BLUSTREAM BONANZA

A NEW BEGINNING

After an absence of two years, the Blustream team brings readers fully up to date on what can be experienced from the company at ISE 2022 in Barcelona.

After a two-year absence, the industry finally welcomes back ISE to the calendar this month. This year’s event was originally scheduled for February but unfortunately the recent Omicron variant put pay to that. A last-minute date reshuffle later and we now have an ISE in the late spring time sunshine of Catalonia. The award-winning Integrated Systems Europe is back and promising to be the springboard into a post COVID world.

The team at Blustream have been busy developing several new AV distribution solutions since the last ISE show, and EI caught up with the team to discuss what installers can expect from this year’s event.

Martyn Shirley, General Manager at Blustream explains the build-up, “When COVID hit at the beginning of 2020 it gave us genuine time to analyse the market and perfect our new product roadmap. Fast forward two years and we are primed with a market leading line up of both residential and commercial AV distribution solutions. This year’s event is the first time in two years that we will get the opportunity to properly meet our customers and demonstrate our latest products.”

The Blustream product range has grown significantly since the brand was introduced in 2014. From an original list of 20 products, the range now boasts over 100 specialist AV distribution solutions. In the last 12 months, the industry has witnessed some significant technology developments that have driven new product development at Blustream. The following is an overview of what new products visitors to ISE can expect to see live at the show.

UNCOMPRESSED 4K 60HZ 4:4:4 AT 18GBPS

Blustream has developed some of the first HDBaseT 3.0 products available in the market. The HEX18G-KIT and HEX18GARC-KIT both deliver uncompressed, unconverted HDMI 2.0 4K 60Hz 4:4:4 HDCP 2.3 resolutions over CAT6A cable up to lengths of 100m. These new solutions are the first to deliver integrators the ability to distribute the highest possible video resolutions over extended distances to critical viewing areas.

Aiden Jones, Technical Director at Blustream explains, “Our new uncompressed 18Gbps HDBaseT extenders have really struck a chord with our partners. We have been surprised by the number of applications where integrators now need to deliver dedicated uncompressed 18Gbps standards of 4K. This trend is also helping increase the adoption of CAT6A installations to critical viewing areas.”

UNCOMPROMISING 4K VIDEO OVER IP AT 18GBPS

Available now, the IP500UHD-TZ is the first 4K 18Gbps Video over IP solution from Blustream. The IP500UHD-TZ delivers 4K 60Hz 4:4:4 video over a 10Gb managed network with zero latency and seamless switching, ensuring the highest possible video resolutions for mission-critical installations. The IP500UHDTZ also provides advanced features including an Industry leading 1Gb Ethernet pass-through, PoE+ and transmission of multiple control and data signals – IR, RS-232, and USB (KVM) – concurrent with audio and video.

Martyn comments, “The IP500UHD-TZ 4K transceiver addresses the challenge of flawless, uncompromised AV over IP headon. It’s a simple-to-install yet feature-rich and flexible solution that can be configured as a point of transmission or as a receiver to deliver uncompromised 4K ultra high-definition video over the network infrastructure.”

The IP500UHD-TZ also provides advanced features including 1Gb Ethernet pass-through, PoE+ and transmission of multiple control and data signals – IR, RS-232, and USB (KVM) – concurrent with audio and video.

NEXT GENERATION HDBASET

“Video over IP only tells half the story” says Daniel Adams, Technical Projects Director at Blustream. “Our close partnership with HDBaseT has helped build our reputation over several years and its vital to Blustream that we

are at the forefront of the evolving HDBaseT platform. At this year’s ISE, Blustream will be premiering its latest Platinum HDBaseT matrix.

“Our customers have been waiting for our next generation Platinum matrix for some time. Getting the balance correct between features and price point is vital. We have listened intently to feedback from our UK installer network and are pleased to be revealing the resulting new products at ISE.”

The new flagship Platinum 8x8 HDBaseT matrix proudly boasts to be one of the first to have Dolby Atmos and DTS-X downmixing and 18Gbps video support in the same cost effective unit.

USB AND DANTE INTEGRATION

A key market need since the COVID pandemic began is for distributed USB in a residential setting. Installing professional standard PTZ cameras for a virtual office often requires high bandwidth USB2.0 signal distribution. Blustream has developed a range of products that incorporate USB for KVM distribution into of some key HDBaseT and matrix solutions. Another market trend is the increased adoption of Dante networked audio in a residential environment.

Daniel explains, “As AV systems get larger and more complex, we are seeing an increased need for networked audio distribution. We now have Dante integration built into a number of our latest Video over IP, wall plate and signal conversion products. This constantly expanding range of Dante solutions has been very well received both in commercial and residential channels.”

For the first time in over two years, get hands on with all the latest products and meet the team at ISE in Barcelona. The show takes place from May 10-14 and the Blustream stand can be found in Hall 2, Stand P200.

Blustream blustream.co.uk