For those of you just getting the hang of HDMI 1.3, the news of a new HDMI technology, HDMI 1.4, might initially come as an annoyance more than anything. HDMI 1.3 cables have already simplified your home theater setup, so why bother with upgrading to the latest version? Well, the feature that has every audio and video enthusiast excited over this new development is simple: HDMI 1.4 can transmit Internet data.
On the most basic level, this means that each and every one of your devices, from game consoles to set top boxes, needs only a single HDMI 1.4 cable connected to a device that is equipped with Internet connection. No more Cat 5 cables or Wi-Fi connections for every device that you want to hook into the great information highway. If you have, say, a TV that can access the Internet via Wi-Fi or Ethernet, every device that is connected to that TV via HDMI 1.4 will also be connected to the Internet (assuming the device has the proper hardware for this connection).
The technical term for this new capability is the HDMI Enternet Channel, or HEC. Your devices must have certain characteristics to take advantage of this technology. They must all be able to “talk” to each other, and they must all be able to accept HDMI 1.4 cables. The new HEC technology transmits not just video data, but all types of data via the Internet connection. This means that you can transfer photos or other media directly from your TV to a DVD burner, or store them on your hard drive with no additional cable hookups.
While the HEC technology is the most exciting aspect of the new HDMI 1.4, there are several other additions that make this cable unique. It includes Audio Return Channel (ARC) technology, which allows those using the audio tuner inside their TV to ditch extra analog stereo cables and use HDMI 1.4 to transmit the sound from the tuner to their receiver. It also has the ability to transmit most of the 3D data that is currently available. While this is not yet widespread, it appears that the industry is slowly making a shift towards more 3D video for home theater use, and once all of the devices and discs catch up, HDMI 1.4 will come in handy.
Your home theater setup could shed quite a few cables with this new configuration. This will be a welcome addition for anyone just starting to collect the devices and components for their new home theater, but it might be a bit of a financial burden for those who already have their home theater established. HDMI 1.4 has several exciting new features, and if you’re interested in creating a web-enabled hub as part of your home theater, your options have just been simplified.
Lauren is a contributing writer to the HD Envy blog. The picture frame TV mount options at HD Envy will provide your home theater with a boost of sophisticated style. You can choose between the pre-made picture frame TV mount solutions, or work with design and engineer experts at HD Envy to produce your own custom picture frame TV mount. Whether you are looking for a picture TV frame mount made from oak, ash, leather, ceramic or plastic, HD Envy is there. If you want to have an original, unique and stylish home theater, consider the picture frame TV mount options at HD Envy.
Tags: Cables, Home Theater, Install, Intel
