Blustream announced its line of uncompressed 18Gbps HDMI-over-HDBaseT extension solutions, the HEX18GARC-KIT extender set. It uses the latest HDBaseT technology for the distribution of bit-for-bit 4K HDMI video and audio up to 328 feet over a single Cat6A cable. The set also offers support for USB 2.0/KVM, eARC, ARC and 1Gb Ethernet pass-through.

The HEX18GARC-KIT supports the HDMI 2.0 18Gbps specification, including 4K 60Hz 4:4:4 UHD video and HDCP 2.3/2.2/1.4. The HEX18GARC-TX transmitter and HEX18GARC-RX receiver support the uncompressed distribution of the latest HDR resolutions, including HDR10/10+ and Dolby Vision. HDMI re-clocking on the HDBaseT receiver helps to resolve HDMI HDCP, compatibility and handshaking issues.

The HEX18GARC-KIT features an integrated four-port hub with bidirectionality that Blustream says provides flexibility when deploying KVM or USB accessories to or from the local or remote location. It also supports USB 2.0 at speeds of up to 350Mbps. The extender set supports eARC from the display via HDMI and standard ARC from HDMI and optical (S/PDIF) digital inputs. The device supports all known HDMI audio formats — including Dolby Atmos, Dolby TrueHD, Dolby Digital Plus, and DTS-HD Master Audio transmission — in addition to bidirectional IR, RS-232 and power over cable (PoC).