Ultra Stereo Labs, a leader in digital cinema and alternative content technology, has developed and is now shipping the new 6-Channel HDMI 1.4b HSW-602 Switch. The HSW-602 fills the need for a professional, complete processing unit for alternative content in cinemas. It features a program bus and preview bus allowing the user to preview the next event using a monitor on the preview output and then to switch that input to the projector using the program bus. It also includes a microphone and stereo line input that can overlay on any of the HDMI content. This feature allows a presenter to add live narration to a video presentation. In addition, all the HSW-602 devices may be remotely controlled via a wireless tablet using CEC (consumer electronics control). The switch was on display in the USL booth at the CineAsia Convention. The HSW-602 Switch features include 6 HDMI inputs and 2 HDMI outputs which all support 1080p 3D video. The audio input includes a live microphone, stereo line input, and an 8-channel AES/EBU input from the cinema server. The audio outputs include S/PDIF over optical and coax, and an 8-channel AES/EBU output to feed the cinema processor. An additional feature included is a browser interface for easy configuration. The HSW-602 Switch may be remotely controlled via Ethernet or contact closures from the digital cinema server or other devices such as tablets or PCs. All HDMI inputs and outputs maintain continuous HDCP security links to prevent attached devices from going into sleep mode.
USL, Inc. hardware engineer Troy Fredriks states, “The HSW-602 simplifies HDMI- based presentations by streamlining cumbersome operations into a single, straightforward interface.” USL Engineer Jay Wyatt notes that “the HSW-602 is truly a Swiss-army knife for combinations of HDMI playback.”