I have often written that what HDBaseT is doing now is merely a band-aid to the future of video signal routing and distribution.

Why?

Well, it’s not network-based. HDBaseT converts video, audio, network, control and power to a signal so that it can be carried over CATx cable over long distances. But, it’s not over the network. It’s network-like, but not the network.

I love HDBaseT — I don’t like that the HDBaseT Alliance isn’t enforcing their own standard and making sire that everyone building HDBaseT products and AV gear aren’t all compatible with each other — thus, not building to the HDBaseT specs. What that means is that you can’t build AV systems that use different manufacturer’s gear. Thus, if you want to use an Extron HDBaseT matrix switcher with Atlona transmitters and receivers and send that into the HDBaseT input of a Panasonic projector — it won’t work. One of those three isn’t following the HDBaseT spec, completely. You figure out which one! You can probably guess. 🙂

In any case, today, I spent nearly an hour with the CEO of AptoVision, Kamran Ahmed, today and he explained their technology and mission — it’s the networked version of HDBaseT — and, since it’s following the network protocols and standards, for switching you use ANY BRAND’s 10 Gig network switch.

OK, that’s the only hitch, right? The 10 Gig switch issue.

But, Ahmed understand that and he even admitted that their sweet-spot for growth will be five years from now — when most switches will be 10-Gig. And, we all know that will happen, eventually, as Cisco and the like want to sell more and more routers.

AptoVsion is focused on the future and understand that. Their technology, all wrapped in a chip technology called BlueRover NT that enables the extension, switching and routing of real-time, uncompressed Ultra-HD (4K and below) AV signals with zero-frame latency over off-the-shelf (OTS) Ethernet switches. And, it’s AVB-ready — so the audio can be routed via Dante.

I shot a video (remember, it’s set-up day here at ISE and there were a lot of barrier in the way in shooting this video – so the quality is not the best we can shoot, but the point and demo is clear) that explains the way their BlueRiver NT technology works and it’s impressive. Here’s the video.

For years, we’ve been writing about how the future of AV is IT including sending video and audio over the network — not just parallel to the network and not setting up an AV-only network. Truly over the network. AptoVision can do that now.