HDMI Forum Inc has announced that it will present the specifications of the new connectivity standard HDMI 2.2 on January 6, during the technology fair CES 2025. The non-profit corporation, in charge of defining this standard and made up of the main consumer electronics manufacturers, succeeds HDMI 2.2 to the HDMI 2.1 launched in 2017which had already been left behind compared to the other most used connector to transmit audio and video to screens: Display Port 2.1.
In the statement, without going into details, some new developments are advanced. ‘The new specification, With next-generation HDMI(R) technology and higher bandwidth, it enables a wide range of resolutions and higher refresh rates and will be compatible with a new HDMI cable‘, explains HDMI Forum Inc, thus specifying that users will need a new cableas well as compatible screens and devices, to take advantage of the new features.
What is the HDMI standard
HDMI, acronym in English High Definition Multimedia Interfacecame to the market, in its first version, more than 20 years ago, in 2002. HDMI 1.0 supported a maximum resolution of 1080p either FHD to 60Hz of refreshment, offered a bandwidth of 4.95Gbps, 8 audio channels and HDCPacronym for High Bandwidth Digital Content Protection, to prevent piracy. Its greatest advantage, compared to other connections of the time such as VGA either DVI on computers or RCA on televisions, it was combine image and audio transmission in a single cable.
Over the years, the standard has evolved, improving its capabilities and also its ubiquity. In all probability, Your television, computer, monitor, Blu-ray player or video game console has one or more of these ports.
HDMI 2.1 vs Display Port 2.1
The most recent version of HDMI, 2.1, has a bandwidth of up to 48Gbps and can offer resolutions of 4K at 120Hz and 8K at 60Hz without compressing the signal or 10K at 120Hz with compression DSC.
However, in 2022 another connectivity standard, DisplayPortwas updated to version 2.1, which was significantly ahead of HDMI 2.1. Display Port 2.1 allows bandwidth of up to 80Gbps and resolutions up to 16K (15,360 x 8,640 pixels) a 60Hz with DSC compression or 4K to 240Hz.
The new HDMI will have to at least match the specifications of Display Port 2.1 to remain competitive. In any case, its adoption will require time, both for manufacturers to begin launching products that use it and for users to acquire a new type of cable to take advantage of its full capacity. Old HDMI cables will continue to be supported, but will not take advantage of the capabilities of the new standard.