HDMI Tutorial

What is HDMI?

HDMI, High-Definition Multimedia Interface, is the first industry-supported, uncompressed, all-digital audio/video interface. HDMI provides an interface between any audio/video source, such as a set-top box, DVD player, and A/V receiver and an audio and/or video monitor, such as a digital television (DTV).

HDMI supports standard, enhanced, or high-definition video, plus multi-channel digital audio on a single cable. It transmits all ATSC HDTV standards and supports 8-channel digital audio, with bandwidth to spare to accommodate future enhancements and requirements.

Who supports HDMI?

The HDMI Founders include leading consumer electronics manufacturers Hitachi, Matsushita Electric Industrial (Panasonic), Philips, Sony, Thomson (RCA), Toshiba, and Silicon Image. Digital Content Protection, LLC (a subsidiary of Intel) is providing High-bandwidth Digital Content Protection (HDCP) for HDMI. In addition, HDMI has the support of major motion picture producers Fox and Universal, and system operators DirecTV, EchoStar (Dish Network) as well as CableLabs.

How do consumers benefit from HDMI?

The new HDMI digital interconnect provides:

• Superior, uncompressed digital video and audio quality
• Simple, user-friendly connector that replaces the maze of cabling behind the entertainment centre
• Integrated remote control
• A popular interface enabling the transmission of high-definition content. HDMI opens the floodgate of digital content from major motion picture producers

When will the HDMI specification be released?

The HDMI 1.0 specification is available now. CE manufacturers may begin designing products incorporating the HDMI standard-addressing consumer demand for HD programming and for DTVs that display this content.

When will prototypes of HDMI products be available?

HDMI-based prototype devices were first demonstrated at CES in January 2003. The CE industry is currently transitioning from DVI to HDMI connections. Backward- compatible with the DVI 1.0 specification, HDMI enables both multi-channel digital audio and uncompressed video transmission over a single cable and connector, and in combination with HDCP addresses content providers requirement for a secure interface to protect high-quality content from unauthorised redistribution.

What is the life expectancy of HDMI?

HDTV uses less than 1/2 of HDMIs available 5 Gbps bandwidth. With capacity to spare, HDMI can incorporate new technology advancements and capabilities long into the foreseeable future.

Does HDMI provide a secure interface?

HDMI, when used in combination with HDCP, provides a secure audio/video interface that meets the security requirements of content providers and systems operators.

What are the advantages of HDMI over existing analogue interfaces such as composite, S-Video and component video?

• Quality HDMI transfers uncompressed digital audio and video for the highest, crispest image quality.
• All Digital HDMI ensures an all-digital rendering of video without the losses associated with analogue interfaces and their unnecessary digital-to-analog conversions.
• Low-cost HDMI provides the quality and functionality of a digital interface while also supporting uncompressed video formats in a simple, cost-effective manner.
• Audio HDMI supports multiple audio formats, from standard stereo to multi-channel surround-sound.
• Ease-of-use HDMI combines video and multi-channel audio into a single cable, eliminating the cost, complexity, and confusion of multiple cables currently used in A/V systems.
• Intelligence HDMI supports communication between the video source (such as a DVD player) and the DTV, enabling new functionality.

Is HDMI backward-compatible with DVI (Digital Visual Interface)?

Yes, HDMI is fully backward-compatible with DVI using the CEA-861 profile for DTVs. HDMI DTVs will display video received from existing DVI-equipped products, and DVI-equipped TVs will display video from HDMI sources.

Will current HD TVs and set-top boxes using DVI-HDTV be compatible with HDMI devices?

Yes. Currently there are TVs with DVI-HDTV inputs available from a variety of manufacturers. Those devices will be compatible with future HDMI-equipped products.

What types of video does HDMI support?

HDMI has the capacity to support existing high-definition video formats (720p, 1080i, and even 1080p). It also has the flexibility to support enhanced definition formats such as 480p, as well as standard definition formats such as NTSC or PAL.

Does HDMI accommodate long cable lengths?

Yes. HDMI technology has been designed to use standard copper cable construction at long lengths. In order to allow cable manufacturers to improve their products through the use of new technologies, HDMI specifies the required performance of a cable but does not specify a maximum cable length. Cables are expected to be lengths of up to 15 meters. As semiconductor technology improves, even longer stretches can be reached with fibre optic cables, and with active cable technologies such as amplifiers or repeaters