WIDESCREEN. HDMI Interface. Hi-Def Recording. HDTV Display. Specifications. The Next A/V Standard 45 DVD. Coming Soon WSR REVIEWS REVIEW

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1 HDTV Home Theatre Equipment DVD/D-VHS Reviews The Essential Home Theatre Resource WIDESCREEN REVIEW HDMI Interface The Next A/V Standard Hi-Def Recording Coming Soon HDTV Display 45 DVD & D-VHS REVIEWS Specifications Home Theatre WSR Review ReviewTM Products In Krell KAV-2250 & Home Theater Standard InFocus ScreenPlay 7200

2 DVI And HDMI A Post-CES Update A L E N HDMI Is Real And Almost Here In the previous Issue 69, February 2003, of Widescreen Review, I reported on the technology of DVI and its successor HDMI ( DVI And HDMI: Digital A/V Interfaces For A New Age, Issue 69). That article was written just as the HDMI specification was being officially released and prior to the 2003 Consumer Electronics Show (CES). HDMI seemed then merely an idea waiting to happen. Now however, only a few days after the CES as I write this, the situation is very different. The CES essentially served as the venue for HDMI s public unveiling, with a number of significant announcements and demonstrations proving that HDMI is not only real but also (almost) here. The show also featured a large number of new displays and source devices with DVI interfaces that include HDCP content-protection technology. Significant enough in their own right, all of these products should be backward compatible with HDMI. This update describes these and other related developments and their importance to the future of consumer A/V products. An Overview Of DVI And HDMI 2 K O E B E L WIDESCREEN REVIEW ISSUE 70 I described the fundamentals of both DVI and HDMI in some detail in the previous issue. However, in case you missed that issue or don t have it handy for reference, I will briefly describe the capabilities of both interfaces here. Digital Visual Interface (DVI) is a standard for digital video signals that was originally designed to connect a PC to a flat-panel monitor. In its most basic and common form, DVI provides enough bandwidth to handle all of the HDTV formats defined by the American Television Standards Committee (ATSC) in uncompressed form as well as computer formats as high as 1600 x 1200 (UXGA) at 60 Hz (higher frame rates are supported at lesser resolutions). It can even handle 1080p/60 (1920 x 1080 at 60 Hz progressive). An extended but rarely used form of the interface, known as dual-link DVI, can handle pixel formats as high as 2048 x 1536 (QXGA) at 60 Hz. When applied to consumer electronics (CE) products, DVI most often includes an encryption protocol known as High-bandwidth Digital Content Protection (HDCP). Endorsed by most of the major Hollywood studios as well as by the satellite and cable industries, HDCP was specifically designed to prevent DVI signals from being copied. A DVI receiver (most often a display device) must be HDCP-capable in order for it to receive (and display) protected content from an HDCP-capable source (e.g., a set-top box). When used to connect a PC to a flatpanel monitor, DVI usually transports 24-bit RGB data. However, when it is used to connect CE devices together, in particular those that are high-definition-capable, it also allows the transmission of digital component (YCbCr) data. This version of DVI, which also includes HDCP, is commonly identified as DVI-HDTV. High Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI) is a new digital interface based on DVI that was specifically created for use on consumer products. Even though it is very new V1.0 of the HDMI specification was officially released only last December a number of Hollywood studios, satellite TV providers, and CE manufacturers have already endorsed it. A DVI connection, as its full name suggests, carries only picture information (i.e., video and sync). HDMI adds to that the ability to carry multi-channel digital audio in either compressed or uncompressed forms and to distribute basic control data between A/V components. To make it even more practical as a consumer interface, it uses a smaller connector than DVI and adds enhanced support for high-definition digital component formats beyond those supported by DVI- HDTV. And, as with DVI-HDTV, HDMI includes HDCP technology for protection of content. HDMI is backward compatible with DVI. That is, DVI and HDMI devices can be connected together using simple, passive adapters, with the only loss being the new features added by HDMI (such as the transport of audio and control data). This is important given the large number of consumer products currently available with DVI interfaces. Most of these should not become obsolete if and when HDMI replaces DVI in newer products. HDMI At CES Silicon Image, a leading manufacturer of integrated circuits for DVI and a founding member of the HDMI Working Group, introduced at the CES the world s first HDMI transmitter and receiver ICs. Under the name PanelLink Cinema, these ICs are available now (post-ces) to selected manufacturers in sample quantities, with full production expected sometime in the second quarter of this year. In partnership with several CE manufacturers, Silicon Image also demonstrated prototype consumer products utilizing these new chips. The products included a terrestrial (over-the-air) high-definition, set-top box from Samsung with HDMI output connected to a Samsung 63-inch plasma display with HDMI input. Also demonstrated was a Panasonic rear-projection HDTV with HDMI input connected to a Japanese-model Panasonic set-top box with HDMI output. JVC provided a 48-inch rearprojection HDTV with HDMI input, while Meridian provided a DVD player with HDMI output. The reason these manufacturers were able to demonstrate prototypes so soon after the HDMI specification was officially released is because they were alpha sites for the Silicon Image chips. To speed up development, Silicon Image provided modules containing circuitry exactly emulating

3 the functionality of the HDMI chips before those chips even existed. Mainly because of this early start, Silicon Image expects that production versions of these and other HDMI products to be available relatively soon many by the third quarter of this year. Panasonic, for one, intends to market HDTVs with both HDMI inputs and digital-cable compatibility by September or October, according to David Naranjo, Senior Manager, Product Planning and Marketing for Matsushita Television and Network Systems of America. A few products from other manufacturers may be available even sooner: Meridian claims its VE12 HDMI and Progressive Video Output Card for the company s high-end 800 model DVD player, which was demonstrated at the CES, will be available sometime in the spring of this year. (Meridian also will offer at that time a VE11 card with DVI output instead of HDMI.) To ensure that HDMI is implemented correctly in consumer products, the HDMI Working Group intends to release a compliance specification later this quarter. All HDMI adopters will need to meet this specification. When it is released, the group also intends to announce the creation of at least two compliance test centers, according to Kristen Fuller, Senior Director, Corporate Marketing for Silicon Image. Manufacturers will be required to submit their products to one of these centers to be tested as sources, as sinks (devices that receive HDMI signals) or as cables. Products like A/V receivers will need to be tested as both sources and sinks. Only products that pass the applicable tests will be allowed to carry the HDMI logo, thus assuring consumers that HDMI-branded products will perform correctly together. In contrast, a compliance effort for DVI was not in place until two years after the DVI specification itself was released. And while so-called Plugfest events, at which manufacturers can test their DVI products occur every six months, attendance is not mandatory. As a result, DVI compatibility problems have been plentiful, although the situation is improving rapidly. Aside from better compliance testing, some of the problems that have plagued DVI in years past may not apply to HDMI, or at least not to the same degree, for technical reasons. Not only are the HDMI chips better at transmitting and receiving than previous generations of DVI chips, but the smaller HDMI connector is better suited to proper PCB layout and impedance matching. These improvements allowed Silicon Image to demonstrate at the CES a 25 meter (about 82 feet) HDMI cable, which is five times longer than the 5 meters (about 16 feet) usually recommended as a practical maximum for DVI. DVI At CES There are, as yet, no consumer products that use HDMI (at time of writing). But there are plenty that use DVI, increasingly with HDCP and digital component input capability (DVI-HDTV). Many new models of HDTVs and set-top boxes with DVI inputs and outputs, respectively, were introduced at the CES far too many to list here. All but a tiny few of them conformed to DVI-HDTV (although not all manufacturers use that name). It s probably safe to say that the few products shown that did not conform will do so as soon as their manufacturers realize how greatly non-conformance will cripple their products in the consumer market especially a lack of HDCP. One of the problems that users of DVI have traditionally encountered is insufficient cable length. The DVI standard does not specify a maximum cable length that is guaranteed to work, but DVI cables typically do not exceed 5 meters (about 16 feet), as previously discussed. While HDMI, by virtue of improved chips and a better connector, extends this considerably to 25 meters (about 82 feet), this may still not be long enough for some home theatre installations (typically high-end ones). Besides which, HDMI products aren t here yet and installations with mixed DVI and HDMI products will be the norm for quite some time during the transition. Two solutions for DVI equipment were shown at the CES. One is offered by Monster Cable, which claims to be able to get much longer distances than other cable manufacturers by using superior materials and better cable construction (the details of which are proprietary, of course). A spokesman at the CES said that the company is shipping 40- foot cables now, with 60-foot cables available by the end of the first quarter. Theatre Automation Wow! (TAW) offers a different solution, one that was mentioned in last issue s article. To connect a source device TAW s own ROCK Universal Scaler for example to their Evolution digital projector, the company offers optical-fiber-based DVI cables in lengths of 10, 20, and 30 meters (the last nearly 100 feet). Although they are based on fiber optics, this fact is transparent to the user since the conversion to and from DVI is done by electronics integrated in the cable s plug housings, which draw power from the equipment through the DVI ports. Similar fiber-optic-based DVI cables are also available from other manufacturers, including Gefen, Goldmund, and OPHIT, in lengths of up to 100 meters. What s In Store For The Future? As evidenced by the large and growing number of video products with DVI connectors at CES, DVI is now an accepted dare I say popular digital video interface for consumer electronics. HDMI, as its ordained successor, is following fast on its heels so quickly, in fact, that it may obsolete DVI in consumer products before the latter is embraced fully by all CE manufacturers (there are a few notable DVI holdouts, such as Mitsubishi). This may actually be a good thing, for two reasons. First, HDMI is ultimately a better solution for consumer A/V products than DVI. Second, an early transition to HDMI will limit the number of products in the field that use the older, less suitable DVI interface and thus reduce the time span over which future HDMI products will need to provide whatever special support is required to accommodate DVI equipment. But any transition causes some hardship and this one will be no different. Even though HDMI is backward compatible with DVI, there will be some compatibility problems, the exact nature of which we probably can t entirely predict today. The more complex the technology, the more likely such problems are and the harder they are to predict. I don t think anyone would claim that DVI and HDMI are simple technologies! One thorny problem created by the emergence of DVI, which will not be completely solved by HDMI until older DVI sources are a distant memory, is how to switch between multiple digital A/V sources. It has only been within the last few years that analog component inputs have become common on A/V receivers and A/V processors. Equivalent function digital video inputs are not yet common. In fact, they are as rare as hen s teeth. TAG McLaren Audio s AV192R is one of the few such products to include them, in this case, two optional DVI inputs. Most of the manufacturers I talked to at CES have a wait-and-see attitude concerning digital video inputs on A/V receivers and processors. Not enough customers are asking for them yet to justify the added cost. This situation leaves most owners of multiple DVI sources (those who can t afford WIDESCREEN REVIEW ISSUE 70 3

4 something like the AV192R, in any case) with a problem: They can send the audio from each source to an A/V receiver or processor, but what do they do with the video? Even if the display device includes two or more DVI inputs, which some now do, how do they cleanly and easily switch audio and video simultaneously (without sending the audio to the display device, which is not recommended for anything but a minimum-cost setup)? Currently available DVI switchers from manufacturers such as Altinex and Gefen aren t a solution either, since they typically don t support digital audio. Because they are intended for computer displays, not home theatres, most don t handle anything better than analog stereo signals. This problem will eventually disappear when HDMI displays and sources become common, since A/V receivers and processors will surely also by then include HDMI inputs and outputs. As long as audio-only connectors are also provided in parallel with HDMI inputs, legacy DVI sources will be accommodated using passive DVI-to-HDMI adapters for the video connection. (This does assume that the HDMI source will continue to provide unencrypted audio on separate connectors when playing encrypted movies something I wouldn t bet on given Hollywood s extreme paranoia.) Because of the benefits of the HDMI interface, not the least of which is the small size of the connector, and because HDMI is following so closely on the heels of DVI, I consider it very likely that most of the mainstream CE manufacturers holding out now will choose to implement HDMI rather than DVI on their A/V receivers. That will be even more likely if these manufacturers adopt HDMI as a secure digital connection for DVD-Audio signals, a possibility in which Silicon Image says there is considerable interest. One wrinkle in the design of an A/V receiver with HDMI inputs (or DVI with HDCP) is that such a device is not allowed, under the rules of the HDCP license, to convert protected content received on HDMI or DVI to unprotected signals, whether analog or digital. This means that if the A/V receiver is driving an analog-input display, it will have to receive and switch analog video signals from source devices (which are not prohibited by the HDCP license); it won t be able to use the HDMI or DVI outputs. Even when the transition from DVI to HDMI is complete and HDMI is in common use, something Silicon Image for one fully expects to happen, compatibility and interconnect problems may not go away completely. The HDMI branding program with its mandatory compliance testing will ensure a minimum level of compatibility between any 4 products sporting the HDMI logo. But some functions within the HDMI specification are optional; meaning that equipment may still not work together in quite the expected fashion. HDMI s Consumer Electronics Control (CEC) protocol is one possible example of this. Manufacturers can choose to implement all or none of it in a given product. The intent of CEC is to distribute commands between A/V components using a common communication protocol (based on the European AV.Link standard). HDMI products that don t respond to the CEC commands in an HDMI-based system are going to be a source of frustration. Hopefully, market pressure will ensure that CEC is implemented in every product. DVI And HDMI Versus What? Discussing the future of digital interfaces wouldn t be complete without addressing the issue of DVI vs. IEEE 1394: Which will prevail? In my opinion, the answer is both. A number of products shown at the CES included both interfaces, where it was appropriate to have both. IEEE 1394 is most useful for recording and for distributing MPEG-2 compressed content within a home network. DVI and HDMI are appropriate for connecting sources and/or A/V receivers to monitors and other displays, particularly if such displays do not include MPEG-2 decoders (which, for example, is the case for most front-screen projectors). The idea that it has to be one or the other type of interface for all products is an artificial one, created by certain companies and organizations with a vested interest in one interface surviving at the expense of the other. What about the ultimate compatibility issue, the possible disappearance of highdefinition analog video outputs (whether RGB or YPbPr) on source devices? This is primarily a political issue, one that I discussed at some length in last issue s article. Today, there is no indication that analog outputs are disappearing; digital video outputs on the vast majority of new products I saw at CES were in addition to analog outputs, not in place of them. Even if Hollywood lobbyists do manage to push through legislation mandating the elimination of analog outputs, in the process making obsolete millions of analog-input HDTVs and display devices currently in use, it won t happen for a few more years. If the potentially disenfranchised owners of those displays make their voices heard and loudly chances are good it won t happen at all. WIDESCREEN REVIEW ISSUE 70

5 Silicon Image s PanelLink Cinema Featured In HDMI Prototypes On Display At CES Silicon Image, a leader in high-bandwidth semiconductor and system solutions for mass markets, showcased its new line of PanelLink Cinema HDMI silicon in the industry s first HDMI-enabled prototypes at CES. The SiI 9190 transmitter and SiI 9993 receiver ICs are compliant with the new High-Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI ) 1.0 specification and incorporating High-bandwidth Digital Content Protection (HDCP). Silicon Image, along with consumer electronics manufacturers JVC, Meridian, Panasonic, and Samsung, demonstrated the ease and simplicity of the HDMI that will bring uncompressed digital high-definition video and multichannel audio to consumer households via a single cable. Elevating the home theatre experience to a higher level, HDMI enables an all-digital interconnect from digital consumer electronics source devices to digital displays for crystal-clear audio and video and an enhanced user experience. The new standard provides for combined uncompressed digital video and multichannel audio in a single, all-digital interface with HDCP security for access to premium-value content. While consumer electronics devices have gone digital, the audio and video interfaces connecting them have remained analog. HDMI breaks new ground by enabling an uncompressed, all-digital connection between digital source devices such as DVD players, DVD recorders, digital set-top boxes, D-VHS players and A/V receivers, and digital display devices such as DTVs, plasma displays, LCD TVs and projectors. As a result, the interface provides the following benefits: (1) the highest quality video and audio; (2) a single A/V cable for dramatically simplified home theatre wiring; (3) access to high-value digital content; and (4) intelligent communication between source and display devices. HDMI enables consumer electronics manufacturers to cost-effectively incorporate the highest quality video and audio into their systems. HDMI actually simplifies wiring by eliminating the maze of A/V cables behind today s home entertainment system. Further, by replacing up to 11 audio and video cables with a single HDMI cable, HDMI potentially reduces overall system costs for both consumer electronics manufacturers and consumers without sacrificing video and audio quality. Fully compliant with both the HDMI 1.0 and DVI 1.0 specifications, Silicon Image's PanelLink Cinema products feature the latest generation of Silicon Image's PanelLink TMDS core technology for HDMI compliance and are backward compatible with the growing installed base of DTVs featuring DVI-HDCP inputs. The SiI 9190 and SiI 9993 support the full range of DTV resolutions including 480i, 576i, 480p, 576p, 720p, and 1080i, as well as all 18 ATSC formats. Going a step further, the PanelLink Cinema ICs integrate HDCP, which has been supported by major motion picture producers for its ability to protect premium high-definition content from unauthorized reproduction and distribution. Each SiI 9190 and SiI 9993 IC features unique, pre-programmed HDCP keys, which greatly simplify the manufacturing process, lower costs, and provide the highest level of key security available. Designed for DVD players, DVD recorders, digital set-top boxes, D-VHS players, and A/V receivers, the SiI 9190 transmitter combines digital video and audio in a single, HDMI-compliant stream. The SiI 9190 incorporates an extremely flexible video and audio input bus, and offers a seamless interface with all major DVD and high-definition MPEG decoders. An industry-standard S/PDIF input accepts PCMencoded data as well as Dolby Digital, DTS Digital Surround, and all other S/PDIF-compatible audio formats. The SiI 9190 transmits HD video and multichannel audio over cables in excess of 15 meters for greater system flexibility. Targeted for DTVs, plasma displays, LCD TVs, and projectors, the SiI 9993 receiver is capable of decoding an incoming HDMI stream and delivering YPbPr or analog RGB video along with digital audio. A S/PDIF output supports either two-channel PCM audio or encoded data such as Dolby Digital and DTS Digital Surround, while a programmable, two-channel I2S port outputs PCM data to low-cost audio DACs. The SiI 9190 is packaged as a 64-pin TQFP, while the SiI 9993 is packaged as a 100-pin TQFP. Both chips are currently sampling to select licensed HDMI promoters and adopters and are expected to be available in production quantities in Q Developed by Hitachi, Matsushita Electric (Panasonic), Royal Philips Electronics, Silicon Image, Sony Corporation, Thomson (RCA), and Toshiba Corporation, HDMI is a digital interface specification for consumer electronics products that delivers pristine digital quality with bandwidth of up to 5 Gigabits/second (see Alan Koebel s excellent article on page 60 entitled DVI And HDMI: A Post-CES Update ). Based on Silicon Image's TMDS technology, HDMI is fully backward compatible with the Digital Visual Interface (DVI ) standard for the PC and consumer electronics markets, which is also based on Silicon Image s technology. In the consumer electronics market, DVI with High-bandwidth Digital Content Protection (HDCP) has been widely implemented in DTVs and set-top boxes as a solution for secure video. HDCP protects content transmitted over both DVI and HDMI connections and is supported by most major motion picture providers. The HDMI 1.0 specification, announced in December 2002, revealed the design elements required for all future HDMI products. Prototypes of the first of these products shown at the 2003 Consumer Electronics Show, all of which include PanelLink Cinema technology, included: Panasonic digital projection TVs Samsung DirecTV set-top box and 63- inch plasma display JVC 48-inch digital rear-projection TV Meridian high-end DVD player derived from the 800 Series The showcase of HDMI prototypes at CES indicates a real desire by CE manufacturers to deliver high-quality content to consumers, said Ben Bajaran of Creative Strategies. In addition, the support from Hollywood studios to deliver high-value content through HDMI should drive consumer support once these products become available later in the year. We are pleased that several of our partners are demonstrating HDMI solutions with Silicon Image s PanelLink Cinema chips only one month after the release of the HDMI specification, stated Parviz Khodi, Silicon Image s Vice President of Marketing. Silicon Image has extensive design and technical support expertise in HDMI and HDCP. This, combined with our familiarity with the architectural challenges of secure digital interfaces and thorough understanding of customer requirements, has enabled us to assist our customers in developing HDMI products that are both compliant and WIDESCREEN REVIEW ISSUE 70 5

6 From The interoperable in a timely fashion. HDMI Enables CE Companies To Enhance Product Offerings HDMI is the future for HDTV, and Panasonic is leading the way towards that future by unveiling early HDMI prototype systems, said David Naranjo, Senior Manager, Product Planning and Marketing for Matsushita Television and Network Systems of America. Silicon Image and their PanelLink Cinema solutions are playing an instrumental role in bringing the benefits of an all-digital HDTV experience to consumers. Having recognized the increased demand of high-definition content from educated digital video consumers, JVC was an early supporter of DVI-HDCP incorporating it in our high-definition television line. Having the ability to incorporate HDMI- HDCP in our future digital products as well will make it that much easier for the end user to enjoy the high-definition experience, stated Michael Holmes, Vice President of Sales and Marketing, JVC Color Television Division. Today there are a growing number of DTVs and set-top boxes on the market that feature DVI connections, including numerous Samsung products, said Jim Sanduski, Vice President of Marketing for Samsung Electronics America. By adopting HDMI, we are continuing to expand upon DVI s capabilities by adding attractive new features designed specifically for consumer electronics applications and will help educate consumers to the benefits through our DigitAll advertising campaign. We are proud to display our new HDMI-enabled set-top box and plasma display in conjunction with Silicon Image at CES. For years Meridian has provided the highest quality audio and video experience to consumers, said Robert Stuart, Chairman of Meridian Audio. With HDMI and Silicon Image s PanelLink Cinema chips, we can now provide end-to-end digital audio and video to our customers. HDMI And Hollywood Working Together HDMI has the support of major motion picture providers including 20th Century Fox and Warner Brothers, who plan to release their premium HD content via interface technology incorporating HDCP. Cable Industry Support In an agreement last December 2002, 14 consumer electronics companies and seven major cable companies representing more than 75 percent of all cable subscribers agreed to support FCC labeling regulations that specify DVI/HDCP and HDMI/HDCP interfaces with copy protection controls in future cable-ready HDTV products. Cable and satellite system operators including DirecTV, EchoStar (Dish Network), and CableLabs are supporters of the HDMI specification. Produced By This review Copyright 2003 Widescreen Review has been reproduced in its entirety from Issue 70, March 2003 of Widescreen Review The Essential Home Theatre Resource. Take advantage of our no-risk subscription offer: 13 For $34* 1 free trial + 12 monthly issues + 1 special edition + full access pass to WSR s paid subscriber Web site a 56% savings off the monthly newsstand price (over $43 savings off the cover price)! Phone WSR s Customer Relations Department at or 888 WSR SUBS, or fax at to order, or request on-line at: Or you can mail your request to: Widescreen Review, Commerce Center Drive, Temecula, CA All major credit cards are accepted. * Foreign subscription rates are $40.00US Canada/Mexico, and $75.00US International. Canada/Mexico and International Special Edition Offer Plus Shipping Cost. 6 WIDESCREEN REVIEW ISSUE 70