Gearing up for HDMI on the Desktop
by Kristopher Kubicki on January 17, 2005 12:05 AM EST- Posted in
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Significance on Desktop
The first question that should pop into your head right now is why we would need HDMI on the PC when it physically does the job of DVI – particularly considering how few people actually use DVI instead of analog connections! The answer is, again, copy protection. If we take a step back and look at the larger plans for PCs and media devices in general, the obvious trend becomes the PC’s integral role as an entire entertainment system with considerable weight on Media Center, DVDs, etc. For large content providers like Viacom, Starz! and Discovery Channel to get on board with Microsoft’s dream of IP TV, media center “servers” and set top boxes running stripped-down PC hardware, the obvious scrutiny on security comes to mind as well. No major content providers would consider the Media Center vision if they didn’t feel that their content would be secure from piracy on MCE PCs.
The weakest link narrows down to the user’s ability to transcode on demand media on the PC into something more portable, or the user’s ability to digitally rip the signal off the DVI interface! With Intel’s HDCP tied into the HDMI specification so tightly, manufacturers and content providers would be insane not to push HDMI out the door to replace DVI. The additional perks for HDMI are still there: it’s a smaller cable, can run longer distances without issues, and obviously, the integrated ability to transfer audio too. However, when a tier 1 OEM decides to build their next HTPC, they will certainly come under considerable scrutiny to provide a secure platform if they expect backing from the content providers. The fact that HDMI protects video and audio signaling is enough for content providers to lean on PC manufacturers to adopt the standard over DVI.
Audio poses a fairly large problem for PC manufacturers. While it’s easy for an IGP motherboard to include audio and video on the same interface, graphics cards are only designed for video. At first, graphics cards and motherboards that adopt HDMI will probably opt out of utilizing audio over HDMI as most HDMI-ready devices allow analog stereo input (just as DVI does). However, if we think more long term, fusing audio and video on the same output puts ATI and NVIDIA at particular odds with discreet and integrated audio partners. After all, Intel just released their 8 channel digital audio solution, and companies like Creative and VIA have a significant portion of their business riding on the fact that separate inputs are needed for audio and video. Will we see a synergy from graphics and audio manufacturers to consolidate audio and video back down onto the graphics card? Unfortunately, the PC industry doesn’t have an answer for that question just yet.
Where does this leave DVI? For the PC industry, DVI is just getting its feet off the ground in terms of replacing the ancient 15-pin D-sub analog cables that we have all been using on CRT monitors. There isn’t an advantage for the everyday home user to need an HDCP compliant HDMI LCD panel connected to their computer, although with the backing of a player like Microsoft, it won’t be very long before HDMI starts showing up anyway. For the home theater industry, HDMI is already here and quickly gaining a lot of momentum. DVI won’t disappear overnight in the living room, but you can surely bet that the content providers would love to remove its weakest link in digital copy protection in the near future. Not surprisingly, FCC just mandated that all digital cable ready TVs sold after July 2005 must have DVI-HDCP or HDMI-HDCP capability.
All in all, be aware of the new standard, but don’t be too surprised if HDMI starts showing up on next generation IGP motherboards and then, finally, video cards with audio capabilities. HDMI-to-DVI converters will continue to support older TVs and monitors that don’t have HDMI capability if that monitor is HDCP compatible. The smaller form factor is a welcomed addition for laptops and set top HTPCs, and if audio integration takes off, it will be a welcome fix to the clutter behind the computer. If the PC market shows the same momentum for HDMI that the home theater market has, it certainly won’t be too long until we get these questions answered first hand!
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Tujan - Monday, January 17, 2005 - link
The FCC and these proprieties mistake 1. The inaliable nature that 'broadcast in this way is 'illegal search and seizure...and 2.Representatives of 'media, are not representative of 'copyright law, or the authors of wich copyright law represents.A third can be added in wich would only 'mention of fact,but would actually deal with copyright itself. In that 'copyright is something relational to 'authors. It is not a business contract of a questionable 'first sale contract wich these broadcasts do their illegal deed through our premises,without our person to define them being so. Without our person to delegate the relationship of our equipment,or the functionality of person in wich this type of 'contract clause,deals usury within its blackmail of device,and copyright.
The asset of copyright in second of person,is that of wich has its possession.Neither broadcast,nor FCC has this possession.And there is no specification known through copyright wich is tentative,or soon deliberated,wich is of and part of that assumed under copyright for author within its purpose.
Conducting business association through this type of law,is still illegall search and seizure.While this is a physical connection in a specification true.The relationship of author/authors within copyright is the subject of the works copyright portrays solely for author in premise,and criteria. The subject of wich a criteria in media and device,the FCC should not be making itself party to without realizing its effects have resolved both author,and person of use in 'fair-use,of their own relationship to copyrighted materials conductive through them.In either asset (1),or asset(2).Author/person of use respecively.
))))))))))))))))) All comments and materials submitted to the Forums shall be considered non-confidential and the property of Anandtech, unless otherwise agreed in advance in writing by Anandtech. These Forums use moderators and administrators to monitor the content and appearance of messages posted in our Forums. However, considering the realtime nature of this bulletin board, it is impossible for us to monitor or review every message. Therefore, you agree that neither these Forums, nor any person or entity associated with them, will be held responsible for the contents, accuracy, completeness or validity of any information posted in them.< This statement as transposed is inproper english. If the FCC wishes to conduct the same procession w/o the person of its destinguishment in its 'effect. Then a relationship will have to be gained in its statement of effect. Since there is 'no effect,if there is no 'effect in its equivalency.
Statements such as this are a 'null detail,of less importance here at a simple signing of a clause to enter a forum. However,when it comes to a person,this statement is an illegal one.When there is functional detail in an effect denied through its reception.
Whatever Anantech does in its relationship to anantech for example remains its own person to do so. But without participation,a statement cannot be made so that an agreement lacks its person.Therefore cannot be an agreement.
But Im discharging anantech of any responsibility for this agreement.Since certainly without my statement it would not matter anyway.
Jan 16 2005
KristopherKubicki - Monday, January 17, 2005 - link
ShadowVlican: The cable design is mostly intended for inputs sources to a receiver - which just so happens to also have the ability to go to any other devices like a TV, DVD player, Tivo, whatever. It's just a newer idea to replace all of the cables in the back - RCA, S-Video, DVI, component - in one swoop.But then again the DRM things are a different animal on their own. I don't personally enjoy the idea of more DRM, but with so much of the industry behind the technology I have a hard time thinking it wont become universally accepted.
Kristopher
ShadowVlican - Monday, January 17, 2005 - link
oh yea. i agree with everyone that's saying Display devices (CRT, LCD, Plasma, etc) will never be combined with your sound setup... combining those 2 technologies are just plain stupid...how will we get surround sonud if the speakers are stuck to the damn TV.. what's the point of this stoopid new cable other than taking our rights away :@
ShadowVlican - Monday, January 17, 2005 - link
what's wrong with dvi and separate audio connectors... they just want to make more money selling new useless products that actually DON'T benefit us now... i wonder what will happen to all those people who invested in HDTVs...shabby - Monday, January 17, 2005 - link
#31 i'll bet the mpaa/riaa had something to do with that.ksnider - Monday, January 17, 2005 - link
I have a new LCD TV with HDMI input and HDCP support.It also comes with schematics (on CD).
I studied the schematics and was astonished by what I found: the HDMI digital input is terminated at a special purpose chip that deserializes and deframes the data, decrypts the HDCP, and converts the R, G and B to ANALOG!
So on the output of this chip there is a normal RGB (plus sync) signal. This is fed to the switching matrix (where it is combined with all other inputs the TV supports) and then this analog RGB signal is again digitized and fed to the scaler that scales it up or down to drive the LCD panel.
Of course, they do this because the whole point of HDMI is to protect the *signal*, not the picture quality. If the HDMI chip sent a digital signal to the LCD, it wouldn't serve it's purpose. In order to protect the digital signal, it *has* to output analog.
This means, you're actually going to end up with a WORSE picture!
rika13 - Monday, January 17, 2005 - link
dont bitch about it here, bitch about it to your elected officials, dumping about 50,000 letters (yes letters, as in dead trees) on your senator's desk will get his attentionproblem isnt they are taking rights away, its that its being done steathily, and circuit shitty, best lie, and others arent refusing to sell that crap
KristopherKubicki - Monday, January 17, 2005 - link
Noli: I believe all HDMI inputs are HDCP compliant.Kristopher
ProviaFan - Monday, January 17, 2005 - link
Once the CBDTPA passes, you can kiss your "rights" goodbye, because even if you try to exercise them, the RIAA will call the FBI on your rear, and they'll be carting you off to federal pound-me-in-the-@#$ prison for 768 years about 5 minutes after you download illegal free/open source software to make a backup of your new notCD so you can play it in your car.I'm sorry, but I just don't submit to this "you all must give up your rights to control your own equipment because a few people abuse the capabilities of said equipment." Bite me, RIAA! :disgust;
bersl2 - Monday, January 17, 2005 - link
#26: You mean "former current laws."