I. Product Setup Guides
ExpiredVigorSwitch V1281 - Which HDMI Senders are compatible?
The DrayTek VigorSwitch V1281 is designed to distribute video streams using TCP/IP protocols over Ethernet interfaces and can operate with many HDMI-over-IP video sender pairs, whether that’s using broadcast or multicast to send HDMI video data. Please be aware that some types of HDMI senders & receivers are not compatible with the VigorSwitch V1281.
There are a few different methods that can be employed to transmit HDMI data through a network cable, some of these simply utilise the CAT5e/CAT6/CAT7 cable as a point-to-point wired link.
These do not adhere to IEEE standards for transmission of data across a network, making them incompatible and potentially damaging to connect into a standard Ethernet network. Non-standard methods of HDMI transmission are not suitable for use with the VigorSwitch V1281 - only connect a device to the V1281 which is using standard Ethernet.
In the table below, we’ve listed some terms to look out for when looking for HDMI video senders that will be compatible with the DrayTek VigorSwitch V1281:
| Compatible Standards & Technologies | Incompatible Technologies |
|---|---|
| HDbitT | HDBaseT |
| HDMI over IP | HDMI over CAT5e/CAT6/CAT7 |
| HDMI over Ethernet (TCP/IP) | HDMI over RJ-45 |
| One-to-Many / Point-to-Multipoint capability | Point-to-Point only |
| A device which can be used with switch | A device which cannot be used with a switch |
| Powered individually or PoE (802.3af) | Power-over-Cable (TX powers RX) |
| (note: the V1281 does not provide PoE power) | Any sender/receiver not using IP & Ethernet |
| Sender/Receiver requiring two RJ-45 cables |
This is not a definitive list as terms such as “TCP/IP” can sometimes be mis-used by sellers.
Generally, “HDBaseT” & “HDMI over Cat5e/6/7” indicates that the network cable is used only as a point-to-point link, while “HDMI-over-IP” and “HDbitT” are interoperable with Ethernet networks.
Look for any mentions of compatibility or incompatibility with Routers and Switches and mentions of “One-to-Many” operation.
When using HDMI-over-IP senders that communicate over Multicast, make sure all devices are configured to operate in the same Multicast group, as the VigorSwitch V1281 will be managing communication between them.
HDCP – High-Bandwidth Digital Content Protection
Check whether the content that you want to view is protected with HDCP, which provides DRM / copy protection for HDMI video sources.
If the content does use HDCP, check that the HDMI senders support the HDCP version used by the video source. For instance, if connecting up to a DVD player that uses HDCP 1.2, it can operate with any HDMI senders that support HDCP 1.2 or higher. If the HDMI senders do not match the HDCP requirements of the video source, they may be unable to display or display at a lower resolution.
Additional Resources & Setup Guides
These HDMI-over-IP senders have been tested with the DrayTek VigorSwitch V1281:
VigorSwitch V1281 Setup for Kramer AV-over-IP devices
VigorSwitch V1281 Setup for Blustream Video-over-IP devices
VigorSwitch V1281 Setup for CYP HDMI-over-IP devices
VigorSwitch V1281 Setup for Just Add Power devices
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- First Published: 01/04/2020
- Last Updated: 05/06/2020