Lightware VINX-120-HDMI-ENC AV Over IP Scaling Multimedia Extender with USB K+M, RS-232 and IR - 91810002

Product Overview

The Lightware VINX-120-HDMI-ENC is an AV-over-IP encoder that captures HDMI 2.0 signals up to 4K@60Hz, compresses them using H.264, and distributes them over standard 1GbE or 10GbE IP networks. Designed for professional AV distribution, the encoder integrates USB keyboard and mouse (K+M) extension, bidirectional RS-232 serial control, and IR pass-through — all transported over a single Ethernet cable to any number of VINX decoder endpoints. Available through Creation Networks.

Product Description

The VINX-120-HDMI-ENC is the source-side unit in the Lightware VINX AV-over-IP system. It accepts an HDMI 2.0 input — from a PC, media player, camera, or any HDMI source — and encodes it into an H.264 IP stream for delivery across the local area network. One encoder can feed multiple VINX-110-HDMI-DEC decoders simultaneously using multicast, enabling scalable one-to-many distribution without per-port licensing. The unit is managed via a built-in web interface or Lightware Device Controller software, and integrates directly into existing managed network infrastructure.

Key Features

• HDMI 2.0 input up to 4K@60Hz (4:2:0)
• H.264 video compression for efficient bandwidth utilization over 1GbE / 10GbE
• Supports unicast (point-to-point) and multicast (one-to-many) distribution
• USB keyboard and mouse (K+M) extension over IP
• Bidirectional RS-232 serial control pass-through
• Bidirectional IR pass-through
• PoE powered (IEEE 802.3at) — eliminates local power supply in most deployments
• Built-in web interface for standalone configuration
• Compatible with Lightware Device Controller for system-wide management
• No per-stream or per-port licensing fees

Typical Applications

• Enterprise AV distribution — encoding PC and presentation sources for distribution to meeting rooms and display endpoints
• University and lecture hall content distribution systems
• Broadcast monitoring — encoding program outputs for IP distribution to production monitoring stations
• Digital signage content injection — encoding media player output for network-wide delivery
• Control room source aggregation — encoding multiple sources for flexible display assignment
• Collaboration environments requiring centralized source management with distributed viewing

Technical Specifications

Competitor Comparison

Frequently Asked Questions

How many decoders can receive a single VINX-120-HDMI-ENC stream?

With multicast enabled on the network switch, a single encoder stream can feed an unlimited number of VINX-110-HDMI-DEC decoders simultaneously. Bandwidth usage on the network backbone scales with the encoded bitrate, not the number of receivers.

What network switch configuration is required?

A managed Gigabit Ethernet switch with IGMP snooping is required for multicast deployments. For unicast (one encoder to one decoder), any 1GbE switch is sufficient. Consult Creation Networks for switch recommendations matched to your deployment scale.

Can the encoder input be switched between sources?

The VINX-120-HDMI-ENC has a single HDMI input. Source switching requires either a separate HDMI matrix switcher upstream of the encoder, or deploying multiple encoders — one per source — with routing handled by the decoder selection.

Is the encoder compatible with 1080p sources?

Yes. The VINX-120-HDMI-ENC accepts any HDMI signal up to 4K@60Hz, including 1080p@60Hz and 1080p@30Hz sources. It will encode and transmit at the native resolution of the source.

How is the encoder configured?

The encoder is configured via its built-in web interface (accessed by IP address in any browser) or through Lightware Device Controller software for multi-device management. Settings include network parameters, encoding bitrate, multicast group address, and USB/RS-232/IR routing.

What is the latency of the encoded stream?

Latency depends on the encoding mode selected. The VINX system supports a low-latency mode for interactive and KVM applications, and a standard mode optimized for video quality. Typical low-latency mode end-to-end delay is under 100ms frame-to-frame.