Kramer Rolls Out HDMI Wall Plate Transmitter/Receiver

Kramer Electronics recently introduced the WP-561 and WP-562 active wall-plate, twisted-pair transmitter and receiver for HDMI signals. According to the company, the pair is capable of transmitting HDMI signals over two Cat-5 cables up to 266 feet at 1080i and 100 feet at 1080p. Both offer bi-directional IR support over a second Cat-5 cable with 3.5 mm jacks on each.

The WP-561 converts HDMI signals into twisted-pair signals that can run over shielded or unshielded twisted-pair Cat-5 cables. The WP-562 then converts the signals back to HDMI. Both units offer up to 1.65 Gbps bandwidth per graphic channel, says the company, and are HDCP-compliant as well as HDTV-compatible.

Kramer's WP-561 and WP-562 are standard 1-gang size wall plates and incorporate a red LED power status light, passing the EDID, HPD (hot plug detect), and CEC signals from the source to the display device via the Cat-5 cables. Both plates use the company's Power Connect System, which Kramer says uses a single connection to one unit–the transmitter or receiver–to power the system and transmits the required 5-volt DC power through the Cat-5 cable to the other unit.

The WP-561 and WP-562 each carry a list price of $195 and are currently available from Kramer Electronics sales companies.