About the Black Box High-Speed HDMI 2.0 Active Optical Cable
Expansive Bandwidth for Long Distance UHD Transmission
Fiber-optic technology allows Active Optical Cables (AOC) to transmit ultra-high-bandwidth data signals over distances that copper cannot. Copper cables struggle to transmit 4K60 a standard 5 meters (16.4 feet), and only then with a bulky, inflexible construction. To achieve longer distances, copper solutions need to switch to modular transmitter/receiver extenders, while all-in-one AOC cables can easily support HDMI 2.0 bandwidths of 18 Gbps over hundreds of meters.
Outstanding Video Quality
High-end AV applications today don't just need the best video resolutions available, but a solution that can display them while also providing all of the features necessary to support their content. Active Optical Cables can do just that, providing 4K60 video resolutions while also supporting the full feature set of the HDMI 2.0 specification. They deliver high-dynamic-range (HDR) video for expansive contrast ratio and color accuracy, while also supporting HDCP 2.2 content protection which is necessary to display the latest content. Also supported are BT.2020 colorimetry and 21:9 cinema aspect ratio, as well as EDID, CEC, DDC, and more, making active optical a full featured solution for professional AV installs.
Amazing Audio Quality
Active Optical Cable also provides immersive audio that is essential for AV applications. These cables support PCM 8-Channel, DTS-HD and Dolby Digital True HD Surround Sound audio for theater quality sound. Additionally, they can transmit up to 32 audio channels with 1536-Hz sampling rate as well as features such as HDMI's Audio Return Channel (ARC) and more.
Plug and Play, Premium Reliability
There is no software, external power or additional hardware needed for an Active Optical Cable (AOC) to work. To install an AOC, a technician simply connects it to a source and a display - nothing more. No expert training or guidance needed. It's as easy as installing a common HDMI cable at home. This simple, all-in-one cable solution also provides premium reliability when compared with alternative solutions. To achieve the same high-bandwidth transmission and extended distance, you would have to utilize an over CAT5 or over fiber extender kit. These kits are costly, and require transmitter and receiver units, in addition to the potential points of failure that come with them. With AOC's, you simply plug and play like an ordinary cable, leaving it to reliably transmit your audio/video signal without interruption.
Flexible, Thin and Light
Active Optical Cables (AOC) are much thinner than traditional copper cable, which lets them easily fit behind today's ultra-thin displays. These cables also have a superior bend radius that makes routing them through tight spaces easy and decreases the risk of poor performance when navigating cable around corners and bends. This is especially helpful in AV applications that must connect many sources and displays, like video walls. Video walls require many cables to be routed through the same area, which can cause clutter. Because AOCs are much thinner and more flexible than copper cables, they keep the video wall setup neater and less cluttered. On top of that, Active Optical Cables are much lighter than copper solutions: Sixteen feet (five meters) of copper cabling weighs approximately one kilogram, whereas 32 feet (10 meters) of AOC weighs less than 300 grams. This makes pulling AOCs through ceilings and walls much easier and less likely to result in costly damage.