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Transparent Audio engineer says HDMI 1.4 is 'overtaxed,' 'complicated' and confuses customers in to thinking they need to buy new cables.

"The HDMI 1.4 specification adds Ethernet-over-HDMI and a reverse direction audio feed called Audio Return Channel that both require an all new HDMI cable with an extra pair of signal conductors.

"[These requirements] continue to use the same 19-pin HDMI connector as before, [but] consumers will have to buy all new HDMI 1.4 cables and components just to get Ethernet and audio return connectivity through their HDMI cables when they already can get these functions with existing Ethernet and audio cables."

Clark says HDMI 1.4 will do nothing but confuse people into thinking they need to go out and buy new cables when they don't need them, adding that the most frustrating part about the new spec is that it may negatively affect HDMI's primary responsibilities of audio and video signal transmission.

"The decision by HDMI.org to include Ethernet and the audio return channel in the HDMI cable just does not make sense to us since these are secondary functions and inexpensive Ethernet and the audio cables already exist, " Clark points out.

"We are even more concerned that running an Ethernet signal side-by-side with the primary HDMI audio and video signals may actually degrade the resulting picture and sound quality because of signal crosstalk. For these reasons, Transparent is not planning to build HDMI 1.4 cables with the additional signal conductors necessary for Ethernet and Audio Return.

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Version 1.3

HDMI 1.3 was released June 22, 2006 and increased the single-link bandwidth to 340*MHz (10.2*Gbit/s). It optionally supports Deep Color, with 30-bit, 36-bit, and 48-bit xvYCC, sRGB, or YCbCr, compared to 24-bit sRGB or YCbCr in previous HDMI versions. It also optionally supports output of Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio streams for external decoding by AV receivers. It incorporates automatic audio syncing (audio video sync) capability. It defined cable Categories 1 and 2, with Category 1 cable being tested up to 74.25 MHz and Category 2 being tested up to 340 MHz. It also added the new Type C Mini connector for portable devices.

HDMI 1.3a was released on November 10, 2006 and had Cable and Sink modifications for Type C, source termination recommendations, and removed undershoot and maximum rise/fall time limits. It also changed CEC capacitance limits, clarified sRGB video quantization range, and CEC commands for timer control were brought back in an altered form, with audio control commands added. It also added support for optionally streaming SACD in its bitstream DST format rather than uncompressed raw DSD like from HDMI 1.2 onwards.

HDMI 1.3b, 1.3b1 and 1.3c were released on March 26, 2007, November 9, 2007, and August 25, 2008 respectively. They do not introduce differences on HDMI features, functions, or performance, but only describe testing for products based on the HDMI 1.3a specification regarding HDMI compliance (1.3b), the HDMI Type C Mini connector (1.3b1), and active HDMI cables (1.3c).

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Version 1.4

HDMI 1.4 was released on May 28, 2009, and Silicon Image expects their first HDMI 1.4 products to sample in the second half of 2009.

HDMI 1.4 increases the maximum resolution to 4K × 2K (3840×2160p at 24Hz/25Hz/30Hz and 4096×2160p at 24Hz, which is a resolution used with digital theaters); an HDMI Ethernet Channel, which allows for a 100 Mb/s Ethernet connection between the two HDMI connected devices; and introduces an Audio Return Channel, 3D Over HDMI (HDMI 1.3 devices will only support this for 1080i), a new Micro HDMI Connector, expanded support for color spaces, and an Automotive Connection System.

HDMI 1.4 supports several stereoscopic 3D formats including field alternative (interlaced), frame alternative, frame packing (top-bottom full), line alternative, side-by-side half, side-by-side full, 2D + depth, and 2D + depth + graphics + graphics depth, with additional top/bottom formats to be added in version 1.4a . HDMI 1.4 requires that 3D displays support the frame packing 3D formats at either 720p50 and 1080p24 or 720p60 and 1080p24.

High Speed HDMI 1.3 cables can support all HDMI 1.4 features except for the HDMI Ethernet Channel.

World's first HDMI 1.4 cable released by Cablesson on June 22, 2009:

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Do we Need HDMI 1.3 or HDMI 1.4 for Stereoscopic 3D Support

With the first wave of new 3D-ready hardware getting ready to hit us anytime now a lot of people seem to have doubts if they should get to be first in the line or wait until the summer to see how will things work out with more hardware available. One of the major concerns people are currently having is regarding HDMI 1.3 and HDMI 1.4 specifications and should they wait more to get hardware supporting the new specs or go for the first available devices that all seem to have 1.3 hardware. For example the new C7000 line of Samsung 3D-ready HDTVs or the new Blu-ray 3D players from Sony that seem to have HDMI 1.3 support. We know that HDMI 1.3 can be used to transport stereo 3D content, but since there is not standardization for it everyone can have different approach that will offer support for hardware coming from just one brand. In HDMI 1.4 specifications the stereoscopic 3D support has been standardized meaning that all hardware using it should be able to communicate with each other so you will not have to stick just to one brand of hardware producer to ensure compatibility…

This brings me to the case of PlayStation 3 console with HDMI 1.3 that is expected to receive a software update to bring stereoscopic 3D support. We’ve already got confirmation that the software update for the console will add support for the S3D features from HDMI 1.4 specifications as this is possible to be done with just a software update. Of course adding all the new features introduced with 1.4 specifications of HDMI is not possible with just a simple software update, but in the case of stereoscopic 3D support it can be done so that the different brands of 3D-ready TVs should be able to understand that the console is sending them 3D content and display it accordingly. That is of course if these new TV sets use HDMI 1.4 or at least also have their software updated so that the HDMI 1.3 hardware will be able to “understand” the Stereoscopic 3D part of 1.4 specifications. So this brings things back to new 3D-ready hardware being equipped with HDMI 1.3 specifications, which means that these can be using the older specifications hardware, but with software that can accept and interpret S3D content coming from HDMI 1.4 or other updated 1.3 devices. However don’t mistake that all of the new 3D-ready hardware will follow the path that Sony did decide on for the PlayStation 3 console to make it stereo 3D compatible with just a firmware update. It is possible that some hardware producers will stick to normal HDMI 1.3 specifications and use some other sort of processing for the S3D content,something that is still Ok, but will limit general compatibility with other hardware from other brands. So in the end it will not hurt to be extra careful if you want to be one of the earliest adopters of the new line of 3D compatible hardware as this might as well turn out to be quite an expensive experiment for you.

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CES News: Interview with Steve Venuti, the President of HDMI Licensing

Neil Schneider from MTBS3D.com is at CES 2010 and is already providing us with some very interesting information, even before CES 2010 has officially started. In the video above Neil interviews Steve Venuti, the President of HDMI Licensing with the main focus being the Stereoscopic 3D features and use of the new HDMI 1.4 specifications. There is also some very interesting information regarding the PlayStation 3 game console and its upcoming S3D support that should be added later this year with a firmware update. It seems that this software upgrade for the console will allow it to achieve some of the HDMI 1.4 functionality like stereoscopic 3D support, but the console will not have all of the new 1.4 specifications available, because the Ethernet Channel for instance requires not only new software, but also new hardware. Still we now know that Sony will be adding stereoscopic 3D support by software upgrading its HDMI to 1.4, so when buying a new 3D TV for PS3 you should also look for HDMI 1.4 support available on the TV. What is not yet clear however is if the PS3 will be able to provide 1080p stereoscopic 3D support or it will stock to 720p when playing in S3D mode, but we might as well very soon find out if Sony is going to announce more details about that on CES.

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