Crestron Introduces HD Video Scaler
Crestron announced the release of its new high-definition video scaler, the latest addition to its line of standalone HDMI audio/video solutions.
Crestron HD-Scaler
Crestron announced the release of its new high-definition video scaler, the latest addition to its line of standalone HDMI audio/video solutions. Company officials said HD-Scaler fills the void left by the scalers that are built into most displays and are not designed to display all different resolutions and formats in today’s digital environments. The HD-Scaler is easy to install, according to Crestron, and connects to the HDMI or DVI input of any video display ensuring that every video source appears correctly and optimally regardless of the display’s native resolutions.
“Whether you’re giving a presentation in a boardroom, a lecture in a classroom, or watching a Blu-ray movie in your home theater, most of us just want the image on our high-definition screens to display properly and look right every time,” said Crestron director of marketing Vincent Bruno, in a statement. “Not all displays accept all resolutions. HD-Scaler delivers a simple, easy-to-install solution that provides the best resolutions no matter what the source or display is.”
HD-Scaler handles standard and high-definition video sources with resolutions up to 1080p/60 progressive and 1080i/30 interlaced, as well as computer sources up to UXGA 1600×1200 and WUXGA 1920×1200. Whatever the source, the HD-Scaler can scale it up or down, while adjusting aspect ratios to match the native resolution of any video display or computer monitor, according to the company.
HD-Scaler can be used for adding digital connectivity and scaling to existing analog systems. Through a VGA cable, HD-Scaler connects directly to the output of a Crestron MPS Media Presentation System or QuickMedia receiver, converting every analog video signal to HDMI and scaling the output to feed a high-definition digital display or projector. Analog audio is converted similarly through a simple stereo audio cable.
In addition, digital audio signals are seamlessly distributed across a single HDMI cable. Exclusive “audio breakaway” capability allows combining analog audio with digital video from an HDMI or DVI source, Crestron said, embedding both analog audio and digital video signals into one HDMI output.
The compact, low-profile design allows HD-Scaler to be mounted discreetly behind a flat-panel display, above a ceiling projector, or in back of an equipment rack, according to the company.
