Extron announced Thursday that the NAV E 222 USB-C and HDMI switching encoder is now shipping, building on the NAV Pro AV-over-IP Series platform by adding USB-C input capability and input switching.

The NAV E 222 is designed to provide AV system designers with more flexible options for creating high-performance streaming systems. In addition to HDMI, the encoder introduces USB-C input support and offers configurable automatic or manual input switching.

Casey Hall, Extron’s chief marketing officer, stated that this new USB-C connectivity meets the growing demand for modern and versatile AV integration.

“With all the power and reliability you’ve come to expect from our award-winning NAV Series, as well as the ability to power and charge connected USB-C devices, the NAV E 222 brings added convenience and efficiency to any Pro AV installation,” Hall said.

The encoder can power a USB-C device with up to 100 watts using the optional UPI 100 power inserter, allowing laptops to be powered and charged directly through the encoder. The NAV E 222 supports the AES67 audio-over-IP standard, enabling integration with Extron DMP Plus DSPs and other networked audio systems.

The NAV system is designed for large-scale professional AV environments, enabling secure deployment of AV signals to thousands of endpoints.

According to Extron, the NAV system is built for ultra-low latency and high-quality video and audio signals over an Ethernet network at low bitrates while supporting real-time lossless video over IP at resolutions up to 4K/60 with 4:4:4 chroma sampling, making it suitable for applications where timing and image fidelity are crucial.

Extron notes that it produces the NAV system to be deployed as a high-performance IP-based video and audio matrix, combining the flexibility of AV-over-IP with the familiar switching and control features found in traditional matrix switchers. Extron states that the NAV Series is the only solution that offers both 1 Gbps and 10 Gbps encoders and decoders while providing full interoperability across both systems.

The NAV E 222 is available now.