White Paper
HDMI and HDCP: Setting new standards in
video-to-display transference
Introduction
Video by nature contains large amounts of information that must
be transferred quickly. This tranference from source to display has
been an engineering challenge since the advent of television.As
computer displays were being introduced, new standards for trans-
ferring video to the display were also developed. Early computer
display standards were not compatible with the television stan-
dards and vice versa. Most modern LCD, plasma, and DLP displays
are more like computer displays than television displays.Because
of the digital nature of the content used in DVD, digital cable and
HDTV, the video transfer (signaling) standard used by televi-
sion/video and the standards used by computers are starting to
converge. This began with the DVI-D standard, which is the basis
for the High-Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI) standard.
HDMI is the latest standard that is being widely used, and it
specifies not only the physical standard (the connector and cable)
but the signals being transferred as well. HDMI carries the same
signals as DVI-D does with the addition of audio and video
control signals. There is also a need for content protection when
transferring video signals, so typically HDCP is incorporated
within the HDMI connector.
High-Bandwidth Digital Content Protection (HDCP) (http://www.
digital-cp.com), developed by Intel, is a system for protecting
content being transferred over DVI and HDMI from being copied.
HDCP is an electronic encryption and authentication system built
into the circuitry of the source and the receiver of video devices.
The HDCP 1.0 specification was released February 2000. Most
consumer electronics products now require HDCP support when
DVI or HDMI inputs or outputs are used.
What could you see with NEC?
HDMI
HDMI was developed by a group of companies that includes
Hitachi, Philips, Matsushita and Sony, as a connection standard
for HDTV and consumer electronics. HDMI is essentially a very
fat pipe that can move massive amounts of digital information
between two sources. HDMI cables have 5Gbps worth of band-
width available. HDTV requires 3Gbps. HDMI also has up to
eight channels of 24-bit high-quality audio, all of which are un-
compressed. This means that there is no signal conversion (from
digital to analog and then back again), and no compression, each
of which can possibly affect video or sound quality. And it is all
done through one cable.
HDMI supports every uncompressed standard as well as enhanced
and high-definition video format including 480I to 480P, 720P,
1080I and 1080P in addition to existing PAL formats. HDMI also
has the bandwidth to support compressed audio formats such as
Dolby Digital, Dolby Digital EX, DTS, DTS EX and uncompressed
formats (PCM audio) up to eight channels, up to 192kHz, up to 24-
bits. HDMI also supports most standard PC monitor formats, such
as VGA, XGA and SXGA—all in a single HDMI cable.
HDMI is based on the same technology as DVI-D Transition
Minimized Differential Signaling (TMDS), so it is fully backwards
compatible with DVI-D. TMDS signal advantages include:
• high speed with high reliability
• it is already a digital signal, requiring less processing of
the signal enabling better image quality
• the bandwidth of the video can be doubled by using a
second link in a single cable, allowing for higher-resolution
PC displays
• less sensitive to electronic device interference, electrical noise,
and external radio frequencies
Since the HDMI standard is based on DVI, the picture quality
on both is similar. HDMI has some advantages over DVI-D,
including:
• Audio capabilities
• HDMI cables can be made longer than DVI/HDMI can extend
up to 15m in length
 39.5m • HDMI connectors are less bulky future HD display devices, such as higher resolutions, deep
m
than DVI–D connectors color and high frame rates
• HDMI connects like a USB device • Deep color. HDMI will support 30-bit, 36-bit and 48-bit color
for PCs, while DVI has thumbscrews depths
on its connector • Greater PC/CE convergence. HDMI will be enhanced for easier
20.9m • HDMI is fully backwards compat- integration into PC graphics controllers. HDMI Founders also
m ible with DVI. All that is needed is a support compatibility between HDMI and the Unified Display
HDMI/DVI adapter, but some func- Interface (UDI), the HDMI-compatible digital video interface
tionality of HDMI, such as auto- for PC displays announced recently by a group of leading PC
matic screen format conversion and technology makers.
HDMI connectors are universal remote control, will be • New mini connector. HDMI will offer a new, smaller form-fac-
smaller than DVI plugs lost. tor connector option
• Lip Sync. Synchronization of video and audio in user devices.
Because it was designed specifically HDMI will incorporate features to enable this synchronization
for consumer electronics applications, HDMI offers additional to be done automatically by the devices with greater accuracy.
consumer enhancements. • New compressed audio formats. HDMI will add increased sup-
port for new compressed digital audio formats Dolby TrueHD
Automatic screen format. Content comes in a variety of sizes, and DTS-HD
resolutions and formats. HDMI systems automatically configure
to display content in the most effective format. Because of its HDCP
digital nature, HDMI also works well with fixed-pixel displays With the advent of DVI (now HDMI) came HDCP, a standard
such as LCD, plasma or DLP screens and projectors. An HDMI “key” encoded into the HDMI/DVI signal to prevent video data
cable allows you to exactly match pixel-by pixel the native resolu- from being pirated. HDCP was strongly endorsed by the enter-
tion of the screen with whatever source device you’ve got con- tainment industry. HDCP is not a strict requirement of the HDMI
nected.HDMI systems will also automatically convert a picture standard, though all HDMI implementations on the market fea-
into its most appropriate format, such as 16:9 or 4:3. ture HDCP. If a source device is HDCP-coded and is connected to
an HDTV display or projector via DVI/HDMI without the proper
16:9 Display w/ no Intelligence
16:9 Display with Intelligence
HDCP decoding mechanism, the picture is relegated to “snow” or,
in some cases, a very low (480P) resolution. In order to see HDTV
with HDCP compliance, both the source and display devices must
be equipped with HDMI/DVI connections that can enable HDCP
using “software key” decoding.
Universal Remote Capability. HDMI also offers universal remote
capability through the new Consumer Electronics Control pro- The encryption is carried out in the HDMI transmitter found in
tocol, providing simple control of an HDMI-linked home theater the “source” (DVD player, set-top box) and decryption is carried
system from a single remote control unit. Since the HDMI connec- out by the HDMI receiver (the HDTV display). The secret keys
tion allows two-way communication between devices, it gives for encryption are exchanged between the source and display
you basic universal remote-like functions. This enables automatic via the cable.
configuration of the home theater system on demand, such as
turning on or off the components necessary to view a DVD, listen In addition to the encryption and decryption functions, HDCP
to a CD or watch cable TV. implements authentication to verify that the receiving device
(such as a display or
HDMI Future television) is licensed
Enhancements Consumer Electronics Control to receive encrypted
According to hdmi. Allows user to control all HDMI devices with TV remote content. Re-authentica-
org, future enhance- - Can control DVD player by pointing remote at the TV tion occurs approxi-
ments to the standard mately every two sec-
Press play on DVD
are planned in order onds to continuously
to keep up with the confirm the security of
Automatically
ever-changing world of turns on TV the DVI or HDMI inter-
And then... Automatically turns on
video. These include: plays DVD A/V receiver face. If, at any time,
• Higher speed. re-authentication does
HDMI will increase Automatically switches not occur, for example
its single-link band- to correct input (from by disconnecting a
Automatically switches to A/V receiver)
width to support the correct input (from DVD player) device and/or connect-
demands required by ing an illegal recording
device, the source device (such as a DVD player or set-top box) HDMI-HDCP ports and approximately 80% of new DTVs shipped
ends transmission of encrypted content. to the U.S. market had DVI/HDMI-HDCP inputs. In 2006, HDMI
Licensing announced that more than 300 makers of consumer
In order to encrypt the electronics and PC
information, HDCP-com- products worldwide
patible units contain a set HDCP Encryption HDCP Encryption have adopted HDMI.
of 40 56-bit keys that make 24-bit RGB or More than 17 mil-
BT.656/601 24-bit RGB or
up the unit’s device private HDMI
HDMI HDMI BT.656/601 lion devices featuring
TRANSMITTER HDMI CABLE
keys. Each set of these MPEG TIMING CHIP
OUT IN HDMI HDMI were shipped
RECEIVER
keys is associated with the DECODER AND AUDIO
CHIP
CHIP TIMING during 2005 and 59
AND AUDIO
device’s key selection vec- million more are ex-
tor (KSV), which is unique pected to ship in 2006,
to that device. Each HDCP- Set-top box or DVD player Digital Television or Monitor
according to market
compatible transmitter and researcher In-Stat.
receiver has a KSV all to
itself.This KSV allows for transmitters and receivers to commu- References
nicate their encryption to one another in order to ensure the valid- HDMI: Gaining Momentum. (Published in March 2005 issue of
ity of their content protection. Only after a two-part encryption CompoTech Asia), Raj Karamchedu, Senior Product Marketing
process takes place will the transmitter begin to send information Manager, Consumer Electronics Products.
to the receiver via its digital output (i.e. DVI or HDMI). If the set
of device keys is found to be invalid or corrupt, the digital picture www.hdmi.org
information will not be sent from the transmitter. This process
takes a fraction of a second to complete. http://www.digital-cp.com

On units that have component, S-video or composite analog ports SGI Digital Visual Interface & TMDS Extensions, WHITE PAPER
in addition to DVI-D or HDMI, all the standard analog ports will October 2004.
still operate with or without HDCP. However, in the future, these
analog ports will only carry low resolution signals not exceed-
ing 480p. If you want to enjoy the superior picture quality of full
HDTV resolution, you must use the digital (DVI or HDMI) signal This white paper was published in and based on information as
ports where HDCP is a key factor. of January 2007. Technical information is subject to change.

All devices in the signal chain must be HDCP-compliant. Even

if the devices on either end of the application are compliant,
all devices in the middle must be as well (repeaters, converters,
switchers, etc.). Fortunately most cables and adapters simply
pass through the HDCP information and hence are not a major
concern. For example, if we are using a DVD player with an
HDCP-encrypted DVI output and sending the signal to a monitor,
the monitor must be equipped with HDCP. If we want to show
this same content on two monitors simultaneously, the DVI dis-
tribution amplifier that we are using must also be equipped with
HDCP. As the application becomes more complex, it becomes
less likely that all the devices will be HDCP-compliant. Remem-
ber – if one device is not HDCP compliant, then no signal is
passed and your screen goes black.

PCs Equipped with HDCP

Currently HDCP is not implemented in the operating systems
and hardware of most personal computers. Part of the feature set
of Microsoft’s upcoming Windows Vista (ne Longhorn) operat-
ing system is support for HD content, either through television
signals, HD or Blu-Ray DVDs, or Internet video. Along with this
support though, is a new set of restrictions designed to ensure the
sanctity of HD content and to protect it from copying.
In 2003, more than 500 consumer electronics devices had DVI/

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