Active Optical Cable Trends VIA Technologies Inc.
Our aim VIA s focus is to understand the growing active optical cable market. Long known as a niche product, active optical cables are appealing to a wider audience within the industry and consumer sector.
VIA conducted an investigative survey to discover first-hand the emerging active optical cable trends. The survey questions concentrated on the broad themes of optical cable usage, desired optical cable properties and the likelihood of purchase.
Key findings Home theater and audio and video production are the two most popular applications HDMI & USB 3.0 are the two most preferred connectors Price and durability are the most important buying considerations
Part one Active optical cable usage
Active optical cables are needed now Although the optical cable market is set to grow drastically, already over a quarter of respondents have experience implementing an active optical cable. 8K screens and VR are expected to drive the consumer sales of optical cables further. Before this technology reaches its peak, active optical cables are serving a purpose for other applications.
Have you used an active optical cables before? 26.6% of respondents claimed to have used an active optical cable before. This usage is expected to rise remarkably.
Home theater is the most popular application The resolution of screens in the home has been steadily growing. Now at the 4K stage, consumers see the need for a more reliable cable to display content on larger, higher quality screens. Home screens continue to evolve to create a more immersive experience. The availability of 8K screens is on the horizon, as well as the ever-rising expectations of virtual reality. These devices will require an active optical cable to transport this heavy-bandwidth content.
Previous active optical cable users The majority of respondents across both groups (previous users and prospective buyers), would use an active optical cable in a home theater system. Overall, audio and video production is the second-most popular application. Prospective optical cable users Active optical cable usage for video surveillance is set to rise. 21% of respondents have previously used an active optical cable for this application and 45% of prospective buyers are considering this application. Gaming is appearing as a promising usage category, with around 30% of respondents across both groups considering this application.
Part two Desired optical cable properties
Price and durability is essential The correct price point for active optical cables is a key factor in the buying process. Durability is almost equally as important. Customers expect their investment to endure the conditions of their application environment. As a connector, cables run across rooms, buildings, and outdoor areas to transport data between devices and are, therefore, subject to people and machinery traveling over them. Active optical cable technology has matured, with many companies developing a robust, rugged cable designed to withstand tough conditions.
What do you look for in an active optical cable? ( Select all that apply ) Price and durability are the most important factors for the respondents when considering active optical cable properties. The weight of the cable appears insignificant when compared to other more prominent properties.
Active optical cables are used in more confined environments Customers are opting for a shorter length of cable. This suggests that active optical cables are employed in more restricted environments. Home applications, such as home theater, PC-to-PC communication, and gaming do not require a cable to span across long distances. This same principle applies to a studio environment where a cable is only necessary to connect devices in a recording studio.
How long would you want an active optical cable to be? The large majority of respondents prefer shorter lengths from five to twenty meters long for an active optical cable. The optimal length appears to be ten meters.
HDMI connectors have the highest demand The popularity of an HDMI connector stems from the rapidly increasing number of HD screens. The presence and versatility of high-quality screens for digital signage, medical imaging devices, and video surveillance, for instance, builds this demand for HDMI connectors.
Which connectors would you want an optical cable to have? ( Select all that apply ) HDMI is clearly the most popular connector, with 89% of respondents claiming this fact. USB 3.0 follows at 63%, but has a strong chance of growth as personal computing becomes more reliant on active optical cables.
Part three Likelihood of purchase
The need for active optical cables will grow immensely As technology advances, processing and displaying increasingly large amounts of data between devices, the need for high quality data transmission grows simultaneously. This increased data transmission has a wide range of applications from home theater to computer vision. More information about this growing need can be found here.
Would you consider buying an active optical cable? Although, from the beginning of the report we discovered 26.6% had previously used an active optical cable, the likelihood of this number increasing appears extremely high. A staggering 81% of respondents are considering purchasing an active optical cable.
A large proportion of active optical cables will be purchased in 2018 With applications like machine vision and medical imaging, where an active optical cable is currently essential, many customers are also looking to the future. The excitement surrounding the possibilities of VR, 8K screens, and the wonders of AI cause customers to prepare their hardware for this transformation. The mass of data that needs to be transported is constantly increasing due to these advancements.
How likely are you to buy an active optical cable this year? 40% of respondents were likely or very likely to purchase an active optical cable in 2018. However, for some respondents, this purchase decision may come later. 35% of respondents were on the middle of scale when asked the likelihood they would purchase an active optical cable this year.
Summary Most striking trends Active optical cables are most sought after in home and studio environments. A huge rise in active optical cable purchases is to come. Durability is a crucial property for an effective active optical cable.