A transmitter-receiver pair carrying an HDMI signal over twisted-pair (Cat) cable to a greater distance, to the HDBaseT standard.
Lightware Visual Engineering · HDBaseT signal transmission endpoint pair, HDMI
Lightware HDMI-TPS-TX220 / RX220AK LED wall infrastructure
HDBaseT is an industry standard with which HDMI (picture, sound, control signal and even power) can be carried over a single standard Cat5e/Cat6 cable to a substantially greater distance — typically 70-100 metres — than a native HDMI cable (around 10-15 metres). The HDMI-TPS-TX220/RX220AK pair implements this function: on the source side the transmitter converts the HDMI signal into an HDBaseT signal, and the receiver next to the wall converts it back into native HDMI for the input of the video wall controller (a NovaStar or Colorlight, for instance).
In LED wall infrastructure, HDBaseT-based transmission typically appears on the section between the signal source (a director's desk, a media server) and the equipment rack (control cabinet), where the length of native HDMI or SDI cable would already be limiting but a more expensive optical solution is not yet justified.
Where the Lightware HDMI-TPS-TX220 / RX220AK sits in an LED wall system
It goes between the source (the HDMI output of a player, a director's desk or a conference system) and the video wall processor, linked with a single shielded Cat6/Cat7 cable. Important: this Cat cable is not a network cable. It does not go to a switch or a patch panel but point-to-point from the transmitter to the receiver — an HDBaseT signal does not pass through a standard switch. The receiver's HDMI output connects to the processor input, and from there the pixel data goes on towards the sending card, which is a completely separate Cat cabling run.
WHEN IT IS THE RIGHT CHOICE
For medium-distance (around 70-100 metre) HDMI transmission, where the length of a native HDMI cable is no longer sufficient but an optical solution would be excessive for the size of the project.
WHAT TO WATCH OUT FOR
The resolution and refresh rate carried over HDBaseT also depend on the quality of the cable and on the distance — at higher resolutions (4K and above) the maximum distance stated on the manufacturer's datasheet is typically shorter than at lower resolutions, and this has to be taken into account at the design stage.
The Lightware HDMI-TPS-TX220 / RX220AK in practice
HDBaseT does not tolerate the habits of network installation: patch panels, joints and connector changes all degrade the signal, and the fault does not appear gradually but suddenly — the picture is either there or it flickers and drops to black. So ask for shielded, solid-core cable pulled in one length throughout, not stranded patch cable. The stated maximum distance always applies to the lowest resolution: a substantially longer run works at 1080p60 than at UHD, so at the design stage you have to look at the row on the datasheet for the resolution actually used. With an HDCP source (a player, a streaming box) the HDCP version match also has to be checked, otherwise the picture stays black.
Alternatives to the Lightware HDMI-TPS-TX220 / RX220AK
Above 90-100 metres, or if there is strong electromagnetic interference along the route, an optical solution like the DP-OPT-TX100/RX100 is the right step up. If the source and the wall are in the same room (within 10-15 metres), no extender is needed at all and a good-quality certified HDMI cable is enough. If switching between several sources is required, the solution is not an extender but a matrix switcher or several inputs on the video wall processor.
Lightware HDMI-TPS-TX220 / RX220AK manual and datasheet
The documents live on the manufacturer's own site and open in a new window — so you always get the latest version. We do not copy or translate their contents.
Related signal transmission and mounting
LED wall infrastructure — but what does it go into?
On its own the Lightware HDMI-TPS-TX220 / RX220AK is a component. With us it works inside these displays — design, manufacturing and installation included.
