We
already heard that HDMI 1.4 was just around the bend, and now HDMI Licensing has come forward with all of the official details surrounding the specification. Unfortunately for AV enthusiasts, it seems as if we're taking
two steps forward and three back, and we get this sinking feeling that HDMI 1.5 will be here before we know it. At any rate, the main additions to the format are an Ethernet channel, audio return channel, 3D over HDMI, 4K x 2K resolution support, a micro HDMI connector (around half the size of the existing HDMI Mini plug) and an automotive connection system. All fine and good, right? Sure, until you get to the part about having to choose between
five different HDMI 1.4 cables, something that the
suits at Monster just
had to have a hand in. For a detailed look at what you'll need to study up on before buying your next HDMI cable, clinch your fists and hit the read link.
posted May 28th 2009 11:21AM
The 5 different types of cables is maddening,
And still no robust locking connector. F-U.
It's my standard gripe, but here we go.
Do they even pretend to care about the consumer anymore? New plugs?
I love gadgets. I love them all. But the RCA cable has been around for at least 60 years in an essentially unchanged form. Surely it's time to just bite the bullet and design a fiber optic spec that will be the be-all and end-all for the next 40 years or so. I'd be happy to pay a premium if it meant that I wouldn't have obsolescent cables within a year of purchase.
I was looking forward to buying a new receiver this year- since the bluray player requires it- but now I've got to wait for this. I'm sure there will be a new audio format for video too that means I'll have to buy the more expensive receiver...
Unbelievable.
Come on.. The whole idea was to simplify things. Who is more confused now? Are they just mad cause people realize that they can get the same thing from a 6 dollar cable as they get from the 80 dollar monster cables.. This is retarded. Whats gunna happen is a lot of confusion. Till someone just lets everyone know that cable 3 or was it 4 is all you need for everything.
A bunch of things we didn't ask for, and none of the things we did.
Thanks a bunch.
I'm not worried. People who are blowing up about this 5 different choices thing are overreacting. Most of the five different choices are a quality assurance standard and it'll most likely end up that the vendors that everyone uses will end up stocking one of the types of cable.
And will be $5 for the highest end cable from monoprice, or $100 from the "low" end Monster cable or $200 for that same $5 monoprice cable :).
Ethernet is good. I would have also liked usb over hdmi. Then again, I think I would actually rather have wifi and bluetooth built into the tv instead, but a certain amount of data communication over the hdmi could still be handy just for communication between the tv and reciever.
Now, with these new low power led HDTV's, I'm wondering if hdmi 1.5 will add power. Just a single cable to the tv would be cool.
I have a better idea: how about we shitcan ethernet over hdmi and just make hdmi work over ethernet and use cat5/6 and be done.
Info: http://www.broadcom.com/products/technology/broadsync_faq.php
Still trying to figure out how 100's of channels of HDTV video and audio can make it 22,000 miles out into space and back ... completely without wires ... get gathered in by my 18" dish and then make it -- just fine, thank you -- through a couple hundred feet of cheap coaxial cable to my Satellite tuner box ... where a tiny fraction of the original bandwidth is extracted (just one program) and prepared for the perilous journey all the way to ....
... all three feet, that is ...
... to my TV.
And only the last three feet require a cable that Monster says should cost at LEAST $100??
How the hell did the signal get there to begin with??
Well Monster Cable is a rip-off...every educated person knows that. $0.80 out of that $100 goes to the actual cable. The rest goes to packaging, advertising, sueing every company in sight, amazing distribution (I will give honest props to Monster Cable on this front) and strong-arming retailers.
As for how the signal goes up in space, back down to your little dish and through the coaxial cable to your set-top-box, the answer is: compression. Between the STB and your display though, the signal is uncompressed and uses a remarkably large amount of bandwidth. That short distance, uncompressed signal also has no error correction, unlike the compressed, packet-based signal.
Follow Trent's link.... there is hope in AV Bridging. I'm tired of buying cables that go obsolete less than a year later. And like most, i'll wait to get my next receiver. Heck, I'll probably wait a couple of gens before I pick up my next digital source/player.