Buying a new TV? Watch out for this HDMI 2.1 trap
Buying a new Boob tube? Watch out for this HDMI two.i trap
HDMI 2.ane has been heralded every bit a flake of a must-take in any new Telly or monitor thanks to its 48 Gbps bandwidth enabling it to evangelize resolutions of up to 10K and 120Hz refresh rates when engaging in high-frame charge per unit gaming. And the option for variable refresh rates (VRR) and automatic low latency mode (ALLM) are also appealing, peculiarly for owners of the Xbox Serial X and PS5.
However, it's all arguably a chip of a lie; at least in some cases. A report by TFTCentral has uncovered that HDMI 2.1 isn't really an upgrade over HDMI 2.0 — a more common port version in many TVs and monitors — just a complete replacement for it.
That doesn't sound like reason for concern, after all technologies often succeed and replace older versions.
But TFTCentral approached the HDMI Licensing Ambassador to flag that an HDMI 2.ane monitor being sold by Xiaomi had no support for HDMI two.i features. It was expected this would kicking up a stink, but it's in fact totally fine.
That'south because past having HDMI 2.i replace rather than upgrade HDMI 2.i, the HDMI Licensing Administrator opened the door for Boob tube and monitor makers to label their screens as HDMI ii.1 compatible even when they take none of the desirable features.
"Products can no longer become certified for 2.0 only for two.1, and also ii.one features are optional to implement, and so popular features like 4k120, ALLM, VRR are not required," Brad Bramy, VP of marketing and operations for the HDMI LA told Ars Technica. "Manufacturers could only implement eARC, for example, and claim to be a 2.1-enabled device."
If you lot're getting a whiff of the brownish stuff hither, then we tin can't arraign you. Port standards are already complicated enough; but look at how many different things USB-C tin support merely doesn't always do so.
HDMI is not any easier, especially for folks who might not be tech savvy. For example, to get the HDMI 2.1 benefits of the Xbox Series Ten or PS5 you need to make certain you're using the HDMI cables they have been bundled with; to the layperson this isn't hugely clear. Add on top that HDMI ii.1 labelled devices might not actually support the whole suite of standards for the connection, and you're looking at a thick soup of potential confusion.
Now manufacturers wishing to utilize the HDMI 2.ane standard practise need to be clear on what features their take on it supports, every bit required past the HDMI Adopter Understanding. And the upcoming HDMI ii.1a standard, which supports Source-Based Tone Mapping, is sure to cause additional head scratching. But over again this does fiddling to assistance squash the potential for confusion.
Then what's the solution? Ideally, standard bodies will become more stringent with the rules and requirements of what can be dubbed HDMI two.1 or USB 3.2 Gen ii in the well-nigh future.
Simply that could be wishful thinking. So our suggestion is to really read the fine impress of the product y'all're ownership and double check that you are getting what you lot'd wait from an HDMI 2.1 Boob tube or monitor.
Every bit cocky-serving as this may sound, practice wait at Tom's Guide for guidance. We have a bounty of TV and monitor reviews, and our lists for the likes of best HDMI 2.i TVs, best gaming TVs, best monitors, and best gaming monitors volition take you covered. We likewise piece of work hard to demystify some of the connections standards and display tech being used, so you tin can get an idea for what's healthy and what might be superfluous.
If nothing else, feel free to contact us for our advice and guidance; you lot tin email the appropriate editor or writer, or tweet usa @tomsguide.
Source: https://www.tomsguide.com/news/buying-a-new-tv-watch-out-for-this-hdmi-21-trap
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