Learn About The HDMI 2.1 Specification
HDMI 2.1 is currently the most advanced HDMI AV connectivity specification in widespread use and introduces a number of new features that impact commercial AV applications. This new spec introduces an increased range of higher video resolutions (up to 10K), refresh rates (up to 120Hz), dynamic HDR, and a total bandwidth of up to 48Gbps. Additionally, it defines a new cable type, Ultra High Speed HDMI Cable–an evolution of the Premium High Speed HDMI Cable.
HDMI 2.1 specs support higher spatial resolutions and improved frame rates including 8K 60Hz and 4K 120Hz. These provide for improved display of full-speed motion that is common with sports, action movies, gaming, and virtual reality (VR). Additionally, other resolutions, including 5K and 10K, have been defined for commercial AV, industrial, and specialty uses.
HDMI 2.1 specs leverage dynamic HDR which optimizes displayed video on a scene-by-scene or even a frame-by-frame basis. Dynamic HDR provides an extended contrast range providing darker blacks and brighter whites, along with greater image detail in all color spaces of the image.
HDMI 2.1 specs introduce this new HDMI cable type that is an evolution of the Premium High Speed HDMI Cables. These cables are designed, tested, and certified with the HDMI 2.1 specification and bandwidth requirements in mind. The good news is that this new HDMI cable type is backwards compatible, supporting all previous HDMI specifications.
Learn More About What HDMI 2.1 Delivers
Though it is explicitly stated that the certification program is mandatory for any cable that carries the Ultra High Speed HDMI Cable name, it is not clear that this cable type is a requirement to support all HDMI 2.1 features. It's important to examine the language that is used to describe these cables. It is stated that the Ultra High Speed HDMI Cable is "the only cable that complies with the stringent specifications designed to ensure support for all HDMI 2.1 features". As stated in our HDMI 2.0 specs page, bandwidth and length are inversely proportional to one another. This means that any short HDMI cable is likely to support HDMI 2.1 features. This important caveats here are that, not all HDMI 2.1 features may be supported simultaneously, and length is likely to be very limited for non-Ultra High Speed cable supporting HDMI 2.1 features.In addition to the features listed above, HDMI 2.1 specs introduce other features including:
- Enhanced Audio Return Channel (eARC)
- An evolution of previous Audio Return Channel (ARC), that now provides support for the latest audio formats up to 192kHz, 24-bit, and uncompressed 5.1 and 7.1, and 32-channel uncompressed audio.
- Enhanced gaming and media features
- For smoother and more seamless motion improving gaming, movies and video including:
- Variable Refresh Rate (VRR) — reduces lag and stutter
- Auto Low Latency Mode (ALLM) — automatically selects the ideal latency setting
- Quick Media Switching — eliminates the blank screen before content is displayed
- Quick Frame Transport (QFT) — reduces latency and lag
- For smoother and more seamless motion improving gaming, movies and video including:
HDMI cable that is ideal for computers, game consoles, and displays requiring high bandwidth solutions and video resolutions up to 8K.
Premium HDMI cable that is designed for high-resolution applications, such as broadcasting, gaming, and other businesses that require video resolutions up to 8K.
HDMI High Speed with Ethernet
- Ultra HD 4K x 2K @ 50/60 (2160p)
- Up to 32 Audio Channels
- Deep Color and X.V. Color
- HDMI Ethernet Channel
- 10.2GHz Bandwidth
- Audio Return Channel
- 3D over HDMI
- Expanded Support for Color Spaces
HDMI High Speed
- Ultra HD 4K x 2K @ 50/60 (2160p)
- Up to 32 Audio Channels
- Deep Color and X.V. Color
- 10.2GHz Bandwidth
- Audio Return Channel
- 3D over HDMI
- Expanded Support for Color Spaces
| HDMI Features | 1.0 | 1.1 | 1.2 | 1.3 | 1.4 | 2.0 | 2.1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Full HD Blu-ray Disc and HD DVD video | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Consumer Electronic Control (CEC) | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| DVD-Audio | – | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Super Audio CD (DSD) | – | – | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Auto lip-sync | – | – | – | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Dolby TrueHD / DTS-HD Master Audio bitstream capable | – | – | – | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Updated list of CEC commands | – | – | – | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| 3D video | – | – | – | ✓ | – | ✓ | ✓ |
| Ethernet channel (100Mbps) | – | – | – | ✓ | – | ✓ | ✓ |
| Audio return channel (ARC) | – | – | – | – | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| 4 audio streams | – | – | – | – | – | ✓ | ✓ |
| 2 video streams (Dual View) | – | – | – | – | – | ✓ | ✓ |
| Static HDR | – | – | – | – | – | ✓ | ✓ |
| Dynamic HDR | – | – | – | – | – | – | ✓ |
| Enhanced audio return channel (eARC) | – | – | – | – | – | – | ✓ |
| Variable Refresh Rate (VRR) | – | – | – | – | – | – | ✓ |
| Auto Low Latency Mode (ALLM) | – | – | – | – | – | – | ✓ |
| Quick Media Switching (QMS) | – | – | – | – | – | – | ✓ |
| Quick Frame Transport (QFT) | – | – | – | – | – | – | ✓ |
HDMI Advanced Extension Challenges and Solutions Whitepaper
One of the challenges of AV design is selecting the right solution to extend HDMI connectivity beyond its 15-meter passive connectivity limitation. This "Ghost in the HDMI Machine" whitepaper will dive into one of the most significant challenges of AV design and learn how we can ensure dependable operation of our media solutions.
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