High-Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI) is a next-generation digital interface specification for consumer electronics products. Think of it as the new SCART! It is also the first and only industry-supported, uncompressed, all-digital audio/video interface.

HDMI was developed to meet the explosive demand for high-definition video and audio. With the release of HD content from broadcasters, studios and others, traditional ways to connect consumer electronics devices fall short of delivering the ultimate high-definition viewing and listening experience.

To address this issue, leading consumer electronics manufacturers gathered to develop a next-generation digital interface that would meet the requirements for consumer electronics products today and in the future. In short, the use of HDMI to connect all of your high-definition devices, displays and components will enable you to maximise your home theatre system and experience digital content the way it was intended.

Backed by the industry’s biggest names, the all-digital HDMI enables true high-definition, audio/video content. HDMI will quickly become de facto digital interface standard for HDTV and the consumer electronics market. By delivering crystal-clear, all-digital audio and video quality via a single cable, HDMI dramatically simplifies cabling and helps provide consumers with the highest-quality home theatre experience.

The HDMI Specification was developed by Sony, Hitachi, Thomson (RCA), Philips, Matsushita (Panasonic), Toshiba and Silicon Image as the digital interface standard for the consumer electronics market. The HDMI specification combines uncompressed high-definition video and multi-channel audio in a single digital interface to provide crystal-clear digital quality over a single cable.

HDMI is the only interface in consumer electronics that can carry both uncompressed high-definition (HD) video and uncompressed multi-channel audio in all HD formats including 720p, 1080i and even upcoming 1080p. An all-digital, uncompressed signal translates into the highest quality video and audio, seen and heard, direct from the source.

Since HDMI carries all channels on video and audio, there is only one cable to plug into any HDMI-enabled source and display device. No more complicated cable set-up when installing your home theatre system, and no more ugly cable mess behind your components! HDMI also has built-in intelligence that can automatically configure your system on demand. When utilising this feature, with the click of a single button, your remote control can tell your HDMI-linked system which components to turn on or off to view a DVD, listen to a CD, or watch cable or satellite TV.

Content comes in a variety of sizes, resolutions and formats. HDMI systems automatically configure to display the content in the most effective format. If cable TV content jumps from 16:9 format to standard 4:3, an HDMI-enabled TV can automatically adjust to match the ideal format. TVs with HDMI will display video received from existing DVI-equipped products, and DVI-equipped TVs will display video from HDMI sources such as set-top boxes, DVD players, A/V receivers and other home theatre and entertainment components.

The advantages of HDMI over existing analogue interfaces such as composite, S-Video and component video are compelling. In terms of quality HDMI transfers uncompressed digital audio and video for the highest, crispest image quality. HDMI also ensures an all-digital rendering of video without the losses associated with analogue interfaces and their unnecessary digital-to-analogue conversions. HDMI provides the quality and functionality of a digital interface while also supporting uncompressed video formats in a simple, cost-effective manner, and supports multiple audio formats, from standard stereo to multi-channel surround-sound.

From the start, HDMI was defined to carry 8-channels, of 192kHz, 24-bit uncompressed audio, which exceeds all current consumer media formats. In addition, HDMI can carry any flavour of compressed audio format such as Dolby or DTS. (Such compressed formats are the only multi-channel or high-resolution audio formats that can be carried across the older S/PDIF or AES/EBU interfaces.) Additionally, most existing HDMI sources can output any compressed stream, and the newer sources can output uncompressed 6-channel, 96kHz audio from a DVD-Audio disk. There are A/V receivers on the market that can accept and process the 6- or 8-channel audio from HDMI.

While HDMI has consistently enabled a variety of the most innovative new technologies (whether they be DVD Audio, SACD, 1080p/60, and so on), it is up to each manufacturer to choose which features to implement in any given product. The manufacturer can thus use its knowledge of the market to choose the mix of features that makes sense for its customers. So, you must choose devices that have the features that you want (instead of focusing on which version of HDMI is implemented by the device). Those interested in confirming whether a particular consumer electronics product supports DVD-Audio or any other feature over HDMI are urged to review users’ manuals and product reviews and check with manufacturers directly.

HDMI Licensing, LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Silicon Image, Inc., is the agent responsible for licensing the HDMI Specification, promoting the HDMI standard and providing education on the benefits of HDMI to retailers and consumers. HDMI is an evolving standard and changes to meet the needs of the market. HDMI has capacity to spare, and can incorporate new technology advancements and capabilities long into the foreseeable future.

HDMI Licensing, LLC, recently announced the availability of the latest revision of the HDMI specification, version 1.2. HDMI 1.2 adds a number of important features that contribute to the ongoing evolution of this important standard for secure audio and video transmission. Additionally, HDMI Licensing has announced that more than 250 vendors worldwide have adopted HDMI with over 470 different HDMI-enabled products having been announced.

The HDMI 1.2 specification also adds features and capabilities that increase HDMI’s appeal for use in both the CE and PC industries. Specifically, the features and modifications for HDMI 1.2 include support for One Bit Audio format, such as SuperAudio CD’s DSD (Direct Stream Digital), as well as changes to offer better support for current and future PCs with HDMI outputs.

These include availability of the widely-used HDMI Type A connector for PC sources and displays with full support for PC video formats, ability for PC sources to use their native RGB colour-space while retaining the option to support the YCbCr CE colour-space, and requirement for HDMI 1.2 and later displays to support future low-voltage (i.e., AC-coupled) sources, such as those based on PCI Express I/O technology.

HDMI 1.2 has several changes to better support the PC industry, including a minor modification to the electrical specification to ensure compatibility of current and future HDMI receivers with a low voltage, AC coupled transmitter (for example, a transmitter in an integrated graphics chip). The HDMI Founders also intend to define additional HDMI electrical and connector options that would allow PC vendors to more easily develop HDMI-compatible products. As always, products implementing the HDMI 1.2 specification will be fully backwards compatible with earlier HDMI products.

BIOS, Apr 11, 06 | Print | Send | Comments (0) | Posted In Multimedia