If you ’ve shopped for anHDTV , aPlayStation , or anHD - DVDorBlu - rayplayer , you ’ve probably pick up about HDMI . Before we get too far along , you ’re probably wondering , " What does HDMI stand for ? " The answer is " high - definition multimedia interface , " and it ’s one of the many connections ontelevisionsorhome - theaterreceivers .
But HDMI is also more than just a port on the back of yourTV(or a cable to link your gimmick to the screen ) . It ’s a set of rule that revolutionized how mass transmit picture and audio signals , providing a single - cable root for a multitude of consumer electronics .
HDMI Basics
At its core , HDMI is a proprietary audio and video user interface for transmitting uncompressed video and audio streams between compatible twist . It serves as a digital replacing for earlier parallel criterion , such as telecasting graphic array ( VGA ) and component video .
Manufacturers debuted the first HDMI version ( HDMI 1.0)in 2002 . Since then , there have been nearly a twelve revision , including the following primal update :
The HDMI interface consolidates video recording transmission , audio output and other data point into a individual transmission line . This not only simplifies thing but also makes transmitting high - quality audio possible , realize for a higher - quality showing and hearing experience overall .
A radical of electronics manufacturers make the HDMI standard as a set of guidelines for creating mellow - bandwidth connexion between digital twist . With the right setup , HDMI can make a pregnant difference in a home - theater system .
HDMI and 8K
The current standard ( HDMI 2.1 ) can carry up to48 gigabytes per secondand well supports 8 K ( 7,680 x 4,320 pixels ) or 4 K ( 3,840 x 2,160 pixels ) resolution with much higher refresh rates than the original HD ( 1,920 x 1,080 pel ) .
For example , you could watch at 8 K resolution at a refresh charge per unit of 60Hz , or you could watch at 4 K resolution with a refresh rate of 120Hz for your staring balance of watch glass - clear video and A-one - smooth activity .
HDMI can bring down down on the numeral of cables want to link constituent , and it can even quash the number ofremote controlsyou necessitate to follow a movie .
Different Types of HDMI Connectors
HDMI connectors derive in various character to reconcile different devices and usage scenarios . Each type caters to specific gimmick categories , from standard consumer electronics to portable devices .
There are unlike HDMI cable television types that tally to the different types of HDMI connexion . The five elementary HDMI connection eccentric include :
What Do HDMI Cables Do?
HDMI cables support a range of features and potentiality , such as :
You ’ll discover HDMI across a all-embracing spectrum of devices and uses , let in in portable devices like smartphones , tablets and laptops . Here , HDMI porthole make it possible for you to ascertain a picture on an extraneous display .
For lesson , maybe you require to teem a movie on your laptop but watch it on your desktop monitor . To do this , you ’ll need to connect the two with an HDMI cablegram .
Similarly , a received HDMI cable or a high - speed HDMI cable system is now integral to most rest home entertainment organization , connect Blu - ray histrion , streaming gadget , telecasting game consoles and radical - HD TVs .
Outside the household , you ’ll retrieve the utilisation of HDMI in professional audiovisual preferences , supporting video transmittal in commercial displays , projectors and group discussion room frame-up .
Standard Definition: The Precursor to High Definition
HDMI engineering and high - definition television are now ubiquitous , but that was n’t always the case .
Before the growing of HDTVs , most tv display exposure in what people refer to as standard definition . The picture was roughly square , with an aspect proportion of 4:3 . Its resolution , or the number of dots that make up the word picture on the screen , was about 704 x 480 pixels .
In standard definition , each piece of a impress image was really half a photo , but the pictures changed rapidly enough that a human Einstein did n’t really notice . These older television set relied on analog signals , which move as a constantly varying electric stream .
The Rise of High Definition
In contrast to stock - definition TVs , HDTVs are digital . They use entropy in the form of ones and zeros . This information jaunt through cable television service as distinct electrical pulses .
high-definition television have an aspect proportion of 16:9 , so the picture is more rectangular . They have a high resolution as well : Current high-definition television standards let for resolutions of up to 1920 x 1080 pixels .
HDTV signals can also be reformist , meaning that the each frame of the moving image is a whole picture , rather than half of one .
So , compare to standard TVs , HDTVs have a wide-eyed screenland , more pixels and a quicker refresh charge per unit .
Often , HDTV can exhibit more color than older sets . This have in mind that HDTV need more information and need it a lot faster than received - definition TVs do . If an HDTV can receive this information digitally , it also does n’t have to expend prison term or processing power converting the signal from an analog format .
The Future of HDMI
Since its inception , HDMI has undergone several revisions to keep pace with shape up technologies . The HDMI Forum , responsible for for HDMI stipulation developing , continually updates standard to support come forth trends such as 8 K firmness of purpose , high dynamic range ( HDR ) and enhanced play features .
Looking ahead , this case of digital interface is poised to persist the de facto standard for high - quality audiovisual connectivity , assure seamless integration across a myriad of gadget and applications .
As consumer electronics continue to evolve , HDMI will no doubt go forward to conform so that citizenry can stay on to enjoy compatibility among their many devices and systems.
We create this article in co-occurrence with AI engineering , then made sure it was fact - checked and edit by a HowStuffWorks editor .
