Rohde & Schwarz has added a high-definition multimedia interface (HDMI) to its R&S®UPP Audio Analyzer to enable the generation and analysis of HDMI data streams. The R&S®UPP-B4 Series supports the latest HDMI 1.4a standard and provides connections for source and sink devices as well as an auxiliary video input and monitor output.
It also comes with two RJ45 connectors to handle the HDMI Ethernet Channel (HEC).
With the new HDMI interface option, engineers can now use all the standard measuring and generating tools of the R&S®UPP audio analyzer family to measure the quality of HDMI audio data, video data, and the whole range of control data. HDMI technology utilizes four physically separate communication channels to transmit control and information data. With its new options, the R&S®UPP audio analyzer can generate and analyze most of the info frames, including:
- TMDS (Transition Minimized Differential Signaling) – Audio and video info-frames, source product description and stream header information such as sampling rate, linear/nonlinear coding, etc.
- DDC (Display Data Channel) – Enhanced extended display identification data (E-EDID) and high-bandwidth digital content protection (HDCP) information.
- CEC (Consumer Electronics Control) – Allows HDMI devices to control each other when necessary and allows the user to operate multiple devices with one remote control handset.
- HEAC (HDMI Ethernet and Audio Return Channel) – According to the latest version 1.4a, HDMI supports an Ethernet data connection (HEC) and audio return channel (ARC) information.
“The new R&S®UPP interface option includes the latest HDMI 1.4a standard, plus standard digital audio and I2S interfaces,” said Greg Kregoski, business development manager at Rohde and Schwarz. “The enhanced R&S®UPP Audio Analyzer not only provides HDMI protocol generation and analysis capabilities, but also basic generation of video test patterns and video parameter measurements.”
The R&S®UPP can generate video test patterns in different resolutions and color depths. Linear PCM audio tests on up to 8 channels at all standard sampling rates from 32kHz to 192kHz up to 24-bit resolution can be generated using the full functionality of the R&S®UPP audio analyzer’s generator. In addition to this, the new option can stream selected lossless and compressed formats from Dolby® and DTS® encoded test signals.
Modern consumer audio equipment still has standard digital audio interfaces, such as the well-known S/P DIF (Sony/Philips Digital Interface). To do measurements on the chip level, I2S is used throughout the world. The new option R&S®UPP-B4 supports both interfaces.
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