CE Pro August 2023 - 18

Networking+Home Control
HDMI CORNER by DPL Labs
Integrators' Tools Aid in
Troubleshooting HDMI Issues
FIELD SERVICE technicians
have a wide assortment
of tools to complete and
troubleshoot all kinds of
installations. Some of these
tools can be relatively inexpensive
while others can
go through the roof with
costs. Home entertainment
has become more challenging
over the years as we all
moved into the digital space
where the typical tools used
for video troubleshooting
have long gone extinct.
Troubleshooting a system
becomes difficult when
trying to figure out where
in the system the problem
may be originating.
Digital video problems
are not as identifiable as
our analog systems. Back
in the day, one could use
the display as a test tool to
determine problems such
as bandwidth, noise, signal
levels, and even sound to a
certain extent. But not with
digital video. As many of you
know, it is either functional
or not. Sometimes intermittent
and other times sparkles
can appear on the screen,
which do not give us enough
data to sink our teeth into.
Now with the increase to 8K
and 10K resolution devices,
it requires very sophisticated
equipment to do any type of
troubleshooting.
Recently, the new Murideo
8K Six-G field HDMI generator
was entered into DPL
18 | CE Pro August 2023
Labs' Certification Program.
Almost identical in looks to
the previous 4K 6G, this new
8K SEVEN (7G) model is now
housed in a complete metal
case with much more weight
and a rugged design. It has
all the necessary goodies to
solve just about any system
failure and is compatible with
8K and 10K. The on-screen
menu has been improved
with better hotkeys to
chain providing a step-bystep
system analysis. Let's
look at some of the most
important numbers.
Both TMDS and FRL
digital modulation schemes
are provided with a seamless
and stable output. The
generator can switch digital
rates instantly with few to
no hiccups. Eye Patterns
are robust with near-perfect
symmetry. The most
current in line with the
spec for active devices. The
new Murideo 7G has a solid
power supply that can hold
to the HDMI voltage level
and still maintain a 4.8 voltage.
This allows integrators
to see and understand how
their systems are holding up
from voltage demands on
the bus - important due
to the huge amount of AOC
cables used for long-distance
applications.
On the downside, it
The new Imaging Science Foundation-certified 8K SEVEN
HDMI generator from Murideo incorporates more than
1,000 test patterns.
HDCP without having to
search in the menu. The
menu is easier to use with
better pulldowns, upgraded
built-in screen, and of course
all the calibration tools to
address any display system.
As before, troubleshooting
is easy by just running the
generator at whatever resolution
you need to test for
and positioning the device
at the input side. By simple
top-down logic, the user can
move the generator downstream
to each device in the
impressive is the notorious
DDC channel that tends to
haunt each troubled system.
Its sharp 92ns rise times and
dynamic voltage thresholds
can identify some of the
weakest interface problems
that can be found in the field.
The onset of more fiber
installations can put a heavy
demand on the system's
5-volt bus voltage. The
need for accurate power
management is mandatory
with circuitry that can hold
and maintain the necessary
would have been nice if the
device had a way to display
the voltage on the bus while
in test. This would indicate
high current consumptions
and voltage variations that
can also raise havoc with
any AOC device. However,
this can be calculated by
process of elimination if
the user is well-versed
with some DC (direct current)
background.
Overall, the Murideo
7G received high scores
in both performance and
ergonomic design. It uses a
power supply brick and DC
connector to charge the
on-board batteries or if the
unit is used for bench work.
Nice job, Murideo, DPL
Labs definitely has a home
for this new generator.
JEFF BOCCACCIO,
president of DPL Labs, can
be reached at info@dpllabs.
com, or visit dpllabs.com.
cepro.com
http://www.dpllabs.com http://www.cepro.com
CE Pro August 2023

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of CE Pro August 2023
