HDMI cables have been around for a while, but their standards are constantly improving. The latest and most outstanding among HDMI technologies is HDMI 2.1.
You may have heard that HDMI 2.1 is very suitable for next-generation games, but it is much more than that.
HDMI stands for High Definition Multimedia Interface. Fundamentally, it is a set of standards for transferring audio and video data between devices.
You may remember the days when you connected yellow, red and white AV cables between the device and the TV. Well, HDMI can transmit video and audio data through a single cable, and AV cables for display have basically been eliminated.
To use HDMI, you need 2 HDMI compatible devices and an HDMI cable to connect them. This usually applies to things like connecting a TV to a game console or a computer to a monitor.
It is important to remember that the HDMI standard in the cable and compatible devices will affect the video and audio output. If they are different standards, you may not be able to take full advantage of all HDMI features
HDMI 2.1 is currently the highest standard for transmitting video and audio content between devices. Compared with the previous HDMI 2.0 standard, it is a higher level.
The advantage of HDMI 2.1 is that it is not as easy as providing the fastest video and audio. HDMI 2.1 has many specifications, and manufacturers need to use many of them to promote their support for the standard.
The latest game consoles (such as PS5 and Xbox Series X) are compatible with HDMI 2.1, and HDMI 2.1 has many game-centric features such as VRR, QFT and ALLM. But to fully support these functions, TVs and monitors also need to implement them.
So, what are the new technical specifications of HDMI 2.1?
according to
, 2.1 supports higher video resolutions and faster refresh rates, such as 8K at 60 FPS and 4K at 120 FPS. No matter when, it can even support 10K resolution.
HDMI 2.1 support
Mode, but it is up to the manufacturer to decide whether to use these two modes.
Then there is HDR (High Dynamic Range), which affects the visual appearance of the image. HDMI 2.1
. Dynamic HDR basically ensures that every second of the video is displayed with the best depth, detail, brightness and contrast.
This means where HDR enhancements can be used in movies, TV shows, games, etc. HDMI2.1 can support this format.
Enhanced Audio Return Channel (eARC) is a feature of HDMI 2.1 that supports the best audio standards.
It can handle up to 192kHz, 24-bit and uncompressed 5.1, 7.1 and 32 channel audio, as well as cinema quality enhancements such as Dolby Atmos and DTS Master.
It also allows this enhanced audio to be transmitted through the TV to the sound bar or AVR sound system.
One of the many game features supported by HDMI 2.1 is VRR. This reduces lag, tremor, and screen tearing, which makes the game smoother. By allowing time for each frame to render correctly before transmission, it allows the console to deliver video frames as quickly as possible.
Another game optimization function of ALLM is to send the ideal image from the device to the screen. This is usually advertised as a "game mode". ALLM enables the console to tell your monitor to switch to low-latency and low-latency mode for gaming.
It is basically an automatic function that tells the TV to switch to a better game mode and then detects when it needs to switch back to watching movies or videos.
The third outstanding gaming feature provided by HDMI 2.1 is QFT, which helps to reduce display latency. This is basically the transmission time of a frame from the source device to the display. It affects the response speed of the game, such as the time between pressing a button and seeing the action on the screen.
Finally, there is QMS, almost exactly as it sounds. QMS eliminates the time to display a black screen when switching video modes. With VRR, it can smoothly transition between frame rates and avoid black screens for a seamless experience.
The key component of HDMI is the cable, and with the emergence of new standards, new cables also appear. Some devices (such as PS5 and Xbox Series X) come with these new high-speed cables, but if not, you will need to find one yourself.
When looking for an HDMI 2.1 compatible cable
Certified products such as the HDMI super high-speed cable logo on the packaging and on the cable itself.
Now you know all the new features provided by HDMI 2.1. The problem is that manufacturers don’t need to insist
Some of these new features require a license for HDMI 2.1.
Therefore, when choosing a monitor or device, make sure
And check the specifications to see if it supports specific HDMI 2.1 features that are important to you.
©2007-2021 Pedestrian Group
Now you can deliver hot news from Gizmodo to your inbox. Enter your email below.
By subscribing, you agree to our
with
