6
Planning a Distribution System
● Each display should be tested with the source(s) being used to ensure basic
compatibility before connecting them to a distribution amp and/or switcher.
Not all HDMI components and displays are compatible.
● Since all of the displays will be receiving the same video signal resolution and
format from the source, make sure the source is set to output the highest
resolution that all of the displays can accept. For instance, if one of the
displays connected to the distribution system can only accept a maximum
input resolution of 1080p, all of the displays will receive only 1080p video
signals. You may consider creating two or three separate distribution systems
with different sources and different output resolutions so that you can
adequately demonstrate the highest resolution HDTV sets.
● Since HDMI connectors can sometimes become loose, mount the switcher
or distribution amplier to a at surface and add strain relief tie-downs a few
inches away from every HDMI cable connector.
Large HDMI Distribution Systems
If you plan to install a very large HDMI signal distribution network, you should
be aware of system limitations related to content protection. Audio Authority can
help you design a distribution system that suits your needs and is easy to install
and operate.
● Each system is limited to 128 Rx “nodes” including the rst Rx node.
● Every device with an Rx chip counts as one node, including TVs, distribution
amps, and switchers.
● The number of “layers” is limited to seven. This means the number of
switchers and/or distribution amps between a source and any TV must be six
or fewer. For this reason, a “hub and spoke” system architecture may be more
appropriate than a “daisy chained” architecture.
● A distribution system feeding the highest number of displays allowable using
two, four, and eight output distribution amps has a capacity of 108 TVs. The
distribution ampliers add up to 17 Rx nodes, and the source is one node, so
the total number of downstream nodes in this system is 126.
About 3D Content Distribution
● When the input signal contains 3D data all connected displays must support
3D content in order to display an image.
● Distributing 3D content also implies that all viewers have the 3D glasses
available for the appropriate TV. If this is not the case, 3D content may not be
a good choice for general signal distribution.