Executives from HDMI Licensing took some pre-CES time to clear up some questions about the HDMI. Click on through for details from the interview, but a couple of topics stood out to us. First, we've seen
CEC customized by various hardware manufacturers, with no guarantees of interoperation between branded implementations. HDMI is working on a unified CEC branding scheme and guaranteed core functionality. Second up, field-terminated cables are a no-go. As much as we'd love to make our own custom length HDMI cables, the connector density combined with the high bandwidth makes this "just impossible." Leave cable construction to the pros, folks.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
rask @ Jan 8th 2008 10:52AM
Sucks that you can't cut and terminate your own cables.
Hurray for DRM-loaded connectors and cable price gauging.
Everyone Wins!!! (Except the consumer)
rekoil @ Jan 8th 2008 11:13AM
HDMI =! DRM - you're thinking of HDCP which is an *optional* protocol that can applied to AV streams transmitted via HDMI. That's like saying that TCP/IP is a DRM-encumbered protocol because you download iTunes songs over it.
rask @ Jan 8th 2008 11:18AM
I stand corrected. Thanks for the info.
andy @ Jan 8th 2008 10:59AM
I prefer to make my own stuff, but I'm not too upset.
Monoprice's 5 dollar 3ft cables and 10 or 11 dollar 15 foot cables probably aren't much more expensive than it would cost you to make them. I just don't like waiting a week for them to come in.
WallyB @ Jan 8th 2008 11:04AM
Agreed. I like making my own component cables, especially when pulling cables through walls before the drywall goes up.
Good thing monoprice is there to save the day for HDMI cables. I can't imagine spending $100 for a 10' 1.3a cable when I can buy them for less than $10 each from those guys.
andy @ Jan 8th 2008 11:02AM
and by the way, I also call BS!
SOMEONE has to make cables. I can build cars, I can design microchips, I can build furniture, I can hack consoles, and I can make my own rg6 coax, gigabit, phone and fibre cables. I can make an HDMI cable just like the next guy.
The translation here is that they want to keep prices slightly inflated for a bit.