May 20 Podcast #479: HDMI 1.5 Wish List
When we bought our first devices that supported HDMI way back in 2006 the hot devices could handle the HDMI 1.1 specification. At that time the big deal was an AV receiver that would take next generation audio formats decoded on Blu-ray players and sent to a receiver that could accept PCM audio via HDMI. HDMI is still the only way to get next generation audio into a receiver.
Amazon Prime: Stream movies and save on shipping; you know you love it.
Listen to the show
Today's Show:
Blu-ray Reviews:
News:
- The Free DISH Sling Adapter promotion has been extended to existing customers
- Is Netflix ready to save its first show?
- Netflix, Miramax finally sign streaming deal
- Onkyo Announces the 4K Upscaling, Network Capable TX-NR809 Receiver
- 3M's Uniformity Tape Allows LCD Manufacturers to Reduce Number of LEDs without Sacrificing Display Image Brightness or Quality
Other:
- Please check out "Information Almanac" in the iTunes app store.
- PSN Password Hack and Hashed Passwords
- 3D to 2D Glasses
- Renewal Scorecard: What's Coming Back? What's Getting Axed? What's on the Bubble?
HDMI 1.5 Wish List
When we bought our first devices that supported HDMI way back in 2006 the hot devices could handle the HDMI 1.1 specification. At that time the big deal was an AV receiver that would take next generation audio formats decoded on Blu-ray players and sent to a receiver that could accept PCM audio via HDMI. HDMI is still the only way to get next generation audio into a receiver.
Since then the HDMI specification has been updated more than five times and presently sits at version 1.4a which was released in March of 2010. We won’t go back to the beginning but SOME of the more notable features are:
- HDMI 1.3
- Deep Color Support (Optional) - By the way, we are still waiting on content to support this.
- Support for next generation audio output to receivers (Optional)
- Increased data rate up to 10.2 Gbps
- Defined mini connectors for portable devices
- HDMI 1.3a
- Support for streaming SACD in bitstream DST format rather than uncompressed raw DSD (Optional)
- Minor improvements
- HDMI 1.3b/c
- Define testing for HDMI 1.3a
- HDMI 1.4
- Define maximum resolution to 4K × 2K (3840×2160p at 24 Hz/25 Hz/30 Hz and 4096×2160p at 24 Hz
- Support for Ethernet Channel
- Audio Return Channel
- 3D
- Defined Micro Connector
- HDMI 1.4a
- Defined additional 3D formats not covered in version 1.4
At this time we haven’t seen the HDMI 1.5 spec and actually wonder is there a need for one. Regardless we thought it would be fun to come up with a list of what we thought would be cool features to include. Ara asked for your ideas on Facebook and Twitter (@HDTVPodcast @BradenRussell). There were some good ideas but mostly people are pretty much fed up with the ever changing spec.
Power - This one came up a few times from our listeners. It would make wiring up a system much simpler. Although it may require a redesign in the actual cable. It would take a pretty beefy power supply to handle this though. Our vision would probably see the AVR as the hub for this type of scenario. A satellite or cable box might be able to support an additional device like a TV. It would make wall mounting your flat panel TV a bit easier.
Universal Remote Commands (Jon Christensen via Facebook) - It would be nice to be able to send a mute command to the receiver and then have it send it to the Satellite or Cable Box which would then turn on closed captioning. We know you can do this by programming a macro but other than the HT Guys and their listeners who else does this. Or send a DVD, Blu-ray, or TV commend to the receiver and have the system turn on only the devices for that activity. We know this is possible via programming your remote or if you buy equipment from one manufacturer. We’d like to see this as a standard that would work regardless of manufacturer with auto discovery.
Integration with Home Automation (Lee Overstreet via Facebook) - This ties in with the Universal Remote Commands. We envision a device that would plug into the HDMI hub or as part of a daisy chain that bridges between your home automation and home theater. Ne need to run RS-232 lines anymore. The benefit to manufacturers is that they don’t have to support all the home automation systems any more. Just support one standard and everyone can play!
Reader Comments (5)
You really need to check out HDBaseT then. HD-level video, 100W Power, Audio, Command & Control signals, all over CAT5/CAT6 cable and uses a plug (RJ-45) that doesn't pull out at a mouse's sneeze like HDMI.
So happy to hear Braden say that he watches NBC's "Community". I absolutely love that show, but sadly, like most NBC shows, it doesn't get very high ratings :(
Ara, you definitely need to catch up on Community. The first season starts out a little bit slow, but once the show finds its groove of essentially being a parody show, it takes off and quickly becomes one of the three best comedies on TV right now!
You already know one of those other "three best": CBS' "The Big Bang Theory". The third in the group is another oft-overlooked show: NBC's "Parks & Recreation". The first season of Parks & Rec wasn't that strong, and sadly, I think it set a low bar for a lot of viewers who might not have come back for the unbelievably improved 2nd and 3rd seasons! Parks & Rec's two-part finale literally gave me the biggest out-loud laugh of this entire television season! Who'd have thought that the simple act of a man (Ron Swanson) swivelling in an office chair could make me laugh so hard and for so long that I literally had tears in my eyes and could barely catch my breath. It is truly a scene that you have to see for yourself, but in order for the laugh to hit as hard as it hit me, you have to know the character Ron Swanson, so it is truly worthwhile to go back and catch up on this excellent show from the beginning!
Who would have thought? Two of the best comedies are on the 4th place Network and the best dramas are on a little channel called AMC!
By the way, the hands-down best drama on television comes back in July on AMC. I am, of course, talking about "Breaking Bad"!
Ara, Braden, I've been hyping "Breaking Bad" to both of you for too long now. It's time for you both to get on board and see what you've been missing!
Watching it again, I've realized that the Ron Swanson swivel bit requires the set up beforehand in order to produce the biggest laugh. Thankfully, both the setup and payoff are on YouTube.
I give you...
hilarity...
The setup: http://youtu.be/D9iDstmBxYQ
The punchline: http://youtu.be/Hyc1aMtnHJo
Enjoy :D
I wanted to add to the HDMI 1.5 wishlist:
1) Somehow get the public to STOP thinking that the spec number means anything! It doesn't! You can have an HDMI 1.4 spec chip in a device that does NOT support 3D or HD Audio or Deep Color or any other feature. The spec number does not indicate a feature set! This fact needs to get hammered home. All too often, people see "HDMI 1.3" and they figure that means the device must support HD Audio. Well that ain't true! Maybe it supports HD Audio pass-through only. Or maybe it doesn't support HD Audio at all!
So stop with the spec numbers. They were only ever meant to be an internal way of keeping track and were never supposed to be out there for the public to see...and misunderstand. The public should ONLY be looking at features. If you want 3D, HD Audio and Deep Color support, then look for those features on the box or in the manual. The HDMI spec number won't tell you anything!
2) Internally, what the spec number is supposed to indicate are features that CAN be supported, but more importantly, testing standards for those OPTIONAL features. The whole move from HDMI 1.4 to HDMI 1.4a came from there being enough industry pressure that the HDMI LLC came up with several standards for 3D transmission, which they would test for support under the new HDMI 1.4a spec.
So with that in mind, I think what HDMI 1.5 needs to address are higher framerates for 3D transmission. Right now, 3D transmission is only supported at 1080p/24 stacked, 1080i side-by-side or 720p top-bottom. There is no standard support for a true 60fps 3D transmission.
I heard a really interesting interview on the EngadgetHD podcast. The discussion centered on new 3D internet content that can be transmitted at up to 720p resolution with true 60fps framerate for each eye. The difference in clarity for fast-moving scenes is supposedly remarkable. Today's 1080p/24 3D looks fine so long as things aren't moving, but when motion comes into play, the low 24fps for each eye framerate introduces motion blur on top of the 3D effect, which makes it tough to watch! Things get even worse when the signal is interlaced for 3D HDTV broadcast.
So a new HDMI spec needs to address the need for higher supported framerates for 3D. If we could get true 1080p images to each eye at 60fps rather than 24, we'd be able to enjoy fast-moving scenes in 3D without all the blurriness that currently goes hand-in-hand with 3D.
I was disappointed to hear that V has been canceled. The second series was quite good. This along with Stargate universe being canned as well SciFi in the US is looking like an endangered species. Thank goodness that Fringe has been renewed and Doctor Who from across the didtch. The Event didn't surprise me that it was canceled..