What is HDMI?

HDMI is the global standard for connecting high-definition Consumer Electronics and PC products. Its the uncompressed, all-digital interface that delivers both dazzling quality and unmatched ease of use. HDMI technology provides the highest possible signal to meet the needs of todays and tomorrows HD entertainment systems. With a single cable, it transmits:

digital video multi-channel surround sound advanced control data

More than 800 manufacturers have adopted the HDMI standard, including some of the worlds most trusted brands. 229 million HDMI-enabled devices shipped in 2008. 300 million are more projected in 2009. Market research from In-Stat projects over a billion HDMI devices in the market by 2010, when every new digital TV will feature at least one HDMI port

HDMI connectivity is already standard on a wide range of products:

HDTVs Blu-ray Disc players multimedia PCs gaming systems digital camcorders, and more.

With HDMI connectivity, you get it all. The convenience of a one-cable solution, plus the power and performance of a high-speed digital link. Now and in the future, its the best way to connect HD.

The HDMI Advantage

When you connect with HDMI technology, youre getting the utmost in simplicity, performance, and system intelligence.

Simplicity

HDMI transmits all types of audio and video through a single digital link, eliminating "cable clutter" by replacing as many as eleven older cables HDMI makes it ultra-easy to install or upgrade to an all-digital home entertainment system. HDMI makes it simple to hook up other devices to your home theater system. PCs, gaming consoles, and video cameras can all be connected with the same one-plug convenience. All HDMI versions are backward-compatible with previous versions. All-digital. No conversion or compression needed Enormous bandwidth capacity up to 10.2 gigabits per second, more than twice the bandwidth needed to transmit a 1080p signal, such as the output from a Blu-ray Disc player. o Better looking movies o Faster gaming o Richer audio Ready for future emerging technologies o Higher resolutions, like 1440p or Quad HD o Faster refresh rates, like 120Hz o Deep Color, taking the HDTV palette from millions to trillions of colors. HDMI is a "smart" two-way connection that allows devices to communicate and interact with each other to dramatically improve your home theater experience. Devices connected with HDMI have the ability to scan each others capabilities and automatically configure certain settings. An HDTV and a DVD player, for instance, can auto-negotiate settings like resolution and aspect ratio to correctly match the format of the incoming content to the highest capabilities of the TV. Consumer Electronics Control (CEC) is another intelligent HDMI feature set that provides for integrated, "one-touch" commands across multiple linked components. When enabled by the manufacturer, CEC allows system-wide behaviors like one-touch play or one-touch record, where pressing a single button on a remote launches a series of coordinated commands.

Performance

Intelligence

Buying Guide
The HDMI specification is an evolving standard, so revisions and improvements are to be expected. But that doesnt mean that newer versions are inherently better than older versions, or that you should always look for the latest HDMI version when youre shopping for equipment.

Backward-Compatibility
Every HDMI version is backward-compatible with previous versions of the specification. Each revision includes the entire feature set of all previous versions, so you can be assured that any new equipment you buy will always deliver the highest level of quality that your existing equipment supports.

Version Numbers
HDMI version numbers are used by manufacturers to identify a set of features. To help you shop for the features you want in a cable, the HDMI licensing authority has created standardized names for certain key features. Here are a few:

Deep Color refers to monitors that can display a greater number of colors than traditional TVs, billions or trillions of colors rather than millions. x.v.Color refers to an expanded, "wider" color gamut that includes colors not traditionally available in TVs. The x.v.Color space incorporates a much larger portion of the visible color spectrum than the older RGB color model. Standard and High Speed refer to two grades of HDMI cable, tested to different performance metrics. A Standard cable can transmit a 1080i signal for 15 meters (49 feet) or more, while a High Speed HDMI cable can transmit a 1080p signal for at least 7.5 meters (25 feet).

Connecting with HDMI

Setting up an HDMI-connected system is easy:

Finding the Right Cable

With the release of the HDMI 1.4 specification, there are now five HDMI cable types to choose from, each designed to meet a particular performance standard. Here is an overview of the HDMI cable types, their capabilities, and how to tell them apart. (more)

Switching between Source Devices

There are two ways to switch between devices such as DVD players, set-top boxes, or gaming consoles: 1. 2. Newer TVs come equipped with two or more HDMI inputs An audio-visual receiver (AVR) with HDMI switching capability can connect your source devices to the AVR inputs, and then link the AVR to the TV with a single HDMI cable.

TIP: If you have too many source devices for the available input ports, you can purchase a stand-alone HDMI switching box.

Connecting your Basic Home Theater

HDMI ports on your equipment are always "female," and the connector plugs on the cables are always "male." Make sure your connectors are firmly in place. The cable needs to be fully engaged to function properly. TIP: If you have trouble firmly connecting for instance in tight spaces or vertical configurations ask your dealer about a swivel adapter or "port saver," a specially designed short HDMI dongle.

Connecting your Advanced Home Theater

Long cable lengths 25 to 100 feet If you need to send a 1080p signal more than 25 feet, or a 1080i signal more than 49 feet, active electronics will help clean up and boost an HDMI signal when its traveling long distances. You can purchase either a stand-alone booster box or an active cable, where the circuitry is embedded in the connectors themselves. In both cases, the connection requires a power source. Long cable lengths 100 feet+ Several specialized technologies have been developed for extremely long cable lengths. Go to "Running Long Cable Lengths" in the Installer section of this site for more information. Running Cable through a wall, attic, or crawlspace A 7/8" drill hole will accommodate most connectors.

Dont tug or manhandle the cable Dont twist the connectors Dont staple directly to studs

An HDMI cable needs to be handled gently to ensure its performance.

What Else Can You Connect Using HDMI?

Many models of PCs gaming consoles, digital cameras (look to see if you have a Mini HDMI connector/adapter cable. If not, ask your dealer) camcorders

Running Long Cable Lengths

Like all HDMI-enabled components, cables must be tested to meet the Compliance Test Standards set by the HDMI Licensing, LLC. Cables must successfully pass a signal of a certain strength (Standard cable must deliver a signal of 17Mhz; High Speed must deliver a signal of 340Mhz) to pass compliance. The HDMI specification does not dictate cable length requirements. Different cables can successfully send HDMI signals various distances, depending on the quality of the design and construction. As well, HDMI compliance testing assumes worst case scenarios testing with components who have minimally performing HDMI electronics. That is why you may see cables in the market that claim to successfully pass an HDMI signal at very long lengths. This may be true using certain quality CE components on each end, but may not work in every case. It is best to test entire systems before installing.

Active Cables & Boosters

Using active electronics to boost and clean up the signal can effectively double the range of a standard twisted-copper HDMI cable. Cable runs of up to 30 meters are the norm for this type of solution, which may be deployed as either a standalone signal management device, i.e., a repeater or booster box, or incorporated into the manufacture of the cable itself. Boxes are available in many configurations, usually incorporating both booster and equalization functions, and may also serve as repeaters or switchers. Active cables, on the other hand, embed the signal-enhancement electronics in

the cable itself, with chips embedded in the connector housings. They are unidirectional, using different modules at the transmit and receive ends of the cable. All the technologies in this category require external power. Beware products that draw power from the +5V power line. Although these may work in certain applications, different components draw varying amount of power from that line to communicate with each other. A cable that draws power from the HDMI cable may fail when components and the active components in the cable or external booster are all drawing from the same source.

HDMI over Cat 5/6

Runs of up to 50 meters can be achieved by sending the HDMI signal over a run of Cat 5/6 networking cable, using special adapters designed for this purpose. As with the active cable solutions discussed above, they incorporate booster and equalization electronics at each end of the path, and require external power. Because of its tighter manufacturing tolerances, Cat 6 cable is generally preferred over Cat 5 in these applications.

HDMI over coax

This technique consists of a transmitter / receiver pair that convert HDMI signals for transmission over RGBHV or RGBS coaxial cables. The benefits of this solution are long reach (up to 300 feet at 1080p resolutions), the ability to easily terminate connections in the field, and an easy upgrade path for existing RGBHV or RGBS coaxial installations in office or commercial installations.

HDMI over Fiber

The longest HDMI cable runs seen to date have been achieved using fiber-optic cable, which is far less susceptible to attenuation and interference than copper. Electrically it is similar to an active cable or Cat 5/6 solution, the principal difference being the higher-quality optical cabling between the transmit and receive connectors. HDMI over fiber is a highly robust solution, effective in cable runs up to 100 meters or more.

Interoperability
While interoperability issues between HDMI-linked devices still create the occasional challenge for the installer, such problems are rare, and getting rarer and are mostly limited to first-generation devices. But the CE industry remains an industry in transition, experiencing a learning curve as their devices become more complex and home theater systems become more interdependent. Designing and installing firmware, for instance, while a routine business for PC developers, is still relatively new in the CE world, and manufacturers still occasionally get it wrong.

EDID Implementation Issues

One key area of interoperability for HDMI-connected devices is the ability to effectively communicate EDID data via the DDC channel. If the sink device (the HDTV or projector) has its EDID ROM coded incorrectly, or if a source or repeater device fails to read it properly, the system will fail in its attempts to auto-negotiate the proper video and audio modes. Symptoms of this problem include incorrect color space and/or the wrong resolution. Some installers take a small, reliable 1080p set along on installation calls to troubleshoot for this if it doesnt look right, the problem is most likely in the source device; if it looks good, the problem is probably in the sink. Regardless of which component is to blame, the issue can probably be resolved with a firmware update from the manufacturer.

HDCP Implementation Issues

The HDCP handshake is critical to components working together properly in an HDMI/HDCP enabled system. Problems tend to arise in two areas of implementation, and nearly always in the source device. First, sources need to support an HDCP function called authenticate forever. In other words, the source must consistently send a signal inquiring if its HDMI input is selected, even while another input is in use. If a source device times out and stops inquiring, an HDCP authentication failure will probably result. Second, source devices need to properly implement the HDCP repeater function if theres going to be a repeater device installed in the system, i.e., an A/V receiver. Otherwise, switching between source devices can result in an HDCP authentication failure. Once again, a firmware upgrade to the source device will probably solve the problem.

Interoperability Issues
The HDMI licensing group is actively working within the industry to educate on these issues and help make product interoperability a top priority for everyone. In the spring of 2007, Digital-CP (the company that licenses HDCP), released a compliance testing specification for HDCP. HDCP testing is now required for all products that undergo HDMI testing. Industry initiatives are also helping to address the problem, such as PlugFest events, where manufacturers come together and self-test their devices for interoperability. There are also outside testing and certification programs, such as the Simplay HD program, that are designed to provide interoperability and performance measurements and help ensure wider interoperability.