HDMI Forum Announces Version 2.1 OF THE HDMI SPECIFICATION

gene

gene

Audioholics Master Chief
Administrator
HDMI Forum, Inc announced the upcoming release of Version 2.1 of the HDMI specification that supports higher video resolutions and refresh rates including 8K60 and 4K120, Dynamic HDR, and increased bandwidth with a new 48G cable. Backwards compatibility is supported with earlier versions of the HDMI specification. The new spec will be available to all HDMI 2.0 Adopters by Q2 2017. See what other benefits HDMI 2.0 provides by reading on...

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Read: HDMI Forum Announces Version 2.1 of the HDMI Specification
 
BMXTRIX

BMXTRIX

Audioholic Warlord
So, does this include the ability for me to get zone 2 and zone 3 of my receiver to get stereo content to my other rooms while still getting surround sound in my family room? I mean, they have about 120 channels of audio to work with, so surround sound PLUS stereo must be a standard... Right?

How am I going to send this 50 feet to a display in another room?
Did they ditch HDCP on this version... finally?
Do we have 8K BD players coming?
When should we expect sports broadcasts in 8K?
Can I stream 8K on my 8Mb/s connection over Netflix?

*sigh*
 
HookedOnSound

HookedOnSound

Full Audioholic
I think the intent was to better support VR applications.
 
J

John S Smith

Audiophyte
I can not agree with BMXTRIX's valid concerns about the hassles involved in getting HDMI to ship video and sound to a "zone 2". Some processors simply won't feed anything but a video signal out of an HDMI zone 2. Some processors will feed a downmixed stereo audio to zone 2 over HDMI, but if the zone 2 TV is turned on, the main audio feed out of many multi-channel receivers or processors will default to stereo as well. This is assuming that "handshake issues " haven't made having two TVs on simultaneously impossible. Some A/V processor manufacturers recommend a workaround by using "tape out" RCA connections to feed the audio to the second TV, while the video comes in over HDMI. That requires 3 cables, whereas component video and stereo worked perfectly with 5 without issues. I realize that HDMI has some desirable attributes, but as far as simplicity, workability, and compatibility, I don't see it. Chances are, your TV in zone 2 is likely to NOT play any audio fed into it through RCA cables if the input is set to "HDMI" so that it can get a video signal. The world's TV manufacturer's have complied with the provisions of "the analogue sunset", where HDMI is now the only video input without taking into account that their TVs might need a more flexible system of inputs, like allowing HDMI video AND RCA audio to be played at the same time, and the A/V processor designers need to work on this, as currently, systems are getting sold which are better described as A?V systems. I don't think it is unreasonable to expect that I want to show/off/entertain my guests in the living room with my gigabuck umpteen channel A/V system and be able to keep up with the game on the kitchen TV while I'm making some nachos or whatever. I'm a well-heeled and obsessive A/V enthusiast willing and able to go to great lengths to get the audio and visual results that I want, but I don't feel like the people designing HDMI standards or the hardware that uses it are interested in keeping me interested.
 
RichB

RichB

Audioholic Field Marshall
This looks good on paper but I can't help feel that this will generate another round of HDMI hardware change and compatibility problems. The latest round has been:

HDMI 2.0 1.4 for 4K
HDMI 2.0 and HDCP 2.0 for 4K BD
HDMI 2.0a and HDCP 2.0 for HDR10
HDMI 2.0b and HDCP 2.0 for HDR10 and HLG (Hybrid Log Gamma)

This is a massive amount of churn over the last few years. Consumer friendly, they are not.

For those who have not yet experienced UHD, I highly recommend Certified HDMI cables. There are numerous reports of 18Gbs cables that are failing handshakes and displaying "sparklies". Monoprice active 18Gbs don't work, but Monoprice 18Gbs Certified (non-active) cables work perfectly. There are still no certified HDMI cables greater than 20 feet long, some work, some don't. The requirement for long HDMI cables was foreseeable.

Having dealt with ARC, it works but is unreliable and fraught with side-effects when CEC is engaged.

I wish to god, the LG displays had a dedicated HDMI out with blank video. It would eat an AVR input but support DD+ and full audio from TV based apps. WebOs apps are fast and work well so this is more important.

- Rich
 
H

Hondo123

Audiophyte
Hey guys, this is getting a bit out of hand. People are already complaining that 4K is too "photo-realistic", and now we're going to 8K? This is getting to be like the MegaPixel game in cameras - is the sky really the limit?

So this is where I have my heartburn. I can't afford to upgrade my AV receiver and $3K projector every three years as some specifications group comes out with new standards. And all the money I invested in media is going to waste at this point, and the spec groups are forcing the public to go "streaming" to view media instead of pay for home-ownership.

So what's wrong with that you say?

Well, not all the content I'd like to access is available for streaming in one spot, and in some cases, it might not be available at all. (Any of you tried to located a streaming version of the movie "Russian Ark"? How about, "My Dinner with Andre"?). Streaming services are less likely to carry some of the more obscure titles, even though some of these are very special in their own right. And I don't feel the need to sign on to an annual membership unless I'm watching movies every couple of days, so I guess that just locks out multiple titles. Sheeeees, at least when we had Blockbuster Video, you could put in an order for a title and get it if you were willing to wait. But now?

Yeah, yeah, greater color gamuts, smoother action and all that. My human eye and brain can only process so much information, so why continue to push things up the scale. This is nuts.
 
V

Vimal

Audiophyte
I don't know why people are more fascinated about only 8K. :) ( I am not saying it is not the important topic to discuss) But, I think the most interesting part of HDMI 2.1 is eARC, which could change the digital audio signal communication between eARC abled TV and other AVR kind of items. Look, how beautiful it is to connect a USB/STB that plays Dolby Atmos or DTS:X and that is sent to an AVR by HDMI 2.1 eARC. I love that. I will be waiting for TVs with HDMI 2.1 eARC feature and AVR/PrePorcessors. Awesome spec of HDMI 2.1 gr8.
 
RichB

RichB

Audioholic Field Marshall
I don't know why people are more fascinated about only 8K. :) ( I am not saying it is not the important topic to discuss) But, I think the most interesting part of HDMI 2.1 is eARC, which could change the digital audio signal communication between eARC abled TV and other AVR kind of items. Look, how beautiful it is to connect a USB/STB that plays Dolby Atmos or DTS:X and that is sent to an AVR by HDMI 2.1 eARC. I love that. I will be waiting for TVs with HDMI 2.1 eARC feature and AVR/PrePorcessors. Awesome spec of HDMI 2.1 gr8.
eARC sound great, but, it will required a players, new AVRs, and new cables (which no-one knows how to make at this time).

Whereas, TV makers could provide a an HDMI 1.4 out cable for audio only (blank video) the switching that:
  • does not add handshaking complication
  • is easier to automate (remote programing simple selects the input)
  • support all lossey and lossless formats
An input is used and an additional cable must be run, but this would be customer friendly. ARC is sometimes conflated with CEC which is another *feature* which causes lots of support calls.

- Rich
 
V

Vimal

Audiophyte
Gr8 idea Rich. In that case, another cable is a must for audio. And TV manufactures should assure about lossy and lossless audio including object based audio pass through by HDMI 1.4 ( in HDMI 2.1 by default we can get it).
If HDMI 1.4 promise us lossless audio and object based audio even in bit streams, it will definitely replace optical/coaxial SPDIF outputs everywhere.

I agree that eARC will require new everything. But don't we see the market, how quick it jumped DD and DTS to TrueHD an MasterAudio, and all the way to Dolby Atmos and DTS:X. And how quick it moved to HDMI 2.0b from HDMI 1.4. And year by year the change in tech has been very rapid.
If we see 2015 AVRs we had only HDMI 1.4 and No HDCP 2.2 and was no HDR Support. And by 2016, we got HDMI 2.0, 2.0a and even 2.0b version with HDR and HDCP 2.2. One year back so many people bought high end AVRs and Pre Processors that support only Dolby Atmos but not DTS:X at any cost.
But now DTS:X is seen everywhere along with Dolby Atmos.
Now my point is, It won't take much time for market and users to adopt HDMI 2.1 It simplifies the things.
I would want all future TVs and AVRs/PreProcessors and Blu-ray palyers from now on-wards, from the right minute on-wards, provide HDMI 2.1 ports with all its features enabled.

And I agree with you that there were so many problems/ issues about HDMI connectivity and ARC feature.
But I strongly hope all those will be resolved and communication between devices would be so smooth with HDMI 2.1.

The idea of yours is so cool too, to have 'HDMI 1.4 audio only out' just like the way few high end blu-ray players do have. But hello TV Manufacturers - are you listening to real time user opnions ?? :)
 
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