Technology continues to change, sometimes at an alarmingly fast pace. It is important to maintain an up-to-date home theater system, so that you are getting the very best home entertainment experience. However, it is also important to realize that not all of the technological leaps that we read about are imminent, or absolute, in terms of upgrade requirements that will cost you further substantial investment.
In this post we take a look at HDMI, which seems to be in a constant state of flux. We obviously can’t cover it completely in one post, but we can give you an overview. For full details, please visit: www.hdmi.org
4k x 2k support
*This spec enables a 1.4 HDMI device to render four times the current video resolution of 1080p. This is most likely a distant benefit however, since the entire entertainment industry has just spent enormous sums changing all of its cameras and production equipment over to 720P or 1080i. It is unlikely that source material or playback monitors will be delivering this level of resolution anytime soon.
Expanded Support For Color Spaces
*1.4 supports color spaces for digital still cameras to enable more accurate color rendering when viewing digital photos. If you are a camera buff this might appeal to you for viewing pictures on your new, HDMI 1.4 compatible TV.
Audio Return Channel
*This specification can reduce one cable that would be required to send an audio signal upstream to an A/V receiver from a TV’s built-in source component such as a digital tuner or DVD player, if it has either component.
3D Over The Internet
*The 1.4 version of HDMI specifies common 3D formats and resolutions to facilitate future 3D gaming and other 3D video applications.
HDMI Ethernet Channel
*Accommodates current and future IP-based networking solutions for consumer electronics, including DLNA, IPTV, LiquidHD, and UPnP.
*Allows multiple connected devices to share an internet connection.
*Enables native-format content distribution between connected devices, including recording and playback across a networked system.
*Provides a one-cable solution for all your home entertainment needs.
HDMI Micro Connector
A new smaller 19-pin HDMI connector for portable devices such as cell phones, etc.
Another important note about HDMI 1.4 to consider is that not every product will have all these features. As the HDMI website points out:
“How will I know which HDMI 1.4 features are implemented in a device? Shop for the specific features that interest you, rather than shopping for an HDMI version number and assuming that a certain feature is supported. Since many of the capabilities detailed in the HDMI 1.4 specification are optional implementations, it’s the responsibility of the manufacturer to tell you what features are supported in any given device.
If you do decide to purchase an early HDMI 1.4 product, keep in mind that you may need to replace all of your current HDMI cables with new ones. You will also need to upgrade all of your electronics and video displays before you can obtain any or all of these new enhancements
