Last year we posted an article that the PS3 would use the next-gen
High-Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI)
to support HD video output.
HDMI, for the uninitated, is an industry-supported, uncompressed, all-digital audio/video interface. HDMI interfaces between any compatible digital audio/video source (e.g. PS3) and a compatible digital audio and/or video monitor.
HDMI, according to industry analysts, is set to replace the Digital Visual Interface (DVI) in consumer electronics products by 2008.


At last week' s Computex 2006, new info on HDMI finally emerged with a " But
" and a " However." The HDMI group, composed of several companies, announced that the HDMI 1.2 will be upgraded to a new version called HDMI 1.3.


The HDMI 1.2 specifications are:



Support for One Bit Audio format, such as SuperAudio CD' s DSD (Direct Stream Digital)
Changes to offer better support for current and future PCs with HDMI outputs, including:
Availability of the widely-used HDMI Type A connector for PC sources and displays with full support for PC video formats
Ability for PC sources to use their native RGB color-space while retaining the option to support the YCbCr CE color-space
Requirement for HDMI 1.2 and later displays to support future low-voltage (i.e., AC-coupled) sources, such as those based on PCI Express I/O technology

Meanwhile HDMI 1.3 will support a feature called " deep color" that allows devices to process and display a great number of colors. In addition, its bandwidth will be upgraded from 165MHz to 225MHz (but can go up to 450MHz if necessary). The increased bandwidth enables displays to handle 1080i at 60Hz with 36-bit RGB color or 1080p with 90Hz refresh rate with 36-bit color. The new HDMI 1.3 will also support Dolby HD and DTS-HD audio standards (v1.2 only supports Dolby Digital 5.1 and DTS standards). Nice, huh?

Here comes the " But..."

Unfortunately for early adopters of the HDMI 1.2 - including the PS3 (which already supports " deep color" ) - the new features of HDMI 1.3 cannot be enabled by either firmware or driver upgrades. While both the Blu-ray and HD-DVD specifications call for support of " deep color," they have yet to release any statement indicating support for it or any feature of HDMI 1.3.

Here comes the " However..."

The HDMI Group said ATI and NVIDIA can readily incorporate the new HDMI 1.3 standard into GPUs and cards.