HDMI 1.3 is full of audio and video potential. Be sure to use it all.
March 12th, 2008 by Scot Drew
So, you just bought a new HDTV and a Blu-ray Disc Player, and they don’t play well together over their HDMI connection? What could be the problem? They’re both certified as HDMI 1.3, right? I mean, that’s the same rating, right? Well, not necessarily.
“Huh? What?”
Exactly.
To be certified HDMI 1.3-compatible, a cable/source/display needs to include only one of the following features:
- Deep Color: 10-bit, 12-bit or 16-bit (RGB or YCbCr) color depths, up from 8-bit over previous standards.
- x.v.Color(TM): Removes current color space limitations and enables the display of any color viewable by the human eye.
- New mini connector for small portable devices such as HD camcorders and still cameras.
- Improved Audio/Video synchronization (Lip Sync).
- Support for new HD lossless audio formats: Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio(TM).
- Increased single-link bandwidth to 340 MHz (10.2 Gbps).
This single-spec certification means Company X can make an HDMI 1.3-compatible receiver that includes support for HD lossless audio formats but doesn’t support Deep Color and A/V synchronization. This receiver will be great for a music lover, but might not meet the demands of a dedicated movie buff.
When deciding upon a new HD source (upscaling DVD player, Blu-ray Disc Player, A/V receiver, etc) or when looking at a new HDTV, base your buying decision on the features you want most and not solely on the HDMI version.
Learn more at OneCall’s HDMI FAQ.
March 12th, 2008 at 10:35 am
So my receiver is HDMI 1.3a compatible, but I don’t know about Deep Color and all that. It does handle the high res audio formats from Blu-ray which was my primary reason for picking it up. I’ll guess I’ll need to keep a close eye on new components in the future. Too bad it’s so complicated.