[ale] OT: DVI-I vs The World-HDMI 1.4

[Paul Cartwright]

On Sat May 30 2009, Brian Pitts wrote:
> > signal requires a D-to-A _converter_. So HDMI saves money (ignoring
> > any technology licensing)
>
> [snip]
>
> > I have visited the DVI vs VGA issue before I joined ALE.
> > http://www.bronosky.com/?p=54
>
> Great blog post! I have long held that DVI-I is a fantastic interface
> which we should all be pushing for rather than legacy VGA or the mess of
> hdmi, udi, displayport, or whatever else they've thought up now. I'm sad
> that my Inspiron 1420N came with a VGA port; the older powerbook it
> replaced had DVI. What is truly bizarre are the graphics cards and
> motherboards sold with one DVI and one VGA port.

just read this:
http://arstechnica.com/gadgets/news/2009/05/hdmi-spec-updated-to-14-adds-unwanted-complexity.ars

HDMI spec updated to 1.4, adds unwanted complexity

The group that defines the HDMI connection specification has hammered out a 
1.4 update, and will publish the spec next month. It brings welcome 
future-proofing to video resolution handling, but the number of possible 
cables and connectors is starting to proliferate.



HDMI Licensing has announced that the improved HDMI 1.4 specification has been 
finalized. The new specification, slated to be published by the end of June, 
includes a number of additions to the High Definition Multimedia Interface 
standard that is becoming more commonplace with the proliferation of high-def 
flat panel TVs, Blu-ray players, and a number of other devices. 
Unfortunately, the spec comes with no less than five different cable types, 
and defines an additional "micro" port and an automotive-specific connection 
system, which joins the standard and "mini" HDMI port variants.

The new 1.4 spec adds an optional Ethernet-compatible data channel to HDMI. 
This data channel will allow bidirectional data transmission up to 100Mbps. 
The data transmission capabilities will allow one Internet-connected device 
to share the connection, as well as enable content sharing among HDMI 
connected devices.

Furthermore, an audio return channel adds upstream audio transmission 
capabilities to the HDMI spec. This is in addition to the downstream audio 
capabilities of the current spec, and should in theory eliminate the need to 
ever use audio cables for HDMI-connected devices.

The new spec also includes a number of improvements to the video transmission 
specifications. A standard for 3D formats and resolutions has been added, and 
includes up to dual-stream 1080p. Support is also added for the 2K and 4K 
digital cinema resolution standards. And color space support has been 
expanded to include sYCC601, Adobe RGB, and AdobeYCC601 color spaces—
specifically targeting the expanded gamut of digital still photographers.

And the cherry on this spec sundae is a specific automotive connection system 
designed "to be used as the basis for in-vehicle HD content distribution." 
I've never been one to relish in-car entertainment taken to this level, but 
I'm sure there are niche enthusiasts as well as legions of soccer moms with 
minivans full of kids that might welcome this addition. The special cabling 
and connectors are designed to work around the environmental factors 
experience in an automobile, "such as heat, vibration and noise." But with 
the proliferation of portable devices, such as an iPhone or the recently 
announced Zune HD, we wonder if "in-vehicle HD content distribution" is 
really necessary.

"The HDMI specification continues to add functionality as the consumer 
electronics and PC industries build products that enhance the consumer's HD 
experience," said Steve Venuti, president of HDMI Licensing, LLC, in a 
statement. "The 1.4 specification will support some of the most exciting and 
powerful near-term innovations such as Ethernet connectivity and 3D formats. 
Additionally we are going to broaden our solution by providing a smaller 
connector for portable devices and a connection system specified for 
automobiles, as we see both more and different devices adopting the HDMI 
technology."

Marketing hyperbole aside, the new specification now includes a total of 5 
different cable types: standard, "high-speed"—which handles the higher data 
rates for 3D and digital cinema resolution, Ethernet-capable versions of both 
of the previous two, and an automotive-specific variant. Further, as Venuti 
said, in addition to the standard HDMI port and the already small mini-HDMI 
port, the spec adds a 19-pin micro-HDMI variant that is compatible with up to 
1080p resolutions for portable devices. That means that the one cable to rule 
all AV equipment will now have 45 potential variations for customers to 
choose from—let alone the numerous (and often dubious) "quality" levels 
offered at hard-to-swallow prices.

The video and audio improvements are certainly welcome, though the Ethernet 
capabilities and special automotive connectors seem to add complexity to a 
system that was originally designed to greatly reduce the complexity of 
connecting AV equipment in the first place. The new micro-HDMI connector also 
seems redundant, though perhaps it will replace the mini-HDMI as the de facto 
standard for small, portable HD-capable devices. You can expect that devices 
and cables conforming to the new spec should start trickling out later this 
year.


-- 
Paul Cartwright
Registered Linux user # 367800
Registered Ubuntu User #12459