EXT-HDMIKVM4K-40M: setup and fault-finding
Read the LINK, VIDEO and USB LEDs first, then check the CAT6a run, the 1.5m USB 3.x host lead, the EDID preset and the source's audio format.
What the EXT-4KHD150M2 is
The EXT-4KHD150M2 is an 18Gbps HDMI over HDBaseT extender kit: a transmitter (TX) at the source and a receiver (RX) at the display, joined by a single Cat5e or Cat6 cable. Besides video and embedded audio, that one cable carries bi-directional RS-232, bi-directional IR and CEC. The TX adds an HDMI loop output for a local monitor, the RX adds a 3.5 mm analog stereo output for de-embedded audio, and Power over Cable (PoC) lets one adapter power both units.
It is a point-to-point pair: one HDMI input at the TX, one extended HDMI output at the RX, plus the local loop. It does not switch between sources or feed several remote displays.
Typical runs are a projector in a lecture hall or auditorium fed from the lecturer's workstation, a boardroom display fed from a rack in another room, and digital signage in a lobby or public area with the media player kept in a secure server room.
How far can the EXT-4KHD150M2 extend 4K?
120 m (394 ft) for 4K2K, and 150 m (492 ft) for 1080p, over a single Cat5e/6 cable. The 150 m rating applies to 1080p only, so plan any 4K run at 120 m or less.
The HDMI leads at each end have limits of their own. Use Premium High Speed HDMI cable, within these lengths:
| Signal | Cat5e/6 link, TX to RX | Each HDMI lead |
|---|---|---|
| 4K60 | 120 m (394 ft) | 5 m (16 ft) |
| 4K30 | 120 m (394 ft) | 10 m (32 ft) |
| 1080p60 | 150 m (492 ft) | 15 m (50 ft) |
What colour depth does it carry at 4K60?
At 4K60 4:4:4 the kit is rated for 8-bit colour only. 10-bit and 12-bit are supported at 1080p60, at 4K30, and at 4K60 in YCbCr 4:2:2 or 4:2:0. Supported HDR formats are HDR, HDR10+, Dolby Vision and HLG. Because 4K60 4:4:4 is limited to 8-bit, set a source that is sending 10- or 12-bit 4K60 content to 4:2:2 or 4:2:0.
The rest of the video specification: HDCP 2.2 and HDCP 1.4, DVI 1.0 compliant; 4K2K 50/60Hz at 4:4:4, 4:2:2 and 4:2:0; 4K2K 30Hz 4:4:4; 1080p/i, 720p/i and 480p/i; HDMI 3D formats; and PC resolutions up to 1920×1200.
Power
Does the kit need power at both ends?
No. One 24V/1A power adapter with a locking connector (AC 100–240V, 50/60Hz input) comes in the box, and both the TX and the RX have a DC 24V input. With PoC, whichever unit you power supplies the other over the Cat cable, so put the adapter at whichever end has an outlet. Rated power consumption is 9.36W.
Connect the Cat5e/6 cable before applying power. PoC depends on it. If only the powered unit comes up, remove power, confirm the cable is connected at both ends, and power one unit again. If the second unit still stays dark, test the cable for continuity end to end.
Installation
What cable does the link need?
A single Cat5e or Cat6 unshielded twisted-pair cable from HDBT OUT (RJ45) on the TX to HDBT IN (RJ45) on the RX. When a link is poor, check the termination at both ends, look for sharp bends or damage along the run, and confirm the length is within the rating for the resolution you are sending. Terminate and test the full run before it is closed into a wall or ceiling.
Each unit is a black metal enclosure, 140 × 65 × 18 mm (5.51 × 2.56 × 0.71 in); the TX weighs 160 g and the RX 155 g. Operating range is 0–40 °C (32–104 °F) at 20–90% RH, non-condensing.
What comes in the box?
- Transmitter and receiver
- One 24V/1A locking power adapter
- One IR receiver cable (20–60 kHz, 1.5 m) and one IR blaster cable (1.5 m)
- Two 3-pin Phoenix connectors
- Four mounting ears
- User manual
Ports and indicators
- TX: DC 24V, HDBT OUT, HDMI OUT (loop), HDMI IN, IR IN, IR OUT, RS-232 (3-pin Phoenix), SERVICE (Mini-USB).
- RX: DC 24V, HDBT IN, HDMI OUT, AUDIO OUT (3.5 mm stereo), IR IN, IR OUT, RS-232 (3-pin Phoenix), SERVICE (Mini-USB).
The SERVICE port on each unit is for firmware updates.
What do the LEDs on the EXT-4KHD150M2 mean?
Both units have the same three indicators.
| LED | Lit | Flashing | Dark |
|---|---|---|---|
| Power (red) | Unit is powered | — | No power |
| Connection | Good TX–RX link | Poor connection | No connection |
| Data | HDMI signal with HDCP | HDMI signal without HDCP | No HDMI signal |
Read Connection before anything else. Flashing points to the Cat run: termination, bends or damage, or a run longer than the rating for the resolution. Once Connection is steady, Data tells you whether a source signal is arriving and whether it carries HDCP.
HDMI loop-out on the transmitter
HDMI OUT on the TX mirrors HDMI IN, for a monitor at the source end such as a confidence monitor at a rack or lectern. It shows an image only while a valid, active source is connected to HDMI IN; with no source signal there is no loop output. Keep that lead within the HDMI lengths above.
Audio de-embed on the receiver
Why is there no sound from the 3.5 mm AUDIO OUT?
The receiver's AUDIO OUT is a 3.5 mm stereo jack carrying de-embedded analog stereo, PCM 2.0 only. Dolby Digital, DTS and other encoded formats are not available on it; they pass through on HDMI only. If the jack is silent, set the source to output LPCM 2.0 (PCM stereo).
The HDMI path passes LPCM 2.0, 2.1, 5.1, 6.1 and 7.1, Dolby Digital, Dolby Digital Plus, Dolby TrueHD, DTS-ES, DTS-HD Master Audio, DTS-HD High Resolution Audio and DTS:X. Take multichannel or bitstream audio from the RX HDMI output, and use the 3.5 mm jack for a stereo feed to a separate amplifier or DSP. The transmitter has no analog audio output; its HDMI loop output carries the embedded audio along with the video.
RS-232
How do I connect a control system over RS-232?
Both units have a 3-pin Phoenix RS-232 port, and serial data passes bi-directionally between them, so a controller at one end can reach a serial device at the other: display power and input commands sent from a head-end rack, for example, or a rack-mounted source controlled from the display end. Two 3-pin Phoenix plugs are supplied.
Wire each plug for TX, RX and GND, and make sure it is fully seated on both units. The extender passes RS-232 through and has no command set of its own: take the baud rate and other serial settings from the controlled device's documentation, and set the controller to match. Send a known command and confirm the far device responds before committing the string to a control driver. If commands do not get through, recheck the wiring and seating, then confirm the controller's baud rate matches the device.
Bi-directional IR
Each unit has an IR IN and an IR OUT (3.5 mm stereo). A signal entering IR IN on one unit comes out of IR OUT on the other, and both directions work at the same time.
| To control | IR receiver cable | IR blaster cable |
|---|---|---|
| A source at the TX end, from the display | RX IR IN | TX IR OUT, over the source's IR window |
| The display, from the TX end | TX IR IN | RX IR OUT, over the display's IR window |
The box holds one receiver cable and one blaster cable, which covers one direction. Controlling in both directions at once needs a second receiver and blaster.
What is the IR range?
The rated IR receiver range is 0–5 m (0–16 ft) at a ±45° angle between receiver and remote, and 0–8 m (0–26 ft) at ±90°. If IR from the display end does nothing, first check that the receiver cable is in RX IR IN and the blaster is in TX IR OUT, then that the receiver is aimed at the remote within those limits.
Bring-up sequence
- Terminate and test the Cat5e/6 run, then connect it from TX HDBT OUT to RX HDBT IN.
- Connect the 24V/1A adapter to one unit, TX or RX. Both red Power LEDs should light.
- Check that the Connection LED is steady on both units. If it flashes or stays dark, work on the cable before anything else.
- Connect the source to TX HDMI IN and the display to RX HDMI OUT with Premium High Speed HDMI leads inside the lengths above, then check the Data LED.
- If there is still no picture with a steady Connection LED, confirm that both the source and the display are HDCP 2.2 compliant.
- Add the loop monitor, the 3.5 mm audio, RS-232 and IR once video is confirmed, one at a time, so each is diagnosed on its own.