About seven years after the HDMI 2.1 specification was launched, the HDMI Discussion board has introduced the subsequent technology: HDMI 2.2, which would require new cables to benefit from its most high-performance options. It is not going to require a brand new connector, although, fortunately.
Although the HDMI Discussion board is formally calling the brand new specification HDMI 2.2, the accompanying cable can even obtain a brand new identify: Ultra96. All advised, the promoting level of each the Ultra96 cable and HDMI 2.2 specification are the elevated bandwidth, which doubles the HDMI 2.1 bandwidth from 48Gbps to a staggering 96Gbps.
At this level, nevertheless, the HDMI Discussion board is barely speaking conceptually concerning the new specification. Firms who’re a part of the brand new HDMI adopter program will obtain the total specs within the first half of 2025, Discussion board representatives mentioned at CES 2025 in Las Vegas. Nevertheless, the Discussion board is promising a next-gen HDMI Fastened Fee Hyperlink know-how and better resolutions and quicker refresh charges, although the Discussion board isn’t providing specifics. A brand new Latency Indication Protocol is designed to enhance audio-video syncing, particularly in TV purposes the place the sound has to go from the TV to the soundbar or satellite tv for pc audio system.
“Faster 96Gbps bandwidth improves demanding data-intensive, immersive and virtual applications such as AR/VR/MR, spatial reality and light field displays as well as various commercial applications such as large scale digital signage, medical imaging and machine vision,” the Discussion board added.
HDMI Discussion board
Even after the specification is launched, nevertheless, it would take a while for each cables and logic to assist the brand new customary. Keep in mind, HDMI 2.1 helps uncompressed single-display decision of 8K at 60Hz with 8-bit colour depth at 4:2:0 chroma, and the identical cables assist compression at 10K120 decision at 12-bit colour depths. For many customers, HDMI 2.1 is already an excessive amount of. You will have an upgraded cable in case your PC or TV helps the brand new HDMI 2.2 specification and also you wish to take pleasure in its full capabilities.
Alternatively, customers have the selection of utilizing DisplayPort, which was “upgraded” from DisplayPort 2.0 to DisplayPort 2.1 in 2022, tightening the specification for USB 4. In January 2024, DisplayPort added the two.1a specification, whose bandwidth tops out at 80Gbps.
The HDMI Discussion board already supplies a labeling program figuring out cables as “Ultra High Speed,” with an accompanying HTML glyph that buyers can entry with a smartphone digicam to confirm. The Discussion board confirmed an illustration of an “Ultra96 Certified Cable” the place customers can do the identical.
Thus far, neither cable or machine makers have come ahead to assist the brand new customary. Nevertheless it’s nearly an inevitability, someday sooner or later.
