Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Audio / Video
  3. News

Latest version of HDMI comes packing support for 8K resolution and Dynamic HDR

By

Expensive HDMI cables.
Bill Roberson/Digital Trends
You might only think of HDMI as the type of cable you use to connect your TV, cable box, streaming media player, and other home theater gear, but it’s also a standard that defines just what type of signals can be transmitted from one piece of equipment to another. On Wednesday, the HDMI Forum announced the latest version of the specification, HDMI 2.1, and it includes some major improvements over the previous version.

One of the biggest changes is that the new version of the specification features support for 8K resolution at 60 frames per second. If you’ve only just gotten used to 4K, don’t worry, there’s good news for you, too: 4K video with a frame rate of up to 120 frames per second is now supported as well.

Recommended Videos

While increased resolution has a debatable effect on picture quality, especially at smaller sizes, one thing that has been making a noticeable difference on new TVs is high dynamic range (HDR). The HDMI 2.1 specification also brings increased HDR support, as it now is compatible with Dynamic HDR, which can change brightness, contrast, and even color gamuts on a scene-by-scene or even frame-by-frame basis.

Related

While the above features focus on picture quality, the new specification also brings audio-related improvements. Audio return channel (ARC) allows for a more simple solution for setting up your TV with a soundbar or A/V receiver, and the latest version of this, called eARC, keeps the simplicity while adding support for the newest object-based surround sound formats like Dolby Vision or DTS:X.

Not all of the new features are aimed at the home theater crowd. Game Mode VRR features a variable refresh rate, which not only leads to more fluid rendering of gameplay, but can also reduce frame tearing and stuttering. More importantly to gamers, it can also dramatically reduce input lag, making for much more precise control over the game you’re playing.

Many of these features will require new 48G HDMI cables, which allow for bandwidth up to 48Gbps for 8K video with HDR. Fortunately, these cables will be backward compatible, so while you may have to go cable shopping, at least you won’t have to worry about keeping multiple types of cables around.

The HDMI 2.1 specification is expected to be released early in the second quarter of 2017, but as for when we’ll actually begin to see it in products we can buy, it will probably be a while.

Editors’ Recommendations

Topics
Kris Wouk
Kris Wouk
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Kris Wouk is a tech writer, gadget reviewer, blogger, and whatever it's called when someone makes videos for the web. In his…
Marantz’s new Cinema series AV receivers are a stylish way to go 8K
Marantz Cinema AV 10 8K AVR in black.

AV receivers might be the nerve center of every serious home theater setup, but these big (and usually shiny and black) boxes aren't exactly the most beautiful things to look at. However, Marantz's new Cinema line of 8K Dolby Atmos AV receivers might just be the first to give folks a real alternative to the flat-panel-full-of-buttons aesthetic we've become accustomed to. The new models start at $1,200 for the Cinema 70s and go up to $7,000 for the flagship AV 10. They will be available by the end of October, though only the Cinema 50 and 60 will be released initially.

In addition to a textured finish that graces the side portions of the Cinema's front panels, each model has an elegant circular display window that either acts on its own as the main way to see critical status information or can be used to augment a much larger full display hidden behind a hinged cover.  It's a design that Marantz debuted on its Model 30 stereo amplifier. These improvements are more than superficial. The Cinema series also has a new graphical user interface, as well as voice command compatibility.

Read more
Denon updates 8K AV receivers with prices starting at $399
Denon AVR-X2800 8K A/V receiver.

Denon has refreshed its AV receiver portfolio, with seven new models in the  S-, X-, and A-Series lineups. Prices range from $399 for the entry-level AVR-S570BT and go up to $6,499 for the top-of-the-line 15.4 channel Denon AVR-A1H. All of the new receivers offer 8K compatibility, while some models also have support for immersive surround sound formats like Dolby Atmos, DTS:X, IMAX Enhanced, and Auro 3D. Some models are available immediately, while others will be released over the coming months and into 2023.
A-Series

AVR-A1H: $6,499, available in early 2023

Read more
Addition of Cable Power to HDMI simplifies longer cable runs
HDMI Cable

According to the newly release HDMI 2.1a Amendment 1 specification, longer HDMI cable runs will soon be possible, even without the help of an additional power source. Amendment 1 introduces "Cable Power," a feature that lets an HDMI source device, like an A/V receiver, game console, or streaming media device, provide the additional power needed to keep a signal strong enough to survive a journey that extends further than a few meters.

If you're raising an eyebrow right now because you're already using a really long HDMI cable with no problems, it might be because you're only sending lower-bandwidth content, like 4K video at 30Hz, possibly with HDR10. That kind of content only needs a Premium High Speed-rated HDMI cable, and these cables can indeed run to lengths of up to 25 feet without the need of an active cable (a cable that gets a signal boost from an external power source).

Read more