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Tag: hdmi

  • New HDMI Cable Adds Internet Data to Video and Audio


    A new version of the High-Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI) cable has been announced by the industry alliance responsible for licensing the specification.

    HDMI Licensing said the upgraded 1.4 version of HDMI will make it easier to connect Internet-connected HD video devices to TVs and other appliances.

    The new cable will be able to transfer Internet data as well as video and audio data – something that the existing version isn’t able to do.

    It will mean users can get rid of the Ethernet cables connecting every web-connected device. It transfers data at up to 100 megabits per second.

    According to market research firm In-Stat, over 394 million HDMI-enabled devices are expected to ship in 2009, with an installed base of 1 billion devices.

    By the end of 2009 100 per cent of digital televisions are expected to have at least one HDMI input.

    Among the other improvements offered by the new HDMI version are networking capabilities with Ethernet connectivity and an Audio Return Channel to enable upstream audio connections via the HDMI cable.

    Steve Venuti, president of HDMI Licensing, said the 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," he said.

    Venuti said consumers will also see new HDMI cables introduced to the market.

    In order to take advantage of the HDMI Ethernet Channel, consumers will need to purchase either a Standard HDMI cable with Ethernet, or a High Speed HDMI cable with Ethernet.

    Consumers connecting an external device to an in-vehicle HDMI-enabled HD system will need the new Automotive HDMI cable.

    Functions offered by the HDMI 1.4 specification include:

    • HDMI Ethernet Channel: The HDMI 1.4 specification will add a data channel to the HDMI cable and will enable high-speed bi-directional communication. Connected devices that include this feature will be able to send and receive data via 100 Mb/sec Ethernet, making them instantly ready for any IP-based application.
    • The HDMI Ethernet Channel will allow an Internet-enabled HDMI device to share its Internet connection with other HDMI devices without the need for a separate Ethernet cable. The new feature will also provide the connection platform to allow HDMI-enabled devices to share content between devices.
    • Audio Return Channel: The new specification will add an Audio Return Channel that will reduce the number of cables required to deliver audio upstream for processing and playback. In cases where HDTVs are directly receiving audio and video content, this new Audio Return Channel allows the HDTV to send the audio stream to the A/V receiver over the HDMI cable, eliminating the need for an extra cable.
    • 3D Over HDMI: The 1.4 version of the specification will define common 3D formats and resolutions for HDMI-enabled devices. The specification will standardize the input/output portion of the home 3D system and will specify up to dual-stream 1080p resolution.
    • 4K x 2K Resolution Support: The new specification will enable HDMI devices to support high-definition (HD) resolutions four times beyond the resolution of 1080p. Support for 4K x 2K will allow the HDMI interface to transmit content at the same resolution as many digital theaters. Formats supported include:  3840×2160 24Hz/25Hz/30Hz and 4096×2160 24Hz
    • Expanded Support For Color Spaces: HDMI technology now supports color spaces designed specifically for digital still cameras. By supporting sYCC601, Adobe RGB and AdobeYCC601, HDMI-enabled display devices will be capable of reproducing more accurate life-like colors when connected to a digital still camera.
    • Micro HDMI Connector: The Micro HDMI Connector is a significantly smaller 19-pin connector that supports up to 1080p resolutions for portable devices. This new connector is approximately 50 per cent smaller than the size of the existing HDMI Mini Connector.
    • Automotive Connection System: The Automotive Connection System is a cabling specification designed to be used as the basis for in-vehicle HD content distribution. The HDMI 1.4 specification will provide a solution designed to meet the rigors and environmental issues commonly found in automobiles, such as heat, vibration and noise. Using the Automotive Connection System, automobile manufactures will now have a viable solution for distributing HD content within the car

    The HDMI specification 1.4 will be available for download no later than June 30, 2009.

  • Torrent Offers Magnetic Solution To HDMI Connector Problems


    Torrent     has released a magnetic connector that aims to overcome the frustrating problem of loose HDMI cable connections.

    The start-up says that with the help of a sliding sleeve its MagLoc connector gives a five-fold improvement in the HDMI connection strength.

    It suggests this will ensure optimal connectivity – while sparing users the headache of trouble shooting for the source of HDMI connector disconnection problems.

    No release date has yet been given, although Torrent’s initial product lines are slated for availability this Spring.

  • Hi-Den Launches First HDMI 1080p Photo Viewer







    It seems peculiar that with the drive towards making HDTVs all-singing, all-dancing Internet-connected marvels, little had been done to improve something as simple as enjoying your photos on the big screen.

    Now Hong-Kong-based Hi-Den Vision has popped up with what it claims is the world’s first HDMI 1080p digital photo viewer.

    The HD-0310 is a compact, slim and easy-to-use device that allows photos, video clips and music to be displayed directly from memory cards onto HDTVs.

    Hi-Den are – sensibly, I suppose – making the comparison between a digital photo frame and their device, both in terms of the price and the screen size.

    "Digital photo frames are one solution to viewing photos," said a spokesman. "But for a quality digital photo frame, it will cost around USD $150-250.00.

    "We are offering consumers the ability to view photos on a large HDTV but at a cheaper price."

    The HD-0310 features 16 transition effects, slide interval time, random or sequential playback for photo viewing.

    Its remote control also allows play/pause, next/previous, rotate, zoom in/out, select between photo/video and music.

    The suggested retail price is USD $59.90.

  • Economy To Slow VoIP Growth in US Business Markets


    The struggling economy will slow the growth of VoIP, but deployments remain wide-ranging at mitigated levels.

    So says In-Stat in a report that also found just over a third of US businesses that have deployed VoIP use it exclusively.

    Many more businesses use VoIP as a partial voice solution – and they are also beginning to embrace voice-enabled IM capabilities, particularly among younger workers.

    David Lemelin, In-Stat analyst, said IP continues to be a partial voice solution for most businesses with VoIP, particularly among larger businesses.

    "Therefore, there is significant room for growth even among businesses that have already adopted it," he said.

    Recent research by In-Stat found the following:

    • 32 per cent of Enterprise size businesses say the economic situation has slowed their VoIP deployment plans.
    • Broadband IP Telephony remains the most common carrier-based business VoIP solution with revenues exceeding USD $1.1 billion in 2008, compared to USD $857 million for hosted IP Centrex service within the US.
    • Adoption varies significantly by size of business, with Enterprise businesses preferring a partial deployment, while SOHO businesses are more likely to go IP-only.
    • 13 per cent of US businesses use both carrier-based and premises-based IP solutions.
    • Digital visual interface (DVI) and high-definition multimedia interface (HDMI), are related, high-bandwidth, unidirectional, uncompressed digital interface standards.

  • Indian Satellite TV Is Propelling Worldwide Market


    The worldwide market for pay-Direct-to-Home (DTH) satellite television rose significantly in 2008, with an estimated 18 per cent rise in subscriptions, reports In-Stat.

    It suggests the primary reason for this increase was strong growth in the Indian market, which more than doubled to about 9 million subscribers at the end of 2008.

    Mike Paxton, analyst with the high-tech market research firm, said India now has five pay DTH satellite providers with a sixth expected to enter the market early in 2009.

    "Additionally, in the Asia/Pacific region, China is likely to introduce a pay DTH satellite service in 2009 or 2010, which will help sustain strong growth in Asia," he said.

    Recent research by In-Stat found the following:

    • There will be nearly 200 million DTH pay-TV subscribers worldwide by 2012.
    • Worldwide revenues will eclipse USD $142.7 billion by 2011.
    • Eastern Europe had the strongest regional subscriber growth rate in 2008, with an increase of 63.5 per cent over 2007.
    • Subscribers in Russia more than doubled from year-end 2007 to Mid-2008 to nearly 3.8 million.
    • Digital visual interface (DVI) and high-definition multimedia interface (HDMI), are related, high-bandwidth, unidirectional, uncompressed digital interface standards.

  • NXP Chip Brings High-end HDTV Quality Into Mainstream


    NXP has launched a new global single-chip LCD TV platform that it claims will give mid-range TVs an HD viewing experience previously only available on higher end sets.

    Founded by Philips, the semiconductor company believes its new platform will allow manufacturers and content providers to bring a broad range of Internet and digital video content to a significantly wider audience.

    The new NXP TV550 platform combines the manufacturer’s digital TV processing and picture quality technology into one fully integrated single-chip.

    This enables it to deliver a production-ready reference design that speeds manufacturers’ development and dramatically reduces bill-of-materials, according to NXP.

    Christos Lagomichos, executive vice president and general manager of BU Home, NXP Semiconductors, said the new platform would enable manufacturers to offer a range of advanced high definition TV features only previously available in high-end sets.

    Key to this was NXP’s PNX85500 processor and proprietary Motion Accurate Picture Processing (MAPP2) technology.

    The TV550 platform will be available in engineering samples in Q1 2009.

    The NXP TV550 features:

    • DVB-T
    • MPEG4/H.264 decode
    • HDMI reception
    • Decoding of digital SD and HD content
    • advanced programming
    • ethernet
    • CI+ security features to ease the delivery of IP TV content.

  • DisplayPort offers serious challenge to HDMI dominance

    Risk of consumer confusion unlikely to halt advance of DisplayPort


    hdtv.biz-news.com     asked Randy Lawson, senior analyst with iSuppli Corporation, about his new report Hogging the Spotlight: HDMI Growth Continues in Spite of DisplayPort.


    High Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI) has become the dominant interface technology for connecting HD devices, featuring in more than 70 per cent of digital televisions sold worldwide in 2007.

    It is consolidating its domination of DVD players and digital set-top-boxes and is the interface of choice for Blu-ray players, flat-panel HD televisions, video-game consoles and even PCs.

    Randy Lawson, senior analyst, Digital TV Semiconductor and Display Drivers, at iSuppli, has looked at whether HDMI’s commanding position can be maintained and what, if any, challenges it faces.

    He suggests that the main contender as an alternative technology – DisplayPort – offers a credible challenge to HDMI .
    Yet he concludes that while HDMI will lose some market share to its competitor, particularly in desktop and mobile PC platforms, it will continue to dominate in the near term.

    The iSuppli report suggests that both DisplayPort and HDMI will see healthy unit growth in the PC equipment space as more consumers jump on board the convergence bandwagon at home.

    It forecasts global shipments of DisplayPort-enabled equipment will grow to 263.3 million units by 2012, up from zero in 2007.
    Meanwhile, HDMI-enabled equipment will grow to 772.8 million units in 2012, rising at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 32 per cent from 193 million units in 2007.

    Lawson said there was a very real threat of consumer confusion caused by PC manufacturers choosing to incorporate DisplayPort into their products – and he questioned whether the industry really needed another new interface at this point.

    “However, there are, in my opinion, some strong arguments in favour of DisplayPort gaining share in the PC space over the next few years,” he said.

    HDMI to be overtaken by DisplayPort in the desktop and mobile PC market

    While HDMI has been adopted by desktop and mobile PC platforms and presently surpasses DisplayPort in this market, Lawson expects DisplayPort to take over the lead in this market after 2010, as PC OEMs move away from VGA interfaces and adopt HD solutions.

    Lawson said that the DisplayPort interface standard will be the successor to the VGA interface on PC monitors as well as desktop and notebook PCs.

    “Some interface will need to displace VGA’s dominant role and both Intel and AMD have up to three DisplayPort interfaces integrated into upcoming chipsets that would allow for two external DisplayPort ports and one internal/embedded interface,” he said.

    Lawson said that two of the largest PC OEM’s are fully backing DisplayPort – Dell and HP.
    “So they fully intend to expand DisplayPort’s presence in the space and I expect others will follow in time,” he said.

    “Some technical features of DisplayPort, such as scalability of the interface, embedded clock signal, fewer wires compared to HDMI at high bandwidth, packetised data carrying scheme, and high bandwidth auxillary channel, also offer functionality that is more important to PC/notebook applications.


    “DisplayPort adoption will additionally be hampered by costs of initial, first generation silicon, and I think DisplayPort will be very challenged by HDMI in the consumer/multi-function monitor product segment.

    “But in the PC/notebook segment, the scalability of the interface – where higher resolutions are generally always coming out, unlike CE where 1080p is an upper limit for the foreseeable future – the chip integration and the VGA-replacement need, and the backing of Intel, Dell, HP and AMD all argue in favour of a positive outlook for the technology in my opinon.

    “Slow uptake yes, but long term success in the IT segment I believe.”

    He said that DisplayPort’s potential largest market opportunity could be in embedded video/display interfaces, such as LCD panels inside TV’s and notebook PC’s, where legacy designs use older, bulkier, parallel LVDS-type interfaces.”

    He said this is a potentially huge opportunity for the technology, as iSuppli predicts more than 600 million mobile PCs and 550 million LCD-TVs will be shipped during the period of 2008 to 2011.

    Lawson’s arguments for HDMI’s continued growth and success include:

    – HDMI momentum developed over the past 2 to 3 years is staggering. The HDMI.org standard association now lists over 800 licensees, adding over 100 in the past 18 months alone.

    – HDMI has broadened in scope, now being found in portable CE products such as HD-capable camcorders, on video game consoles, and standalone DVR boxes (like a TiVo box). Sony even now has a Digital Photo Frame that has HDMI on it.

    – HDMI’s license fees not being a concern to component manufacturers

    He concluded: “So, within the high definition, consumer electronic product space, I don’t foresee any other standard really challenging HDMI in the near term.”

  • Wireless high definition transmitter removes clutter of cables


    Monster Cable has unveiled a transmitter that wirelessly sends HD video signals from a device such as a Blu-ray player to a high definition TV up to 10m away.
    The transmitter sends the video signal using ultra-wideband, or UWB, technology from Sigma Designs Inc.
    It will also upscale non-HD signals to high-def resolution before displaying on screen. A receiver plugs into a HDMI port on the back of the TV.
    To back up the short-range wireless capability, the boxes can also connect via coaxial cable to reach each other in different rooms, up to 110m away.
    Noel Lee, president of Monster Cable, which is better known for its expensive video and audio cables, said: “We had opportunities with lots of other systems that just didn’t have the quality of service.
    “Sigma is the first partner we found … that has a robust enough technology.”
    The Monster Digital Express HD boxes will be available in the US in October for $299.95 each.
    UWB is just one of several technologies being utilised for wireless HD connections, an area that has presented problems in maintaining a steady flow of wireless data at very high speeds.
    A consortium that includes Sony, Toshiba and Intel is promoting another wireless technology called WirelessHD, with transfer speeds that are even higher than UWB.