mmazas Posted March 20, 2012 Report Share Posted March 20, 2012 Dear all experts I have 29 display PCs (Win XP, CatalystControlCenter 12.1 + ATI HD Radeon 5670) sending video output to Sanyo DET100, DHT100, DLP100 & DWL2500 video projectors (VP) through HDMI over Fiber Optic (50/125) by the means of HDMI - FO extenders (Crestron HD-TX-1F / HD-RX-1F). The FO are in 5 segments as there are 2 patch panels in the middle, so there are 6 FO connectors on each line. Distance are in the range of 20 / 40 meters. I believe all my equipments comply to HDMI 1.3. My video cards recognize the VP models and their preferred resolutions, which are the ones set for the displays in watchout. I have too many losses of signal (always on the same ~10 VP), either at the beginning of the day or at the end, when there is no show or when there is a show. To solve the problems I usually try to unplug / replug one or more FO connectors, cross / uncross 2 PCs with their 2 VPs through the FO connections, or power off / powerthe extenders, or power off / power on the VP. I would like to know : - if some of you have an experience (with or without troubles) with the equipments I use (the video card, the extender and the VPs) and on the FO connections - if you have some recommendation on extenders that work with no problems (I'm ready to try other extenders). TIA Marc 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Brian Posted April 18, 2012 Member Report Share Posted April 18, 2012 I have no experience with crestron FO but i've had great luck with Gefen products. Are you using edid managers or does your fiber allow for edid talk back? (e.g. has copper in it or a two way communication down the fiber) Brian 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mmazas Posted April 19, 2012 Author Report Share Posted April 19, 2012 Hi Brian I do not have any specific EDID Manager ; the Catalyst Control Center "sees" the right display model (the Sanyo VP, the LCD display), with its preferred resolution. I also see the (some ?) EDID info in the Windows registry. I have sporadic (but too frequent for a production site) problems. Our watchout experts tend to incriminate timing problems within the watchout program (cues at 0.0.0, cues at the same time, ...), but I have some difficulty thinking the same. I suspect that the different equipments software / firmware (graphics card driver, extenders firmware, VPs firmware) are not reliable / mature enough, as a whole set, to handle all protocol events or errors, and that errors can come from the HDMI protocol implementations or from the connections, ie the HDMI metal connections or the FO connections. In particular I know that the FO have been installed and connected together in a very dusty environment, that their end-to-end quality does not seem to have been certified by appropriate measures and approval tests. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dataton Partner Walter Posted April 22, 2012 Dataton Partner Report Share Posted April 22, 2012 All FO extenders are extremely sensitive to (microscopic) dust particles. If the problem occurs on only ~10 of the 29 extenders, it's obviously a FO issue. It's quite common for FO to experience random (and seamly inexplicable) dropouts if the S/N ratio of the digital signal in the light is only just on an acceptable level. Each connector will drop the dB level with a certain amount. And having 6 connectors on each line.... You might start with cleaning each connector-part gently but properly. ( Do you have more specs? Is it multi- or single mode? Type of connectors (st / lc / sc) ? Factory assembled or self? 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mmazas Posted April 23, 2012 Author Report Share Posted April 23, 2012 Hi Walter I'm really happy with your comments as they confirm what I suspected in first place. The FO have been installed in a very dusty environment (workers still drilling holes in the walls to pass other cables, ...), and I believe there has been no formal and instrumented certification of their "quality". Connectors have been cleaned with just air duster cleaning sprays. We have multimode 50/125 FO, with SC-PC connectors. I think the connectors have been assembled at the location, but I'm not sure of it. Companies specialized in FO told me we should : a) clean the connectors with FO cleaning pens + cloth + alcohol measure the end-to-end and each segment FO quality with an optical power level device c) inspect suspicious connector surfaces with a microscope probe 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mmazas Posted July 27, 2012 Author Report Share Posted July 27, 2012 Hi all Just wanted to share that we invested in FO cleaning training and measuring / inspecting tools, and found that as suspected the FO connectors had been badly polished and cleaned. After proper cleaning with adequate product and tissue, we have no more problems. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dataton Partner Walter Posted July 27, 2012 Dataton Partner Report Share Posted July 27, 2012 Thanks for sharing the outcome! 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.