HDMI Forum Announces Version 2.1 Of The HDMI Specification

[gadgtfreek]

http://www.prnewswire.com/news-rele...n-21-of-the-hdmi-specification-300384117.html

LAS VEGAS, Jan. 4, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- HDMI Forum, Inc. today announced the upcoming release of Version 2.1 of the HDMI Specification. This latest HDMI Specification supports a range of Higher Video Resolutions and refresh rates including 8K60 and 4K120, Dynamic HDR, and increased bandwidth with a new 48G cable. Version 2.1 of the HDMI Specification is backward compatible with earlier versions of the Specification, and was developed by the HDMI Forum's Technical Working Group whose members represent some of the world's leading manufacturers of consumer electronics, personal computers, mobile devices, cables and components.

"This new release of the Specification offers a broad range of advanced features for enhancing the consumer entertainment experience, as well as providing robust solutions to the commercial AV sector," said Robert Blanchard of Sony Electronics, president of the HDMI Forum. "This is part of the HDMI Forum's continuing mission to develop specifications for the HDMI eco-system that meet the growing demand for compelling, high-performance and exciting features."

HDMI Specification 2.1 Features Include:

• Higher Video Resolutions support a range of higher resolutions and faster refresh rates including 8K60Hz and 4K120Hz for immersive viewing and smooth fast-action detail.
• Dynamic HDR ensures every moment of a video is displayed at its ideal values for depth, detail, brightness, contrast, and wider color gamuts—on a scene-by-scene or even a frame-by-frame basis.
• 48G cables enable up to 48Gbps bandwidth for uncompressed HDMI 2.1 feature support including 8K video with HDR. The cable is backwards compatible with earlier versions of the HDMI Specification and can be used with existing HDMI devices.
• eARC supports the most advanced audio formats such as object-based audio, and enables advanced audio signal control capabilities including device auto-detect.
• Game Mode VRR features variable refresh rate, which enables a 3D graphics processor to display the image at the moment it is rendered for more fluid and better detailed gameplay, and for reducing or eliminating lag, stutter, and frame tearing.

The new specification will be available to all HDMI 2.0 Adopters and they will be notified when it is released early in Q2 2017.

 

[navychop]

"...Continuing mission to extract ever more...."

 

[gadgtfreek]

Yep. if I get my wish this year, it will be a 2017 OLED that does DV and HDR10, Ill worry about 2.1, dynamic HDR, etc... in a few more years. I dropped a lot of money on my preamp that is 2.0a, wont be upgrading that for awhile.

 

[tigerfan33]

UHD blu ray should of jumped on display port when they had the chance.


Sent from my iPhone using the SatelliteGuys app!

 

[harshness]

They seem to be claiming more than a few things for which there is no underlying standards support. Kind of like saying Wheaties (or weed) supports Michael Phelps class swimming.

 

[Ilya]

The bandwidth is now increased from 18Gbps to 48Gbps!
New cables will be needed to fully support it.

 

[TheForce]

Yep. if I get my wish this year, it will be a 2017 OLED that does DV and HDR10, Ill worry about 2.1, dynamic HDR, etc... in a few more years. I dropped a lot of money on my preamp that is 2.0a, wont be upgrading that for awhile.

Did you see this?

The new specification will be available to all HDMI 2.0 Adopters and they will be notified when it is released early in Q2 2017.

Does that mean it will be firmware upgradable?

 

[navychop]

I read it to mean manufacturers.

 

[Ilya]

Supported resolutions and frame rates:

• 4K50/60
• 4K100/120
• 5K50/60
• 5K100/120
• 8K50/60
• 8K100/120
• 10K50/60
• 10K100/120

HDMI 2.1 Specification supports the latest color spaces including BT.2020 with 10, 12, and 16 bits per color component.

Q: Will 8K@60 or 4K@120 require a new cable or cable connector?

A: Yes a new cable is required

 

[gadgtfreek]

Not IMO, it means the HW guys will have the data how to build it into new HW and show you what you need to buy at the next CES.

 

[Ilya]

I read it to mean manufacturers.

That's how I read it too. I doubt it will be a firmware upgrade. The much higher bandwidth will likely require new chips.

 

[TheForce]

That's how I read it too. I doubt it will be a firmware upgrade. The much higher bandwidth will likely require new chips.

That's what I think too but for the HDMI pass through, it may work. Obviously a TV or Projector and a player will need processing power to handle the new bandwidth. Two years ago at CES I saw the hardware for 8K 60 and it was big.

IMHO, this stuff is getting far ahead of the market. 3D 2K never really got off the ground. 4K is still trying to find it's market. Introducing a bigger carrot at the end of a long long stick may convince buyers of 4K to wait. Haven't we heard that excuse before?

 

[klang]

Wheeeeeee

Time to buy all new equipment.

 

[Ilya]

IMHO, this stuff is getting far ahead of the market.

Perhaps not too far ahead. Next Avatar is supposed to be in 4K120. That's already beyond the HDMI 2.0 specs...

 

[navychop]

I still find it odd that UHD might actually make 3D more palatable, yet now is when they drop it.

 

[TheForce]

I still find it odd that UHD might actually make 3D more palatable, yet now is when they drop it.

Sony solved the 4K 3D issue with it's Realty Creation upscaler that really looks great. There is no ghosting and the color is quite brilliant. 3D textures in the fabrics and other fine detailed textures can only be realized on a screen that is about 100" or greater. Unfortunately, HDR is not realized on these large screen projected images as they don't have the brightness range. HDR is better for the OLED screens. There is no perfect one system does all yet.

 

[Pepper]

Yes, passive 3D on a 4K screen is literally twice as good, as measured by my own eyes.

 

[Poke]

Yeah good thing is that it's backward compatible and the newer cable should not be too much which will always depend on the lenght. That's another thing I like about my Samsung 4K TV the One Connect makes it where you don't always need real long cables.

 

[harshness]

New cables will be needed to fully support it.

Yet another key reason that HDMI needs to be put to rest. First they tell us that the old cables are good enough for HDMI 2.0 and then they come out less than a year later and tell us they won't be good enough for HDMI 2.1.

 

[harshness]

That's another thing I like about my Samsung 4K TV the One Connect makes it where you don't always need real long cables.

You can buy some pretty nice cabling (or maybe even go wireless) for the $400 cost of a OneConnect unit and its cable that gets more than a few gripes about how it isn't long enough and cannot be easily extended.