Gefen has announced the immediate availability of a the DVI FM Extender, a hardware kit that allows HDTV signals to be transmitted over optic fiber instead of DVI cables. The announcement came on Wednesday.
The hardware consists of a DVI transmitter and receiver unit, power supplies, "DVI Detective", user manual and 30 cm of multi-mode fiber cable. Additional four strand, multi-mode fiber optic cable must be purchased by the end user.
This product is especially helpful for entertainment and video professionals who need to send a video signal, up to 1080p, as far as 600 meters away. It is well suited to an environment in which radio signals are constrained. Applications include digital signage, entertainment, medical, worship and government industries where attention to detail is pivotal and where the signal must not be interrupted by or generate radio interference. HDCP protocols are also enforced.
While this device could be viewed as a more expensive competitor to the Apple announced "iTV" device, a unit that will receive an HDTV signal from an 802.11-class radio transmitter, the Geffen DVI-FM extender could also serve as a complimentary system, with the right connections, that would be used to extend the range, reliability, or enforce a low-radio noise environment for part of the TV signal path.
The Gefen DVI FM Extender is priced at US$599.00.