CEDIA 2018

Fibbr Launches 2 Cables: One Clear, One 8K-Ready

Thomas J. Norton  |  Sep 9, 2018

Fibbr (fibbrtech.com) specializes in fiber-optic, self-powered HDMI cables (self powered in that they acquire their operating voltage from the HDMI signal itself and don’t require a separate USB connection to provide the needed voltage). It offers a wide range of such cables as solutions for long (up to 50 meters) or short HDMI runs. I currently use a 50-footer to drive a projector and it has operated flawlessly as long as I avoid sharp bends.

At CEDIA Fibbr launched two new products. The Fibbr Crystal, shown here, is a clear, nearly transparent cable useful for installations in which the cable would otherwise be visible, such as an outside the wall run to a wall-mounted flat screen TV.

The other new product is the Fibbr 8K, said to be useful for transmission of HDR up to 4:4:4 at 8K and 60Hz. While most users won’t need this immediately, it could be a smart investment for a current 4K installation that might later be updated to 8K.

COMMENTS
Max Nexor's picture
Submitted by Max Nexor on September 9, 2018 - 7:04pm

What constitutes a "sharp bend"? What is minimum bend radius?

Pricing?
Availability?
HDMI version?
CEC support?
ARC support?
VRR support?

Why purchase 8K now vs 4K & upgrade endpoint electronics at future date? Is it possible to upgrade HDMI to optical converter at future date? What is price premium of 8K over 4K?

Can fiber be detached & run separately or must HDMI connector be pulled at same time?

bobrapoport's picture
Submitted by bobrapoport on September 10, 2018 - 7:50am

The bend radius of all FIBBR HDMI v2.0 Fiber Optic Cables is 180 degrees, as tight as a hairpin. We call the feature "BendRobust", Tom should not have had any problems with sharp bends.

We are now shipping the Ultra Pro HDMI v2.0 Fiber Optic Cables for 4K applications, starting at $139.99 for a 5 ft cable, with 4 models under $200. To learn more, click on this link: http://www.essenceelectrostatic.com/product/fibbr-tech-hdmi-v2-0b-ultra-...

Our HDMI v2.1 products are not yet shipping but when they do they will have CEC, ARC, and VRR support.

I agree, there is really no reason for a consumer to buy 8K now. The HDMI v2.1 cable for 8k applications will cost more but no pricing is available yet. The compliance testing for v2.1 has just been released for some features but not all features and it will not be possible to upgrade a v2.0 vesion cable to v2.1.

FIBBR HDMI v2.0 Fiber Optic Cables are "integrated", the opto-electronics and HDMI chips are built into the connectors, they dont detach. As long as the run is fairly straight, they can be pulled through conduit up to 165 ft for long runs. Any sharp turns will require a modular approach to the cable and the electronics which increases the price and complexity of the installation.

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