Quote Originally Posted by jasonrudolph View Post
I recently used one of these to ourput 1080 on HD-SDI, and it worked absolutely great. There are only two problems I have with the gefen product.

First, the power supplies they send with the unit are not auto-ranging, they are ONLY 120v, and I have seen them get blown up on two shows now. They are a standard sive, 5v supply though, so replacing them isnt a big deal.

Secondly, all the settings for this box are done via an IR remote, and if that gets lost, you are screwed.

Other than those two things, it worked great, especially for the price, if all you need to do is convert to SDI or HD-SDI, without really havign any other adjustments, then this is a good, cheap alternative to an imagepro.
Jason,

You can control the new boxes via RS-232. Here is an instruction manual link to how to control the device and update its firmware via RS-232: http://www.gefen.com/pdf/HDSDI%20Sca...l%20Manual.pdf


These HD boxes are actually superior products than HD Imagepros for a fraction of the price, if all you need is SDI (no component, composite or any other analogue signals). Here are some of the features that make this box tailored especially for a DVI to HD-SDI conversion at a fraction of the cost.

The main performance enhancement is the motion adaptive de-interlacing and that you are able to send resolutions up to 2k rather than be restriced to just 1080i

You also have the option of upgrading the cheaper box to have genlock if you run into a scenario where you need it.

* 10-bit resolution for greater precision and dynamic range
* Proprietary 10-bit motion adaptive video de-interlacing with edge interpolation for HD / SD formats
* Advanced noise reduction and detail enhancement
* Max. active image size of 2048 samples x 2048 lines PBP processing for various combinations of video and graphics with alpha blending
* Fully integrated sprite based multi-plane OSD controller.
* Frame rate conversion to / from any refresh rate
* Pattern mode w/ color bars & corss hatch patterns
* Color correction
* Noise Reduction
* Detail Enhancement
* Brightness Adjustment
* Gamma Selection
* Aspect Ratio Select
* Custom Timing output mode
* French/English Menu Set
* RS-232 upgradeable firmware
* RS-232 and/or IR Control
* Lifetime support
* Genlock capable

* Input Video Bandwidth: 1.65 Gbps
* Output Video Bandwidth: 1.485 Gbps
* Maximum Input Resolution: 2048x1080
* Maximum Output Resolution: 2048x1080p24
* DVI Connector: DVI-I 29 pin female (digital only)
* SDI/HDSDI Connector: BNC female
* Data Port: Serial RS-232
* Power Supply: 5V DC
* Power Consumption: 20 watts (Max.)
* Dimensions: 6.5"W x 1"H x 6.75"H
* Shipping Weight: 5 lbs.
All for at most $1299, st sewelldirect.com you can get these in bulk for deeply discounted prices.

Still is no comparison to having the Gefen DVI Fiber extender for $439, uses 2 double straded fiber sc connectors and, you can buy 4 strand bundled fiber for cheap and just get the connectors and a tool, fiber cable is so cheap, if you seriously want a clean signal that you can drive 2k resolutions for up to for 2000ft, I would still prefer these over HD-SDI anyday.

Christian