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HDMI @ 1080p Testing Results Part III - FINALLY something works...

post #1 of 14
4/10/07 at 1:29pm
Thread Starter 
Part II of the testing results can be found here:

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=831837

Part III is just going to cover the Ethereal HDMI wallplates @ 1080p...

Well, here goes... THEY ACTUALLY WORK!

Yup, DVD player -> HDMI switch -> wallplate -> wallplate -> TV actually works. The 1080p signal actually makes it all the way through without sparkles* (see notes below). No other wallplates I've tested can say that. Working comes at a pretty steep price though: $265 for the set vs. about $120 (a pair) for most others on the market. Anyways, kudos to Ethereal on delivering a working product when apperently no one else can. By the way, these wallplates worked with BOTH the SIMA and the Gefen switches. So the $300 Gefen is going back and I'll keep the $100 SIMA thank you very much. They did not work with the L connector, but thats the L connectors fault.

A few notes on the wallplates since they are a new product and Brent seems receptive to feedback:

1) There does seem to be a short, early burst of sparkles as apperently everything is syncing up. This burst is more like a flash of sparkles and lasts for maybe 1/2 a second or less. Then the picture goes perfect. This seems to happen every time I switched inputs on the HDMI switch. Weird. It also happened when I just used the non-equalizer version of the plate by itself without a switch.

2) The early PR shots showed the connector mounted low on the face, what happened to that? They are centered on the production model. Bummer for me since I'll have to modify my entertainment center shelf.

3) I'm not quite sure how Ethereal expects people to actually INSTALL the plates. There is a circuit board exposed on the back that goes pretty deep. The in-wall connector on that board points down. This thing isn't going to fit into a standard J box without cutting out the back and notching the bottom so the HDMI cable can be connected. That'll be tough for an existing install. Luckily I have a retrofit box installed so it can be easily modified.

4) The exposed circuit board is an invite for a short or electrical arc in a cramped box... .

Other then that, as I said above, these are the ONLY wallplates I have found capable of passing a 1080p signal with no sparkles. So yeah, a few minor shortcomings, but they are pretty minor.
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post #2 of 14
4/10/07 at 1:42pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by SledgeHammer View Post

Part II of the testing results can be found here:

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=831837

Part III is just going to cover the Ethereal HDMI wallplates @ 1080p...

Well, here goes... THEY ACTUALLY WORK!

Yup, DVD player -> HDMI switch -> wallplate -> wallplate -> TV actually works. The 1080p signal actually makes it all the way through without sparkles* (see notes below). No other wallplates I've tested can say that. Working comes at a pretty steep price though: $265 for the set vs. about $120 (a pair) for most others on the market. Anyways, kudos to Ethereal on delivering a working product when apperently no one else can. By the way, these wallplates worked with BOTH the SIMA and the Gefen switches. So the $300 Gefen is going back and I'll keep the $100 SIMA thank you very much. They did not work with the L connector, but thats the L connectors fault.


A few notes on the wallplates since they are a new product and Brent seems receptive to feedback:

1) There does seem to be a short, early burst of sparkles as apperently everything is syncing up. This burst is more like a flash of sparkles and lasts for maybe 1/2 a second or less. Then the picture goes perfect. This seems to happen every time I switched inputs on the HDMI switch. Weird. It also happened when I just used the non-equalizer version of the plate by itself without a switch.

Sorry, Dont have an answer for that

Quote:


2) The early PR shots showed the connector mounted low on the face, what happened to that? They are centered on the production model. Bummer for me since I'll have to modify my entertainment center shelf..

My fault, I had the board extended to center the plug in the plate for the purpose of appearence.

Quote:


3) I'm not quite sure how Ethereal expects people to actually INSTALL the plates. There is a circuit board exposed on the back that goes pretty deep. The in-wall connector on that board points down. This thing isn't going to fit into a standard J box without cutting out the back and notching the bottom so the HDMI cable can be connected. That'll be tough for an existing install. Luckily I have a retrofit box installed so it can be easily modified.

I designed the plate to mount into an open back low voltage box.
I did not think it very easy to run the HDMI cable into a standart enclosure.

Quote:


4) The exposed circuit board is an invite for a short or electrical arc in a cramped box... ..

See above.

Quote:


Other then that, as I said above, these are the ONLY wallplates I have found cable of passing a 1080p signal. So yeah, a few minor shortcomings, but they are pretty minor.

Again Thank you
Brent McCall
Etheral Home Theater
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post #3 of 14
4/10/07 at 1:49pm
Although thats a pretty steep price (for what I need), I'm curious as to where you bought them? I can't find them on their site anywhere.

Then again, my issue may not even be my wallplates, I still don't know yet. I responded back to you in my HDMI issues thread that I am only trying to pass 720p, but again, in my case its not the picture that is bad, its the COLOR!!! Although my wallplates/cable length could be in question, I would find it hard to believe that the high bandwidth picture data makes it intact, yet the lowbandwidth EDID/handshake gets screwed up in my long run. Especially considering a 50' run of VGA in my case the DCC/EDID data makes it every time (My PC always recognized my TV).

Sorry to ramble there...Glad you got it fixed! I know what a pain it is to get everything all hooked up, and then have it not work like you expect!

-Alan
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post #4 of 14
4/10/07 at 2:12pm
Thread Starter 
I got them by calling up Ethereal. Did you try going direct from the source to display? If that works, then add one piece at a time.
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post #5 of 14
4/10/07 at 2:16pm
Firebird:
Low speed can be your problem.
That is why we created the low speed line driver that is in out restorer and our wall plates.
The wall plates do not improve the video (high speed data) stream, the only goal here was to minimise the effect on the viseo stream.
They do however help the low speed (EDID/HDCP) dats stream.
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post #6 of 14
4/10/07 at 2:24pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by SledgeHammer View Post

I got them by calling up Ethereal. Did you try going direct from the source to display? If that works, then add one piece at a time.

I have tried, but my problem is so elusive at times, its easy to draw wrong conclusions. In other words, I have tried it and it worked fine. BUT...I had tried hooking my son's PC up thru the wall plates back when I was trying to verify the source, and it worked fine too for the longest time that way. Only recently was I able to get it to "mess up" with my son's PC hooked up, proving the source was not the problem.

When my TV comes back from the shop, if I still experience the issue, better wall plates are on my list.

Thanks Brent for the info! Once the TV gets back, I'll make a decision from there.

-Alan
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post #7 of 14
4/10/07 at 2:28pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Brent McCall View Post

Sorry, Dont have an answer for that

Hmm... weird, I'll have to see if it does that in 1080i. Thing is, the two other sets of wall plates were more constant in the sparkles. The ethereal plates just have a flash at sync time.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Brent McCall View Post

My fault, I had the board extended to center the plug in the plate for the purpose of appearence.

I agree stuff looks better centered, but actually, I thought the PR shots with the Ethereal logo balanced it out... Oh well .

Quote:
Originally Posted by Brent McCall View Post

I designed the plate to mount into an open back low voltage box.
I did not think it very easy to run the HDMI cable into a standart enclosure.

Hmm... I'm using a standard 3 gang J box with the decora quickport connectors. I've got 1 HDMI cable, 4 pairs of speaker cable, 2 RG6 coaxs and 1 subwoofer cable going in there .
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post #8 of 14
4/10/07 at 2:37pm
Back before Carlon came out with open back boxs I would cut the backs off with a table saw (not a good idea).
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post #9 of 14
4/10/07 at 3:01pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Brent McCall View Post

Back before Carlon came out with open back boxs I would cut the backs off with a table saw (not a good idea).

Table saws have a tendency to grab plastic and possibly your hand. I used a bandsaw... much safer and better control.
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post #10 of 14
4/10/07 at 3:11pm
Thread Starter 
I'll probably just dremel it out if I decide to go the HDMI wall plate route. Yeah these work, but there is the flash in the sync time that I wouldn't get with a direct cable. I dunno anymore .
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post #11 of 14
4/23/07 at 8:44am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Brent McCall View Post

Firebird:
Low speed can be your problem.
That is why we created the low speed line driver that is in out restorer and our wall plates.
The wall plates do not improve the video (high speed data) stream, the only goal here was to minimise the effect on the viseo stream.
They do however help the low speed (EDID/HDCP) dats stream.

Brent, not sure if your following this thread still (or my other thread), but Got the TV back from the shop; they replaced the HDMI input board, and I still have those symptoms.

I have a set of ethereal plates on the way (just ordered a minute ago).

My problem is most definately the lowspeed/data lines, and not the picture data lines, so I am hoping the better wall plates with line driver takes care of my issues. I have elminated all other possiblities, except a 25' in wall run of cable, which is doubtful that it is bad with my symptoms.

Thanks,

-Alan
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post #12 of 14
4/24/07 at 7:30pm
Firebird:
First chance that I have had in several days to check in.
I will be on the road tomorrow but will get a chance to check in thrus mid-day.
Let me know how this goes.
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post #13 of 14
1/16/08 at 9:40pm
I hate to revisit such an old topic but I searched and couldn't find any other discussions about this topic. Here's my situation. I'm finishing my basement and my plan is to mount LCDs in three different rooms. The LCDs are only 720p so I'm not looking to get a 1080p signal to them, but the plan is to run HDMI to each of the three TVs. I am running a 32' HDMI cable from the J-Box back to the closet where my PS3 will be housed. My question is, will any wallplate work or should i start looking at the Ethereal wallplate?
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post #14 of 14
1/17/08 at 2:24pm
Thread Starter 
FOLLOW UP:

Skip the wallplates guys... even the Ethereal ones. They have been nothing but a thorn in my side. Everytime I swap out a piece of equipment, I end up having to tear everything apart because of wallplates.

Latest situation is that the Ethereal plates weren't compatible with the latest HDMI 1.3a AVRs. Everything worked fine in my previous setup, even @ 1080p. As soon as I switched out the SIMA switch for a Denon AVR-3808CI, the wall plates no longer worked .

I finally ended up going with this:

http://www.mcminone.com/product.asp?...uct_id=50-7405

Works way better and for a fraction of the $$$
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