Next-gen HDMI Turns your TV into an Internet Hub

May 29, 2009 3:31 pm

The
next generation of High-Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI) cables
are going to give your HDTV a boost with a maximum 100Mb-per-second
Internet connection, audio upstream capability and HD images at four
times the resolution of 1080p. Lost amid this week's Bing and Google
hype, was an announcement from HDMI Licensing -- the group responsible
for managing the HDMI specification -- that the next generation of HDMI
cables will provide new functionality, and do away with separate
Ethernet connections for your various devices.
Instead of a having tangled mess of cables behind your TV, the HDTV
itself will act as an Internet hub for all those wired goodies in your
living room. The new specification is called HDMI 1.4, and aims to take
television's Internet connectivity to the next level.

Here's a breakdown of the new features:
HDMI Ethernet Channel


HDMI 1.4 will give High-def televisions a maximum 100Gb/s Internet
connection that can be shared with other devices including Blu-ray
players, gaming consoles and set-top boxes. This means you will be able
to download content for your PlayStation 3 or Xbox 360 through your TVs
Internet connection instead of needing a separate Ethernet cable for
your console.
Audio Return Channel


Devices like Blu-ray players connected to your television will no
longer need a separate cable to deliver audio and video. It will all be
wrapped up in HDMI 1.4.
3D and Super Hi-def support


HDMI 1.4 will support many 3D formats up to 1080p resolution. If you
want to go beyond high-def, the new HDMI also supports 4K x 2K
resolution which is four times sharper than 1080p.
Better Still Image display


Digital photos will look better than ever with HDMI 1.4. The new
specification will be able to display more life-like colors when
connected to your digital camera, HDMI licensing says.
HDMI for your Car


Now
your car can join in the HDMI fun, with HDMI 1.4's Automotive
Connection System. This is a set of standards designed to overcome
car-specific problems like heat distribution, vibration and noise to
deliver HD images to in-vehicle displays.

The downside to HDMI 1.4


The
new HDMI will only work with devices specifically designed for the new
standard. HDMI 1.4 will have a 19-pin connector head that is 50 percent
smaller than current HDMI cables. You also shouldn't expect any devices
based on the new standard to hit store shelves any time soon. HDMI
Licensing is set to release the new specifications to manufacturers
between now and June 30. That means we probably won't be seeing any
1.4-enabled toys until some time in 2010.

While HDMI 1.4
brings us closer to the goal of having one cable to connect all your
devices, I wonder if HDMI cables will be around much longer? The future
is going to be wireless, and we've already seen TVs, gaming consoles
and a variety of other devices with wireless capability. The push for
wireless connectivity is also coming from a range of wireless standards
like Bluetooth 3.0, wireless USB, and Wireless HD. There's been talk of wireless HDMI for years, and LG recently presented what it claimed to be a Wireless HDMI TV
at this year's Consumer Electronics Show. However, that set required a
separate media box to plug your devices into, and then the box would
transmit information to the TV. That's not quite the goal we're looking
for, but it shows that manufacturers are scrambling towards a wire-free
world where even one cable is one too many.

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http://www.pcworld.com/article/165731/nextgen_hdmi_turns_your_tv_into_an_internet_hub.html