Gefen, the company known for their signal switchers and converters, has announced the GefenTV Digital Audio Decoder, which remixes 5.1 Dolby Digital Surround audio for stereo (L/R) outputs. What this means is that the unit lets any movie or television program broadcasting in 5.1 Dolby digital audio to be decoded, and output on a pair of analog speakers.

This will give two-channel stereo systems the ability to convey some of the same surround sound information as a proper 5.1 system, but without the artificialness that usually accompanies such enhancement.

I have a problem with the amount of HDMI inputs offered on most of the HDTV sets available today. Typically, you only get three HDMI connections and some TVs offer even less. That means for users with multiple game consoles with HDMI, Satellite boxes, Blu-ray players or an Apple TV you end up manually changing cables frequently.

Gefen has added a pair of new HDMI switchers to its line at different ends of the price scale that will remedy this situation. The GefenTV Multi Format Switcher retails for $499 and offers the ability to send composite, component, and s-video devices to the TV with one HDMI port needed. The device supports full 1080p resolution.

Gefen is out today with a new extender for pushing HD quality video up to 500 meters. It is called the DVI-1500HD and you’ll find it pricing around $600.

The Gefen DVI-1500HD works via sender and receiver units connected to the source. These units allow for support of resolutions to 1080p or 1920 x 1200 for computers to be delivered up to 1640 feet. This setup is used primarily for sending signals from DVI sources.

Gefen wants to help you push HDMI over a distance as well as offering control from a remote source. It is introducing its HDMI RS-232 CAT-5 Extender for around $600.

The Gefen HDMI RS-232 CAT-5 Extender lets one adjust their displays, change settings and access audio/video sources from up to 50 meters (150-feet) in distance. Sender and receiver units connect the A/V source to the remote display using category-5 cables that transmit 1080p full HD resolutions as well as RS-232.

Gefen is now making available a USB to DVI connector for those who want to add additional digital video displays or projectors. It is called the Gefen USB to DVI Graphics Adapter and it will cost you around $130.

The Gefen USB to DVI Graphics Adapter is designed to do as the name implies - bringing additional display options to your computer through a USB connection. It works with the Windows operating system and sports a DVI port to which you hook up a monitor. On the other end is a USB port for a computer connection. Output video to these monitors comes in the DVI-I format.

Gone are the days of having your USB devices tethered within the standard 5 meter limit of a USB cable. The Gefen USB 400FO USB extender kit uses fiber optics with full USB 2.0 standard compatibility to stretch the reach of not just one but four USB connections up to 1,650 feet or 500 meters.

The kit comes with two externally powered boxes, the send unit (USB 400FOS) and the receive unit (USB 400FOR). Your computer connects up to four USB cables to the sender unit which sends the signal as far as 500 meters to the receiver unit where it gets converted back to a USB connection to power your RC Car or Missile Launcher from almost a third of a mile away.

How would you like to be able to use select USB devices a good distance away from your computer? That’s the idea behind the new Gefen Wireless USB Extender, priced at around $400.

The Gefen Wireless USB Extender makes use of a sender/receiver system to wirelessly transmit USB 2.0 signals up to 100 feet away. Gefen says it’s an ideal solution for those in particular who don’t want to run USB cables around the area. It requires no installation of USB drivers and can reportedly deliver data at speeds up to 54 Mbps.