HDMI 1.4 Specs Released to the Public

If the above headline leaves you scratching your head, let me explain.

HDMI is a technology standard that allows both audio and video to travel through one cable. If you don't have an HDMI cable and you want to see HDTV, you need to use component cables--those sets of three cables--plus another two for audio. But you can't use component cables to watch true Blu-ray resolution; only an HDMI cable can transmit a 1080p picture from a Blu-ray player to a 1080p-capable display.

The HDMI standard has been continually updated. The problem with the current standard, called HDMI 1.3, is that it does not have the bandwidth capable of transmitting two complete 1080p images at 60 frames per second. But that's what's needed in order for consumers to see Full HD 3D TV. The current standard now in use can only transmit two 1080i images at 60 frames per second.

Which is one of the reasons why the HDMI consortium came up with a new version of the standard which, of course, is called 1.4. The new standard not only supports the transmission of two, 1080p images at 60 frames per second, but it also allows a broadband signal to be transmitted through the same cable, which the previous standard did not.

The new standard is a bit of old news; the HDMI consortium decided on its parameters months ago. What is new is that the specs are now available to anyone who's not a part of the consortium. So now other hardware manufacturers and game developers can start work on their own 3D content and hardware to help move the transition to 3D forward at an even more rapid pace.