There are as many ways to connect AV devices as there are imaginations involved in the AV industry. We often think of DVI-D, HDMI and HDBaseT as mutually exclusive choices, but the truth is that all those connectivity solutions are transporting essentially identical content. Picking the right solution from the industry’s menu of possible connections is challenging. Arriving at the right choice is a result of defining parameters surrounding a digital video link and then a solution that satisfies both current needs and future scalability. Instead of thinking about resolution and length, we should be analyzing connectivity choice in terms of meeting image-data payload demands, selecting physical connections that anticipate future compatibility and meet user expectations for convenience and ruggedness. Specifying those solutions while meeting budget limitations and bridging to legacy infrastructure is an issue in practical applied technology. In this article we will look at several digital video connectivity solutions and provide guidance on when and why you should select each.
