ExtremeUSB® vs HDBaseT™
The Battle of the Technologies
ExtremeUSB® has dominated the USB extender market for decades. Delivering high speed and reliable transfer of data up to 100 meters, it has become the staple technology for use in a wide range of environments.
Recently however, HDBaseT technology has seen a surge in popularity and is utilised in a wide range of devices. So the question arises, which technology is the most reliable and dominant in the world of USB extension?
To determine which technology has superiority USB-Tec created the USB Extender Championship which saw both technologies put through a series of tests to see which performs better and could be classed as the USB Extender Champion.
The Challenge
To test the capabilities of each technology, a device was selected to represent each brand. The local unit of each device was connected to the same laptop, then over 100 meters of CAT6 cable the remote devices were connected to identical USB cameras.
Three tests were carried out utilising popular USB cameras from Aver, Lumens and Poly.
The cameras were setup to capture live footage of footballers representing each technology taking penalty kicks. The team then monitored the footage for any connectivity issues, frame rate or stuttering issues and general performance.
A successful transmission, or pass, is determined by the fact the image is transferred to the laptop without any issues and is visible on OBS Studio in realtime.
Any connectivity issues or dropouts of signal will be considered a fail and not score the technology a point on the scoreboard. After all 3 tests the scores would then be compared to determine the winner.
The Technology
The full detailed list of the technology utilised during the testing process can be found in the downloadable report on this page.
The main focus of the testing was focused on the use of the AVPro Edge USB Extender, representing HDBaseT, and Icron Raven 3204CPro, representing ExtremeUSB®.
In the interest of fairness, all equipment used in every aspect of the testing process is new and purchased specifically for the testing. Along with this, all cameras and cables utilised are identical with any relevant serial numbers listed in the detailed report.
Testing
Testing was undertaken in two separate locations. The first instance of testing was undertaken in a controlled lab environment (the report results below are related to this environment), with the second taking place at Arun Sports Arena for filming purposes.
The full filmed version of testing can be seen below.
The Results
Our testing revealed that the HDBaseT extender struggled to establish a reliable connection with two out of three tested camera models. While HDBaseT technology works well in certain applications, it may not be the best fit for all camera types in our specific use case.
In contrast, the ExtremeUSB® extender delivered flawless performance, achieving 100% compatibility and successfully transmitting camera feeds over 100 meters. When paired with a 10Gb LAN switch, the ExtremeUSB® extender extends its reach to an impressive 200 meters, offering unmatched versatility and reliability.
For applications requiring dependable, long-range camera connectivity, ExtremeUSB® stands out as the superior choice.
It should be noted of course that in this testing scenario only 1 device from each technology was utilised for testing. There are a number of devices utilising both technologies that can be utilised in a range of scenarios and therefore may perform differently under the same scenarios we undertook for testing.
Results Table
The simplified table below outlines the results from the testing for each camera and technology utilised over 100 meters distance with the exception of the final bonus test for ExtremeUSB® over 200 meters using the Lumens VC-B30U camera.
| Camera | ExtremeUSB® | HDBaseT |
|---|---|---|
| Aver 340+ | Pass | Fail |
| Lumens VC-B30U | Pass | Pass |
| Poly Studio USB | Pass | Fail |
| Lumens VC-B30U (Over 200m) | Pass | N/A |
The Report
For full transparency we have published our detailed testing report. This report outlines our testing process and complete results for all tests.
Use the link below to download the report.
Download
Download the full testing report undertaken in a controlled environment