The HDMI spec is chasing added functionality by consumer electronics and PC makers. Says Steve Venuti, president of HDMI Licensing LLC, "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."
You can expect to see new HDMI 1.4 cables when new HDMI 1.4 devices become available. Here are some of the most notable new features:
• Standard HDMI Cable – supports data rates up to 1080i/60
• High Speed HDMI Cable – supports data rates beyond 1080p, including Deep Color and all 3D formats of the new 1.4 spec
• Standard HDMI Cable with Ethernet
• High Speed HDMI Cable with Ethernet
• Automotive HDMI Cable – to connect external HDMI-enabled devices to an in-vehicle HDMI device
The HDMI 1.4 spec will add a data channel to the HDMI cable to enable high-speed bi-directional communication. Connected devices with this feature can 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 allows HDMI-enabled devices to share content between devices, too.
The new version will add an Audio Return Channel to reduce the number of cables required to deliver audio upstream for processing and playback. In cases where HDTVs are directly receiving AV content, the Audio Return Channel allows the HDTV to send the audio stream to the AV receiver over the HDMI cable (eliminates need for an extra cable).
