HD Fury Vertex

[IMDave]

Hi all,

Whilst technically speaking this product is neither a projector nor a screen, I couldn't think of a more relevant area to post this information as it is of particular use to the owners of JVC Xx00 model projectors.

Some of you may be aware of other products in the HDFury range , namely the Integral and the Linker. 

Basically they make little boxes that are placed in the A/V chain to overcome HDCP / EDID /HDMI / Upscaling problems.

https://www.hdfury.com/

With the introduction of the Xx000 series JVC UHD projectors , there was a lot of frustration with JVC's proprietary Gamma D and the loss of the Dynamic Iris with 4k/UHD bluray discs.

Then Arve came along and created his customizable gamma curves to replace gamma D. But every time the metadata on the disc told the PJ it as a UHD disc it would default to gamma D, and you'd have to manually select an Arve curve .

After a recommendation from Manni01 on AVS, HDFury added some functionality to their Linker product whereby it would trick the PJ into not seeing the HDR metadata, and therefore stay in whatever custom gamma mode the user had set as default and better yet allow the use of the DI.

Personally, I've owned and used a Linker since March, 2017 and have been enjoying stellar performance in 4k UHD/HDR ever since.

Then HDFury announced a new product combining the funtionality of the Integral and the Linker, and also incorporating some new features.

I thought, I was happy to stay with the Linker..................until earlier this week.

Now Manni has been talking to the HDFury team and they have written a macro into the Vertex's features, controllable by an RS232 cable plugged into the JVC, that reads the metadata , and based on that information can auto-switch between User settings within the projector to select a specific profile for 1080p Bluray, 1000Nit graded UHD/HDR, 4000Nit graded UHD/HDR.

So finally it looks like it will be possible to just load a disc, any disc, into the player...........and it will just .....play in the correct mode.

This is a gross oversimplification of what is going on, but suffice it to say....I ordered one tonight.

If you want to know more, this is where it all started:

 

http://www.avsforum.com/forum/37-video-processors/2902961-what-does-vertex-do-over-integral-linker.html

 

Here is a link to Manni's reveal about what this thing can do.... a much better write up than mine, but hey the thread would have looked pretty pathetic with just one link under the banner. 

 

 

http://www.avsforum.com/forum/24-digital-hi-end-projectors-3-000-usd-msrp/2222586-official-jvc-rs600-rs500-x950r-x750r-x9000-x7000-owners-thread-909.html#post55097696

[betty boop]

good stuff dave, look forward to reading how you find it  they sure do keep coming up with more and more surprises the hdfury guys. this gets around another bug bear with the vertex i believe where feeding through to the projector multiple formats as people might possibly be doing, and now auto selecting with the macro ! 

[IMDave]

Yeah mate. Look as I'd said to you earlier,  I didn't think I'd buy a Vertex because I was really satisfied with what the Linker was doing.

But then they developed this macro to auto-select the type of disc inserted,and had to do a rethink.

Whilst it will mean that anyone in the family will finally be able to walk into MY cinema room and use the harmony remote, press "Watch movie" and be good to go with either BR or 4k discs... I might have to implement a few custom booby traps to keep them  scared off.?

Ultimately this stuff will finally be "plug and play ".

 

The other thing that got me onboard it that I truly feel that HDFury is one of those rare companies that really listen to "the punters ". The things they have come up with in the last 12 months to help "us" overcome some seemingly insurmountable obstacles has been astounding. And their back up support is on par with Oppo. That is, second to none. 

Within a couple of months, I reckon I'll be able to pick the winning Tattslotto numbers via a macro written by HDFury for the Vertex.  They are THAT good.???

 

 

[IMDave]

Ok, so I received the Vertex on Friday and have spent a bit of time over the weekend incorporating it into the chain.

Oppo 203--> Vertex --> SR6010 --> JVC X7000.

I bought a 10m 3.5mm stereo audio extension cable to connect the RS232 from the JVC to the Vertex, and finally took @:) al 's advise and upgraded my 10m HDMI cable to the Officeworks Comsol unit. I figured if I was going to have to crawl through the roof to carry the 10m audio extension cable I might as well replace my old HDMI since it wasn't capable of passing the higher bandwidth signals ( 600Mhz).

After a quick firmware update from HDFury to the latest 1.19.1.14 and GUI _1.07, I set about configuring the Vertex to do what I wanted it to do. Namely , tick the HDR disable box, so I can work around the X7000's default Gamma D and use the DI, and set up the Macro to read the disc info and go to the appropriate JVC user profile.

So if it's a 3D disc the JVC goes to my 3D user profile ( High lamp, Rec709,iris -1). If its a BR disc the macro tells the JVC to use the Rec709 user profile ( Low lamp, Rec709, iris -11). If its a 4kUHD disc, the Vertex disables the HDR metadata flag and the macro tells the JVC to use my 4kUHD user profile ( low lamp, BT2020, iris open, Custom gamma #2).

All the data appears on the screen for a predetermined length of time ( I've set it to 30sec, because there is still the JVC handshaking lag factor to consider)

Still got a bit of customising to do, but here are some screenshots of the GUI and the screen to give you an idea.

Very happy with how I now have a "Plug & Play" 4k projector system.

Press one button on the Harmony remote to turn the system on. Load disc, any disc. Adjust volume.

Sit back , relax and enjoy the show.

Kinda like the way it should be.

 

[IMDave]

Here's a couple more screenshots of what settings are available inside the GUI.

Since the first screen photo above which shows 1080p 23.97 fps,etc I have updated the HDCP from 1.4 to 2.2, and "Billy Lynne's Long Halftime Walk" now shows 4k 60fps 4:4:4 593MHz !!!!!! ( so @:) al 's ) cable really does work.

 

[betty boop]

good to see imdave the vertex is working in seamlessly and allowing all sorts of smarts !  

 

and great to hear the office works comsol is working a great too. i cant take credit for its discovery that goes to @Javs and couldnt believe he was keeping it a well kept secret  10m hdmi for 4k uhd doesnt have to cost mega bucks 

 

ps am particularly liking the the osd and all the options the vertex appears to have ! 

[IMDave]

1 hour ago, al said:

good to see imdave the vertex is working in seamlessly and allowing all sorts of smarts !  

 

and great to hear the office works comsol is working a great too. i cant take credit for its discovery that goes to @Javs and couldnt believe he was keeping it a well kept secret  10m hdmi for 4k uhd doesnt have to cost mega bucks 

 

ps am particularly liking the the osd and all the options the vertex appears to have ! 

Thanks @:) al .

Yeah, $69 for the peace of mind of that cable is an absolute bargain.

Now............I've got a HDFury Linker to sell.

[lucmor444]

Great info - I recently picked up a second hand Panasonic u900 to try out on my x7000 but haven’t hooked it up yet. Will now pick up this unit from hdfury. 

[muriwai]

Link please of where to purchase ?thanks in advance

[Kazz]

1 hour ago, muriwai said:

Link please of where to purchase ?thanks in advance

HDFury Vertex

 

Mine arrived last week but as I've picked up a late season flu bug it's still sitting in it's box. 

[IMDave]

12 hours ago, muriwai said:

Link please of where to purchase ?thanks in advance

And don't forget to use the drop down box to select Aus/Nz 240V adapter.

[muriwai]

Ordered,thank you

[IMDave]

Good one .

As a matter of interest , I've had a couple of issues over past few days since replacing my 10m HDMI to the Comsol one that will pass a 600MHz signal.

Previously with my Linker and the old cable I used a custom EDID that was capped at around 300MHz (  4K60-4:2:0 12bit HDR BT2020 All Sound ).

I had it set up as: Oppo-->Vertex/Linker --> Marantz-- 10m HDMI --> JVC.

This was at times a little unstable, giving me a "snow" screen or "no input" on the PJ display.

I have now moved the Vertex to be next to the JVC , so the 10m HDMI run is from the AVR to the Vertex and then there is only a 1.5m HDMI cable( along with the RS232 cable provided by HDFury) to the PJ.

Seems to work a lot better.

Hope this helps for future set ups.

[betty boop]

hmm this is something that annoyed me with the HD fury integral prior due to one more gadget in the mix and the potential hdmi hiccups. good to know have found a work around though in this case

[muriwai]

Hi Dave,do the vertex is mounted at rear of room next to projector ?can it be mounted inside the ceiling once it is setup ,or do you need to be able to read its screen to see what it is doing?

[IMDave]

7 hours ago, muriwai said:

Hi Dave,do the vertex is mounted at rear of room next to projector ?can it be mounted inside the ceiling once it is setup ,or do you need to be able to read its screen to see what it is doing?

No need to use the display on the Vertex itself. I have it's display switched off permanently, as the glow is exremely bright in a fully controlled bat cave.

All the data shows up in the OSD ( as per my earlier photos) and can be configured to stay on screen for as long as you want.

So I now have the Vertex connected to the end of my 10m in ceiling HDMI run, then a short 1.5m cable connecting the Vertex to the PJ. Bonus to this means you don't have to buy a 10m long extension cable for the RS232 connection. You can just use the 1.5m one supplied with the Vertex.

You could leave the Vertex up inside the ceiling if you wanted to. You just need to have it plugged in to it's USB adapter power supply.Then if/when you want to connect in to your laptop to do a firmware update or make some GUI changes, you just unplug from the adapter.

Edited December 4, 2017 by IMDave

[Kazz]

On 12/4/2017 at 7:30 PM, IMDave said:

So I now have the Vertex connected to the end of my 10m in ceiling HDMI run, then a short 1.5m cable connecting the Vertex to the PJ. Bonus to this means you don't have to buy a 10m long extension cable for the RS232 connection. You can just use the 1.5m one supplied with the Vertex.

You could leave the Vertex up inside the ceiling if you wanted to. You just need to have it plugged in to it's USB adapter power supply.Then if/when you want to connect in to your laptop to do a firmware update or make some GUI changes, you just unplug from the adapter.

@IMDave I posted this on AVS in reply to your post but I'll post here as well, I've finally got my Vertex setup today, running Oppo -> Marantz ->Vertex->long HDMI ->JVC & shorter HDMI -> non 4K plasma and I seem to have full functionality, can get the Oppo menu on both the PJ & plasma as well as 4K picture on PJ and 1080p picture on TV.

 

Now I just need to sort out what went wrong with my failed PJ calibration so that I can take advantage of some of the other Vertex features.

 

[IMDave]

1 hour ago, Kazz said:

@IMDave I posted this on AVS in reply to your post but I'll post here as well, I've finally got my Vertex setup today, running Oppo -> Marantz ->Vertex->long HDMI ->JVC & shorter HDMI -> non 4K plasma and I seem to have full functionality, can get the Oppo menu on both the PJ & plasma as well as 4K picture on PJ and 1080p picture on TV.

 

Now I just need to sort out what went wrong with my failed PJ calibration so that I can take advantage of some of the other Vertex features.

 

Glad to hear your Vertex install has been a success. 

Have you implemented the RS232 switching option yet?

I'm just back from O/S this morning, so haven't caught up with AVS yet.

Before I went away I think I had everything working well. 

I'll see if I get the " snow screen of death" over the next couple of days. 

HDFury has asked me how things are going,  but haven't been able to check. 

 

 

[Presjar]

Can anyone who has this unit please let me know if the downscale port can remove HDCP 2.2 so I can pass it into a 1080p HDMI to SVideo converter?

 

Does the Downscaler part of the unit allow 444 to 422 and 4k60 to 1080p30 as well as the HDCP removal?

[IMDave]

21 hours ago, Presjar said:

Can anyone who has this unit please let me know if the downscale port can remove HDCP 2.2 so I can pass it into a 1080p HDMI to SVideo converter?

 

Does the Downscaler part of the unit allow 444 to 422 and 4k60 to 1080p30 as well as the HDCP removal?

I have my Scaler set to "Auto", and now the HDCP set to 2.2 to maximize bandwidth. The Config tab has the option to select HDCP as 1.4.

There are a miriad of EDID options whereby you can customize chroma and frame rate but to answer your question you may like to inquire within the original AVS thread:

http://www.avsforum.com/forum/37-video-processors/2902961-hdfury-vertex-owners-thread.html

 

[Kazz]

On 10/12/2017 at 8:42 PM, IMDave said:

Glad to hear your Vertex install has been a success. 

Have you implemented the RS232 switching option yet?

 

Hi Dave, nope I haven't used the RS232 option yet, I still need to get a long enough cable  for it, haven't actually had a chance to even think about it yet.

 

The Vertex is playing nicely with my system and I've now got my dynamic iris working again with it.

 

For anyone looking to buy a Vertex here in Aus EzyHD are now stocking them.

[IMDave]

4 minutes ago, Kazz said:

Hi Dave, nope I haven't used the RS232 option yet, I still need to get a long enough cable  for it, haven't actually had a chance to even think about it yet.

 

The Vertex is playing nicely with my system and I've now got my dynamic iris working again with it.

 

For anyone looking to buy a Vertex here in Aus EzyHD are now stocking them.

Here you go: pick the length you need.

https://www.selby.com.au/catalogsearch/result/?q=3.5mm+Stereo+Audio+Extension+Cable+AUX+%2F+Headphones+SJ8022

< $10 for 10m.

 

[Owen]

On 1/19/2018 at 2:46 PM, Presjar said:

Can anyone who has this unit please let me know if the downscale port can remove HDCP 2.2 so I can pass it into a 1080p HDMI to SVideo converter?

 

Does the Downscaler part of the unit allow 444 to 422 and 4k60 to 1080p30 as well as the HDCP removal?

HDFury devices do NOT remove copy protection, they just convert between HDCP versions for backwards compatibility. The output is always HDCP protected so no analogue output.

[Kazz]

On 22/01/2018 at 8:27 PM, IMDave said:

Here you go: pick the length you need.

https://www.selby.com.au/catalogsearch/result/?q=3.5mm+Stereo+Audio+Extension+Cable+AUX+%2F+Headphones+SJ8022

< $10 for 10m.

 

Thanks Dave, ordered one today. 

[Mobe1969]

I notice the chain setup above showed the linker between the player and AVR. If you are using multiple players (eg PS4, AppleTV, UHD player) and want to take advantage of the Vertex, can you put it between the AVR and the projector? It'd also mean you could put it with the projector and use a short serial cable to the projector.