiver, etc.) in a professional / home A/V system installation.
*External Link: http://www.hdmi.org/manufacturer/hdmi_1_4/hec.aspx
Q: What is Seamless Switching?
A: With a traditional HDMI matrix or switcher, switching between multiple HDMI inputs can take five or even up to ten seconds, which is always considered as a noticeable delay, to consumer user experience as well as to professional setup. The delay is majorly caused by the HDCP authentication procedure between the source device and the display, as it’s required to be done every time the connection is established, for example when you change to another input on an HDMI switcher. CYP HDMI Seamless Switching matrix and switcher, developed with the latest technologies, are able to solve this issue by sustaining the connection between multiple source devices and the display, it takes almost no time (only few milliseconds depends on the capability of the connected display) to show video from the next selected input.
Q: What is 3G-SDI?
A: Serial digital interface (SDI) is a family of digital video interfaces standardized by SMPTE (The Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers). SDI signal is digital and uncompressed, running over coax cable and using BNC connector. SMPTE standards (such like 259M) and associated bitrates define SDI signal to different specs, and the 3 most well-known among the specs are SD-SDI, HD-SDI and 3G-SDI. The 3G-SDI can allow up to 3 Gbps bandwidth which is required by transferring a 1080p signal. CYP has full series of 3G-SDI products, including matrixes, splitters, switchers, converters and scalers, all of them support 3G-SDI and are down-compatible with SD-SDI and HD-SDI interfaces.
HDMI / HDTV resolutions can be basically mapped to SDI interfaces as below:
- 480i/576i: SD-SDI (SMPTE 259M-C, at bitrates of 270 Mbit/s)
- 720p/1080i: HD-SDI (SMPTE 292M, at bitrates of 1.485 Gbit/s or 1.485/1.001 Gbit/s)
- 1080p: 3G-SDI (SMPTE 424M/425M-AB, at bitrates of 2.970 Gbit/s and 2.970/1.001 Gbit/s)
Q: What is LPCM audio?
A: Linear Pulse-Code Modulation (LPCM) is a method of encoding up to 8 channels (7.1) of uncompressed audio into a digital video signal, and the term also refers collectively to formats using this method of encoding. HDMI interface supports up to 8-channel of LPCM/192 kHz/24-bit audio, which is generally the default audio output format of Blu-ray player.
Q: What is Dolby Digital and does CYP have solution for this technology?
A: Dolby Digital (also known as AC-3) is a lossy audio compression format. It supports channel configurations from mono up to six discrete channels (referred to as "5.1"). This format first allowed and popularized surround sound. It was first developed for movie theater sound and spread to CD, DVD and Blu-ray, now a common audio format for home entertainment. The Dolby Digital audio signals from DVD / Blu-ray player are digitally compressed and encoded by Dolby Digital technology, so an AV receiver is required to decode and convert the signals to analog format before users can enjoy the audio from their speakers. To handle Dolby Digital audio, CYP provides much simpler (and much smaller) solution than bulky AV receiver, with the tiny audio decoder gadgets which can do decoding and conversion of Dolby Digital audio in a plug and play fashion.
*External Link: http://www.dolby.com/
Q: What is DTS and does CYP have solution for this technology?
A: DTS is a series of multichannel audio technologies owned by DTS, Inc., an American company specializing in digital surround sound formats used for both commercial/theatrical and consumer grade applications. DTS is a common audio format for movie theater sound, CD, DVD and Blu-ray, and home entertainment. Since there is the need in the market to process DTS audio stream, CYP designs and manufactures simple audio gadget models which can do decoding and conversion of DTS audio in a plug and play fashion.
*External Link: http://listen.dts.com/
Q: What can I do with 3D video signal when my TV only supports 2D?
A: The 2D-only TVs normally cannot handle the incoming 3D video signal, because of the limited processing ability of the TV, the image it presents could be repeated (2 duplicated one) and incorrectly scaled vertically or horizontally. To make it simple, the depth of 3D image is actually constructed by 2 same images overlapping (vertically or horizontally depends on the 3D technology involved), and since a 2D-only TV cannot recognize this kind of signal it will fail to playback properly, CYP 3D to 2D converter can solve the problem by removing the additional image to make 2D signal.
Q: What are IP Control and WebGUI?
A: There are many methods to control your equipment besides pushing the buttons on its panels, protocols such like IR (Infrared), RS-232, and USB are all very common and handy in most cases. However, the utilization of IR / RS-232 / USB can be limited by the distance of either infrared transmission or cable connection, so these protocols can only serve near or local operation. To the need of operating equipment over long distance and wide area, nowadays many equipment are designed to be controlled on the network (or over IP), CYP has adopted this technology and applied it to several new matrix products. CYP IP-Control-Enabled matrix has its own IP address, just like regular network equipment or computer, and can be accessed over Ethernet network using Telnet or TCP/IP protocol, and the later one comes with webpages which provides all available graphic user interface (WebGUI) for user to control the equipment.
Q: What does Cypress μCS mean and what is the purpose?
A: μCS stands for Micro Control System, CYP released its first μCS model to the automation and control market at the Hong Kong Electronics Fair (Autumn Edition), in October 2014. CYP μCS models are designed to meet the core necessity of connectivity and control in small to medium scale installation scenarios, and the purpose behind the development is to provide an alternative option of straight-forward operation and cost-effectiveness to the professional integrators who might consider to switch over from existing huge and complicated control systems. CYP μCS models support traditional direct control systems such like IR, Relay and DC, as well as indirect control systems such like IR Learning, RS-232, Telnet/Web GUI controls, and altogether the feature set can provide users with PC or APP based control systems a great flexibility.
Q: Where can I get firmware update for my CYP products?
A: To obtain updated firmware or software for CYP products, end user needs to contact his/her local distributor. Due to certain hardware tools and software applications are needed to update most of CYP products, and the updating procedure requires certain skills and expertise to be performed properly, we do not provide online service of firmware update at this moment and it’s not recommended for end-users to do update by themselves without the technical support from CYP distributors.