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HDMI Founders Hitachi, Matsushita (Panasonic), Philips, Silicon Image, Sony, Thomson and Toshiba Release Final HDMI 1.0 Specification Amid Broad Industry Support
High-Definition Multimedia Interface Provides Access to Higher-Quality Digital Content
Sunnyvale, California / December 9, 2002 — High-Definition Multimedia Interface™ (HDMI™) Founders Hitachi, Matsushita Electric (Panasonic), Royal Philips Electronics, Silicon Image, Sony Corporation, Thomson, and Toshiba Corporation today released the final 1.0 specification for HDMI, the next-generation digital interface for consumer electronics. HDMI enables the secure distribution of uncompressed high-definition video and multi-channel audio in a single cable, providing consumers with a broader array of high-quality digital content while dramatically simplifying ease of use.
With the availability of the HDMI v 1.0 Specification, manufacturers can now develop and bring to market HDMI-compliant products to usher in a new era of previously unreleased, premium high-definition content. The HDMI initiative enjoys broad industry support from major motion picture producers Fox and Universal, satellite companies DIRECTV and EchoStar, cable companies, and consumer electronics manufacturers. Because digital television (DTV) signals remain in digital format, HDMI assures that pristine high-definition images retain the highest video quality from the source all the way to the display.
HDMI combines high-definition video and multi-channel audio in a single digital interface with a bandwidth of up to 5 Gigabits/second. Benefits include uncompressed digital quality, fewer cables and a small, user-friendly connector suitable for a wide range of CE components. In addition, HDMI capitalizes on the interoperability standards created by the CEA and supports many of the capabilities of the AV.link interoperability protocol popular in Europe, such as control of multiple source devices through a single remote pointed at the DTV. HDMI with High-bandwidth Digital Content Protection (HDCP) technology solves the issue of protecting high-value content from unauthorized reproduction and distribution.
"As digital media forms a bigger piece of the consumer entertainment experience, many users are overwhelmed by the complexity of interconnecting all the pieces," explained Steve Kleynhans, vice president, META Group. "HDMI, as an industry standard, will provide some measure of relief while providing the quality users have come to demand, encouraging the adoption of new types of digital entertainment."
A growing number of DTVs and set-top boxes on the market today already feature Digital Visual Interface (DVI) connections. HDMI builds upon the capabilities of DVI, adding a number of attractive new features designed specifically for consumer electronics applications while maintaining full backward compatibility.
Parties interested in designing HDMI-based products may access the HDMI 1.0 Specification at
www.hdmi.org.
About the HDMI Founders
Comprised of Hitachi, Matsushita Electric (Panasonic), Royal Philips Electronics, Silicon Image, Sony Corporation, Thomson and Toshiba Corporation, the High-Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI) Founders have joined together to define a next-generation digital interface specification for consumer electronics products. HDMI is also supported by major motion picture producers, as well as satellite and cable companies. For more information about the HDMI specification and the HDMI Founders, visit
www.hdmi.org.
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Media Contacts:
Hitachi:
Takeshi Okamoto
Matsushita (Panasonic):
Jim Reilly
Philips:
Jeannet Harpe
Silicon Image:
Sheryl Gulizia
Sony Corporation:
Aki Shimazu
Thomson:
Dave Arland
Toshiba Corporation:
Midori Suzuki