THX Ltd. Announces New HDMI 2.1 48Gbps THX Interconnect Cables

Moore’s Law states that computer speed will significantly increase
every two years while the price will go down and audio technology has
followed suit. The advent of HDMI over 20 years ago significantly eased
the setup connections of all our AV gear (when it worked). And, it leveled up, when in 2017, HDMI Forum, Inc. announced that
they were working on the release of HDMI 2.1. The
18 Gbps we saw with HDMI 2.0b was starting to struggle with today’s 4K
60fps gaming consoles. Today, the latest HDMI 2.1 specification supports
a range of Higher Video Resolutions and refresh rates, including 8K60
and 4K120, Dynamic HDR, and increased bandwidth with a new 48G cable.
HDMI 2.1 also supports eARC, which ensures compatibility between AV
devices while supporting the most advanced audio formats and
highest-quality audio signals available.

Although we mostly think of THX as a suite of high fidelity
audiovisual reproduction standards in everything from speakers, to home
theaters, and cinemas, THX Ltd has announced their new THX Interconnect
cable. The new Interconnect cable was designed in partnership with
Pixelgen, an “engineering-first” company based out of Ontario, Canada,
that designs and manufactures professional uncompressed video
connectivity and processing products catered to larger or more expansive
home theatre space installations. The THX Interconnect cables are a
family of Ultra High Speed HDMI 2.1 cables capable of delivering 100%
uncompressed 48Gpbs signaling to optimize the fidelity and reliability
of nearly any sized or configured home theater system.

The THX mission is to empower high-fidelity
entertainment, regardless of where and how consumers want to enjoy
movies, music and games. The THX Interconnect cables ensure all home
theater components work in harmony at the highest resolutions,
regardless of the length. We are pleased to bring home theater
enthusiasts around the globe this cost-effective and incredibly reliable
new solution. We also look forward to reintroducing the THX Certified
Training program which has been dormant for a few years but is back due
to overwhelming demand from the home theater installation industry.

— Jason Fiber, Chief Executive Officer, THX Ltd.

The cables will come in nine lengths and will utilize Pixelgen’s
PXLGLASS Hybrid Fiber/Copper technology to maintain the smallest cable
diameter possible regardless of length when crossing over from copper to
long-reach optical fiber requirements which should make installation
and management easy and effective.

The weakest home theater cabling link has the
potential to bring down an entire system, and the end users’ viewing
experience with it. THX Interconnect cables have been tailored to give
everyone optimal system stability, total HDMI 2.1 functionality, and the
maximum 48G bandwidth passing through their system.

–Jack MacDougall, Founder, and Chief Executive Officer, Pixelgen.

• THX Interconnect Ultra High Speed HDMI cable will support the maximum 8-10K resolutions at 60 frames per second, and includes:

• THX Interconnect (Copper) short-range cable for six sizes: 0.5m
  (1.64 ft), 1m (3.28 ft), 1.5m (4.92 ft), 2m (6.56 ft), 3m (9.84 ft), 5m
  (16.4 ft); and•THX Interconnect (Copper + Optical Fiber with embedded
  PXLGLASS Technology) long-range cable for three sizes: 7.6m (24.9 ft),
  10m (32.8 ft), 15m (49.2 ft)

 The new Interconnect cable from THX Interconnect cables are thin,
flexible, and robust. With any signal transmission method (0.5-to-5m
Copper-based or 7.6m-to-15m PXLGLASS Optical), each cable provides the
following:

• 100% uncompressed high-speed signal delivery up to 8K60 48Gbps.
• Total
  HDMI 2.1b Protocol Functionality including Enhanced Audio Return
  Channel (eARC), Consumer Electronics Control (CEC), Dynamic HDR (High
  Dynamic Range), HDCP (High bandwidth Digital Content Protection) 2.X as
  well as all new gaming-centric features, VRR (Variable Refresh Rate),
  QMS (Quick Media Switching), ALLM (Auto Low Latency Mode), and QFT
  (Quick Frame Transport).\
• Ultra High Speed HDMI Cable
  Certification (HDMI 2.1b Category 3 for Optical lengths) with scannable
  official UHD label affixed to packaging.
• Internally validated to
  THX Certified 8K Interconnect Standards; maximized 8K HDMI equipment
  interoperability, in-system reliability, stringent
  fitness-to-application testing, hot-plugging, power sequencing and
  time-lapsed pixel error testing.
• Smallest cable diameter
  possible, ensuring minimal bend radius and encouraging maximum
  flexibility without compromising reliable signal delivery.

Full spec sheets are available at THX- Home. The price will range from $39.99 to $399 and the cables are expected to ship in late fall 2023.