IP extension is a way to extend your application over long distances. The technology is flexible, future-proof, and gives you the option of using either CATx or fiber optic cabling, depending how far you want to go and which signals have to be transmitted. IP-based extenders usually send data over a 100m (330 ft.) segments, but you can extend farther by using Ethernet switches as repeaters. If fiber cables are used signals can be extended up to 16 km (10 miles).

Plenty of products other than TVs also offer eARC connectivity. Onkyo and Pioneer were the first to offer eARC updates on select AV products such as the Onkyo TX-RZ830, Integra DRX-5.2, Pioneer SC-LX502 and Pioneer VSX-LX503 AV receivers. Many of these pins are connected to twisting pairs of wires that are wrapped in a protective layer. These are called shielded twisted pairs. What HDMI with ethernet cables do is use wires that are usually designated as straight-through wires to be twisted pairs like the others. This allows for the internet data to be transmitted over these pairs.eARC basically does the same, but its capabilities are enhanced. It gets a massive boost in maximum audio bandwidth, enabling high-quality, multi-channel, lossless audio data to be transmitted from your TV to a sound system. HDMI distribution is achieved by AV devices, such as extenders, switches or matrices, that accept a single input signal and distribute the same signal to multiple isolated outputs and/or destinations without ground loops or signal degradation. They are used for a number of common engineering tasks, including multiple amplification, cable television, splitting monitor and front of house mixes, and "tapping" a signal prior to sending it through effects units to preserve a "dry" signal for later experimentation.

Using HDMI ARC does not require a new HDMI cable. Any HDMI cable should be able to cope with the requirements – it’s only when we move on to eARC that this could (potentially) become an issue. But more on that later.When it comes to choosing an HDMI over Ethernet extender, there are several key considerations to keep in mind. Here are some top factors to consider: There’s scope for eARC to deliver up to 32 channels of audio, including eight-channel, 24bit/192kHz uncompressed data streams at speeds of up to 38Mbps.

On paper, HDMI eARC also makes the handshake between compatible devices much smoother and negates the need to activate HDMI CEC (which doesn’t always work properly) - so operating multiple products shouldn’t require any extra steps to get things up and running. Very few devices support the HDMI Ethernet Channel, so there really aren’t many practical use-cases for Ethernet over HDMI. This information guide will give you a full rundown on Ethernet over HDMI and explain whether it’s a good idea to invest in an HDMI Cable With Ethernet. What’s an HDMI Cable with Ethernet?Picture the scene. You have a set-top box, games console and Blu-ray player all plugged into your TV via HDMI. When you switch to an HDMI input, ARC intelligently detects it and creates a bidirectional link between the source and audio device, transmitting the audio streams to the sound system connected to your TV over a unified interface. It eliminates the hassle of plugging in multiple cables and allows users to have an overall clean setup. For example, if you wanted to extend from the top floor of a building or to another house, you could run the cable through the walls or underground. Then connect the extender devices on each end of the cable and a standard HDMI cable from the device to your display. If you are using this for outdoor use, be sure to use an optical fiber cable rated for using outdoors. This means all those high bitrate formats currently available on Blu-ray discs, 4K Blu-rays and some streaming services – Dolby TrueHD, DTS-HD Master Audio and object-based formats such as Dolby Atmos and DTS:X– will all be compatible.

These specs tie into the HDMI connection standards, which is why you might see some Category 3 cables listed as HDMI 2.0 cables and some Category 3 (8K) cables listed as HDMI 2.1. Basically, if you have a 4K console with an HDMI 2.0 output and a 4K HDR TV with an HDMI 2.0 input, then you’re going to need a Category 3 cable running between them, or you run the risk of only getting 4K at 30Hz.Ethernet and Wi-Fi interfaces were readily available to TV and home entertainment device manufacturers at cheaper fees. It was the least of their priorities to make significant changes to their device’s hardware and software to support such a niche function like HEC. It seems like the engineers of HEC failed to predict the massive leaps in wireless technology, so the feature kind of became pointless. Nowadays, most WiFi cards can transfer data much faster than 100 Mbit/s. IP extension is a way to extend your video signals over long distances. Using AV/KVM extension technology to transmit lossless compressed video over optical fiber cables enables video extension of resolutions up to 4K@60Hz across very long distances today. This method provides enough bandwidth for high-resolution DisplayPort 1.2 video signals, keyboard/mouse, USB 2.0, RS232 and audio.