HDMI products to get meaningful labels

The new labels for different versions of HDMI cables.

(Credit: HDMI Licensing)

If you've caught yourself scratching your head trying to figure out what type of HDMI cable to buy, you're probably not alone. With so many versions, it's hard to know which does what. However, very soon, you won't have that trouble anymore.

In an effort to make it easier for customers to identify the right products for their needs, HDMI Licensing released Thursday, on behalf of the HDMI Founders, an updated version of the HDMI Adopted Trademark and Logo Usage Guidelines. HDMI Licensing is the agent responsible for licensing the high-definition multimedia interface specification.

The most notable changes in the guidelines are significant restrictions on the use of version numbers and new marketing requirements for cables. These new requirements are designed to simplify the product selection process for consumers, enabling them to purchase an appropriate product based on features, instead of having to do research on what each version does.

According to the new guidelines, adopters will no longer be allowed to use HDMI specification version numbers in the labeling, packaging, or promotion of their HDMI-compliant products. These restrictions go into effect immediately for cable products. Noncable products, however, have until January 1, 2012, to fully comply.

The new guidelines designate all HDMI cable products into five types:

• Standard HDMI cable
• Standard HDMI cable with Ethernet
• Standard automotive HDMI cable
• High-speed HDMI cable
• High-speed HDMI cable with Ethernet

The latest version of HDMI cables on the market is version 1.3. However, HDMI Licensing has also recently released the Compliance Test Specification forversion 1.4 to adopters. The new version 1.4 of the HDMI standard will include several new features, such as HDMI Ethernet Channel, Audio Return Channel, 3D, 4K, and Content Type.

It's unclear when the 1.4 version standard will be available to the general public, but products that support it are expected to be demonstrated at the 2010 Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. Stay tuned for CNET's coverage in January.

[espeed623]

Eventually, computers and tv's will be powered by and networked by some cable standard. Judging by what you covered in your article, I'm guessing HDMI is trying to be that standard, sans power.

[davidwarren]

What about lightpeak? I think that would have a better shot at being a computer/A/V standard than HDMI+whatever

[kr3bstar]

Fair enough, but this is just an article about HDMI labeling.

[JimPratt3]

Optical has virtually limitless bi-directional bandwidth, and the cabling is also relatively cheap. Funny, most of the Internet backbone and commercial telecommunications runs on it just fine. It's a shame we have to keep inventing new standards and yet more expensive cables and connectors to foist onto the public. The prices on some of these HDMI cables is ludicrous.

[infomaniacnt]

You are right about the ludicrous price of some HDMI cables. However, that price is not due to the cost of the technology, but rather the markup which some manufacturers and retailers apply. Any member of the public with a mailbox and an internet connection can scoff at high cable prices.

[sodablue]

The prices at monoprice.com aren't so bad.

[tektaktyks]

second

[studiodave56]

Everyone should be aware that a $3.00 high speed HDMI cable is exactly the same as the $100.00 name brand cable. It's digital, if it connects it's the same quality as each other. Don't ever buy an HDMI cable over $10.00 for 6 feet. If you do you are getting ripped off.

[Australian_Photographer]

Average markup in Australian retailers is over 300%. Some Belkin silver series cables are marked up 550%.

[mtb3141]

HDMI cables aren't expensive. In fact, I find they're cheaper in general than the older component cables I used to buy. Sure, you can buy overpriced HDMI cables, but you can also find speaker wire that costs $80/foot and rims for your car with six digit price-tags.<br /><br />PS the maximum bandwidth on standard fibre optic connectors such as is used for TOSLink is much much lower than HDMI.

[epross]

The biggest limitation of HDMI is the needlessly high price of cables, the fact that it performs poorly over long runs without boosters or expensively designed cables, and the connector is poorly designed - it's fragile and easily susceptible to being pulled out of its socket (especially heavier gauges) They need to address some of these issues rather than adding new features. But I agree, confusion over specs is rampant.

[hyghwayman]

Dammm 1.4, I'm still using 1.1

[Ed from Texas]

What's the difference supposed to be between "Standard" and "High Speed"? How is that supposed to make things clearer?

[Ed from Texas]

What's the difference supposed to be between "Standard" and "High Speed"? How is that supposed to make things clearer?

[Ed from Texas]

What's the difference supposed to be between "Standard" and "High Speed"? How is that supposed to make things clearer?

[Xiibo]

Well... I bet if you used High Speed, you wouldn't have clicked submit 3 times in a row :-) Just kidding. <br /> <br />I'm sure it has to do with the difference in the amount of information passed between the various formats. The amount of data sent through 1.3 cables is significantly more than the 1.1 cables. Some new TV's and Receivers need to get that information at extrenmely quick rates to keep images stabilized and sound synchronized, as well as other tasks. nobody wants their rear speakers in a home theater to be off by half a second from what the screen is displaying.

[libertyforall1776]

What a COMPLETE and TOTAL MESS! It is MUCH simpler to just use a version number, and that is IT! Uggh! I cannot wait for Light Peak. Maybe DisplayPort will be better in the interim...

[libertyforall1776]

You can get cheap cables at monoprice.com or ebay...

[HDMISystems]

The use of version numbers has lead to a lot of misinformation in the HDMI cable industry. Where ever there is misinformation there is the opportunity for some black hat marketers to rip people off. Makers of cables could quote that they were a certain version but not make them of a quality to support all of the features that a consumer assumed were part of that specification. The use of supported features on labeling will lead to less customer confusion. At HDMI Systems (http://www.hdmisystems.com) we have just implimented the new standards and I think that it has lead to less confusion.<br />Sam Blacket