News: IXOS XEN XHT668 High-Speed HDMI Cable with Ethernet

Ixos has launched the new XEN XHT668 high speed HDMI cable with Ethernet in the UK.  Claiming to be first to market with a cable capable of reaching the v1.4 spec (although see the other cable story today for an alternative) a 1.5m length will set you back a whopping £130.  So what does your money buy you?

Here are the PR details…

The new IXOS Certified High Definition 2160p Quad-HD XHT668 HDMI cable, is designed to work with all HDMI v1.4 components including those with Ethernet capabilities.

- Proprietary Nitrogen Gas-Injected Polyethylene Dielectric: Significantly reduced the Dielectric Constant to maintain the precise impedance to transfer HDMI 1.4 Category 2 with

Ethernet signals flawlessly.

- Ultra-high-conductivity, Silver Plated Pure Crystal Oxygen-Free Copper (PC-OFC) conductors, easily accommodate the significantly increased bandwidth required to transmit Quad-HD (2160p) and 3D digital Video.

- 24K Gold Plated conductors prevent oxidisation for longevity and durability.

- Patented 4-Layer PCB Board in the plug, increases and maintains the distance between solder points, thus stabilising impedance and improving performance.

- * £129.99 for 1.5m – other lengths and pricing to follow shortly

HDMI v1.4 BENEFITS AND FEATURES

HDMI Ethernet Channel The Ethernet Channel allows an Internet-enabled HDMI device to share its Internet connection with other HDMI devices without the need for a separate Ethernet cable. The Ethernet will also allow HDMI- enabled devices to share content.

Audio Return Channel The new Audio Return Channel allows the HDTV to send the audio stream to the A/V receiver over the HDMI cable, eliminating the need for extra audio cables.

3D Over HDMI The 1.4 specifications will standardise the input/output portion of the home 3D system and will specify up to dual-stream 1080p resolution.

4K x 2K Resolution Support The new specification enables HDMI devices to support high-HD resolutions four times beyond today’s max of 1080p.

Formats supported include:

3840×2160 24Hz/25Hz/30Hz

4096×2160 24Hz

Expanded Support For Colour Spaces HDMI technology now supports colour spaces designed specifically for digital still cameras.