A Technical Overview

Byron Buie for, Telonix Communications Inc.

 Introduction
• HDMI (High Definition Multimedia Interface) What is it ?

• HDMI v1.3 vs. existing technologies such as Component,

S video and DVI.

• Active devices that are available to facilitate and distribute

HDMI.

• Introduction to HDCP (High-bandwidth Digital Content Protection).

• Opportunities for HDMI

 What is HDMI ?
• HDMI is the first & only industry supported, uncompressed, all-digital
audio/video interface.
• HDMI provides an interface between any A/V source, such as a set-
top box, DVD player, or A/V receiver and an audio and/or video
monitor, such as a digital television (DTV), over a single cable.
• HDMI supports standard, enhanced, or high-definition video, plus
multi-channel digital audio on a single cable.
• Transmits all ATSC HDTV standards and supports 8-channel,
192kHz, uncompressed digital audio, all currently-available
compressed formats & lossless digital audio formats with bandwidth
to spare to accommodate future enhancements and requirements
• HDMI acts like Cat5, it passes a data signal not an RF signal like
CATV.
Typical HDMI Cables
Typical Component Set-Up
Typical HDMI Set-Up
 HDMI over existing analog interfaces
• Because HDMI is a digital interface, it provides the best
quality of the video since there are no lossy analog to
digital conversions as are required for all analog
connections (such as component or S-Video).

• Digital video will be sharper than component, and

eliminates the softness and ghosting found with
component. Small, high contrast details such as text
bring this difference out the most.

• Single cable for both video and audio is the most

effective format !

• HDMI devices supporting HDCP have the comfort of

knowing they will have access to premium HD content
now and in the future.
 DVI Versus HDMI

HDMI DVI HDMI DVI

Connector Connector Connector Connector

DVI is HDMI without the audio – Separate cable needed for audio !
 HDMI over DVI
• HDMI is DVI with the addition of:
- Audio (up to 8-channels uncompressed)
- Smaller Connector
- Support for YUV Color Space
- CEC (Consumer Electronics Control)
- CEA-861B Info Frames

• HDMI is fully backward compatible with DVI compliant

devices. HDMI DTVs will display video received from
existing DVI-equipped products, and DVI-equipped TVs
& will display video from HDMI sources. Make sure your
DVI device supports HDCP.
The HDMI Cable
 The Cable
• TMDS - Transition Minimized Differential
Signaling
– refers to the high speed signal data, audio and video are multiplexed,
eliminating the need for audio channels

• DDC - Display Data Channel

– is a digital connection between a display and a graphics adapter that
allows the display to communicate its specifications to the adapter
– serial data intelligence
– supply channel, provides power to DDC whether on/off
– simply put plug and play

• CEC- Consumer Electronics Control

– industry standard protocol, is used for remote control functions,
universal remote
HDMI Signal Configuration
HDMI v1.3 What does it deliver?
• Bandwidth more than doubled from 165 MHz
(4.95 Gbps) to 340 MHz (10.2 Gbps) to support
Higher Resolution, Faster Refresh, and Deep
Color.

• HDMI is a conduit or pipe that moves data.

• With more bandwidth we have more room for

more goodies today and in the future.

• Backward compatible with legacy versions.

Increased Bandwidth
HDMI 1.0/1.2 Versus 1.3
Greater Bandwidth for Deep Color
In the Future

• Current world: limited to 24

bits/ pixel color - 16 million
colors
• Deep Color allows 24, 30, 36
and 48 bits/pixel color depth
Billions of colors
• Eliminates artifacts that appear
as bands or contours
• Increases contrast ratios for
sharper images & greater
detail
• More accurately represents
original material
 Deep Color
• Deep Color increases the number of bits
available for transmission for each channel.

• So, for example, a TV that accepts the 24 or 12-

bit form can mix together any one of 4,096
shades (levels of brightness) of each primary
color for 68.7 billion possible colors.

4,096 red x 4,096 green x 4,096 blue =

68,719,476,736 colors!!
xvYCC Extended Color Gamut for Realistic and Natural Color

• xvYCC is the next generation

HD color.

Space standard − IEC

619966-2-4 vs. older ITU
BT.709-5.

• Takes full advantage of color

rendering capabilities of
modern digital displays vs.
older CRT technology.

• Simply, it allows for more

room around the current RGB
cube.
 HDMI Problems - Cable Equalization
• Cables are just a big filter.

• Receivers can compensate for that filter by applying an equal but

opposite filter.

• Different lengths change slope of attenuation – receiver can target

particular cable lengths.

• HDMI 1.3 measures Cat2 cable

output after applying an ideal
“Reference Cable Equalizer”

• HDMI 1.3 measures receiver

performance against this
same spec.
 HDMI Problems - Termination

• In a serial transmission line changes in impedance are bad and can

cause reflections back to the source signal. (RL problems).

• Connectors frequently have impedance mismatches and cause

some reflection and will affect the signal quality.
HDMI Problems - Termination
 HDMI Problems - Bit Transition Analysis
• Masks help highlight digital data
waves.

• Good symmetry going around the

mask and keeping clear spacing
between the signal and mask are
necessary for a signal integrity.

• Touching the mask or “kissing the

dirt” is where bit errors will occur
and cause sporadic “sparkles” on
the screen.

• HDMI cables with good masking

have a greater mask margin.
 Other HDMI Problems Areas
• Manufacturing, non-approved HDMI cables can
produce poor results

• Poor installation, long cable runs, improper

active devices, lack of knowledge

• Conglomerations of circuit boards, twisted

cables, interconnects, connectors, and electronic
components can create a maze of signal loss
(High-bandwidth Digital Content Protection)
 What is HDCP?
• High-bandwidth Digital Content Protection
encrypts data over HDMI.

• HDCP helps bring high-definition digital content

to consumers by providing copy protection over
HDMI
 History of HDCP
• Developed by Intel Corporation to prevent
copying of digital audio and video content
as it travels across HDMI, DVI etc.

• Supported by the majority of CE

manufacturers, government and content
providers

• Emphasizes that HDMI is a smart cable

How it works
 Handshaking
• Handshaking is making sure that all of your HDMI devices can
recognize each other

• Source: The source sends the content to be displayed. Examples

include set-top boxes, DVD and Blu-Ray players, and computer
video cards. A source has only an HDCP/HDMI transmitter.

• Sink: The sink renders the content for display so it can be viewed.
Examples include TVs and digital projectors. A sink has one or more
HDCP/HDMI receiver.

• Repeater: A repeater accepts content, decrypts it, then re-encrypts

and retransmits the data. It may perform some signal processing,
such as upconverting video into a higher-resolution format, or
splitting out the audio portion of the signal. Repeaters have both
HDMI inputs and outputs an example would be a AV receiver
 Good and Bad
• HDCP along with HDMI protects content.

• Handshaking can be a problem with setting up an AV

install.

• Installer or consumer needs to ensure that their devices

are HDCP enabled.

• DVD players, DVI HDTV present problems.

• Screen and source will want to get the highest resolution,

will downgrade if screen cannot accommodate, older
TVs primarily.
 HDCP/HDMI Problems
• Cable flexibility, this helps, avoid 90 degree kinks, you
may degrade data transfer.

• Better results with broad turns if possible.

• If you can use exact cable lengths.

• Too much wire, sloppy wire management and low quality

products will degrade the install..

• Everything you add to the system will affect the margin

of headroom.
Problems DDC Failure (Display Data Channel
• DDC failure comes from accumulation of capacitance from all parts that
make up the system.

• Failures such as no audio, picture, pink screen or flashing.

• If the DDC line has larger rise time issues it will not pass HDCP

• There are conditioners available to help raise the allowable capacitance

 Going the Distance
• Currently the answer is to have an equalizer.

• Cables of long lengths have equalizers in them, easy solution, cable

life is shortened.

• Equalizers can be fixed, adjustable and adaptive.

• Cat5 extenders, allow for meters of added distance using Cat5 cable,
but requires a transmitter and receiver.
 Troubleshooting
• Be Pro-active, use products you are familiar with that have
consistently worked in the past.

• Use quality products, do research & check specifications.

• If available look at mask margin percentage, skew timing, and DDC

rise time numbers.

• Check for a flexible and well made cable, the signals may be the
same but the components may not & look for cable bends.

• Look for a strong outer mould connector, metal or plastic.

• DDC can cause issues, HDCP and capacitance.

 HDMI Opportunities
• HDMI is growing with the advancement of high
definition programming and DVDs.

• Video Games and PC are also integrating HDMI

for optimization of their products.

• Commercially companies are choosing HDMI,

sports and entertainment, video displays,
airports, restaurants the list goes on.
 Commercial
• Increased revenue streams.

• Refurbishment projects of commercial buildings

i.e.. offices, airport terminals, restaurants.

• Less set top boxes due to extenders and HDMI

active devices.

• Perfect for new builds using cat5e cable to

extend your HDMI signal.
What can we do with HDMI Product

• Split it

• Switch it

• Extend it

• Repeaters
 For the Home
• Currently end users are eating up bandwidth for multiple reasons.

• Customers want maximum bandwidth for HDTV, internet and

gaming.

• Fiber to the home will put increased demand for high end HD
content.

• Help the customer before he/she has to go out and find their own
solution, they will call you first.

• Your first on site why give the business to someone else.

• The end user gets what they paid for.

Typical HDMI Set Up
 Thank you
For more information please visit www.hdmi.org

Byron Buie for: Richard Hazell

TELONIX Communications President
15-305 Industrial Parkway South Titan HDTV Accessories Corp.
Aurora, Ontario 13511 Crestwood Place, Suite 10
L4G 6X7 Richmond British Columbia
Canada V6V 2G1
Canada
USB Connections
USB was designed in 1993 by a cooperative of several companies including Intel, Compaq, Digital, Microsoft and NEC. With a maximum bandwidth of 12 Mbits/sec (equivalent to 1.5
USB is available in two different connection types, Type A and B. The type A socket (see diagram) is rectangular in shape, and usually connects to the host or hub, typically a PC. Th
Video projectors do not always offer either USB connections, but when they do, they more commonly use the type B connector for the purpose of providing remote control mouse func

S-Video or Y/C Cables

This cable might also be referred to as a SVHS cable and can be found on most high-end televisions, all videodisc players, camcorders, digital cable and satellite set top boxes, and S

Component Cables
Component cables look just like composite cables. The difference is that, where a composite cable carries the entire video signal on a single cable, component cables split the signal
Portable Projectors and Component Cables (15-pin to 3-RCA connection)
Portable projectors usually have very little space for connections. Due to the space restriction, many have the 15-pin VGA connection double as the component connection as well. Th
Some larger projectors have separate component connections. Consult the spec sheets.

RCA or Composite Cables

These are the most common cables, used to hook up your standard VCR and stereo equipment. Typically, they are color-coded: red, white, and yellow. Red is for right channel audio