Archive notice: This article was originally published on March 28, 2008. Links and embedded videos are preserved as part of the historical record.
The HDMI cable 1.3b from the Peak Line is a High Definition (TRU-HD) 1080*p 24 p HDMITM connection cable and can be used for Blue-ray, HD DVD, DVD Audio and CD S.
HDMI (High Definition Multimedia Interface) is an interface for fully digital transmission of audio and video data. The standard was introduced by the industry in 2003 specifically for the home entertainment sector.
With HDMI, digital data can pass unchanged from the source to the end device. With their high data transfer rate, the cables handle all digital video and audio formats known today. Compared with older HDMI standards, the clock rate on a single link was doubled from 165 MHz to 340 MHz for standard 1.3 – resulting in a bandwidth of 10.2 gigabits per second.
HDMI is far more than simple signal transmission of the kind we have known from analogue signals such as RGB, YUV, etc. HDMI now intervenes in signal processing at device level and thus provides the starting point for any future developments. The ThunderFLASH HDMI cable 1.3b aims to make picture and sound content available in absolutely perfect digital quality. The multiply shielded conductors are made of oxygen-free HPOCC copper. The 24-carat gold-plated contacts are intended to ensure the best contact reliability, while the solid all-metal connectors promise to eliminate electromagnetic interference.
The ThunderFlash HDMI cables also support 1080p/24 p at lengths of up to 15 metres. The high data rate allows extended colour depths of 48 bits and aims to ensure the best possible detail sharpness.
Resolution capabilities have been increased by more than 400% compared with 720p HDTV, which promisses greater detail in complex scenes. Higher refresh rates (frame rates) of up to 120 Hz. are now also possible. This is intended to reproduce movement even better and reduce motion artefacts. Which in turn allows a significantly larger colour space and, for example, makes skin tones and dark scenes appear more natural. HDMI 1.3 is backwards compatible with earlier versions; HDMI 1.3 can therefore also transmit data from the older HDMI standards.
Instead of only compressed formats such as DolbyDigital or DTS as before, data such as DolbyTrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio should now also be transmissible via HDMI standard 1.3. Thus making the enormous volumes of data on HD DVD and Blu-ray Disc usable as well.
Frank Björnsen, General Manager Sales at 16×9 Europe, is certain: “HDMI 1.3 will establish itself from the outset as the standard for Blu-ray players and HD DVD players and will also quickly gain acceptance in plasma TVs and AV receivers.”
The double-stitched HDMI copper cables are available in lengths of 1, 5, 3, 5, 7.5 and 10 metres from specialist retailers and the new 16×9 Europe webshop http://www.16x9europe.de at prices starting at 58.50 euros.
