This week, I explained what HDMI is and how it works with
content protection.  Let's continue with more on the appropriate times to use HDMI and how to overcome issues with older HDMI implementations.

When and Why to Use HDMI

From a practical standpoint, one inexpensive HDMI cable can
replace several expensive analog connections on a single device. In some cases,
a single device could require up to 11 cables for multi-channel audio and
high-resolution video; HDMI replaces them all as an efficient, unified
solution. More importantly, if you have a non-CRT digital television like an
LCD, DLP or LCoS set, using HDMI avoids several analog-to-digital
conversions.  When you use an analog
component connection between your digital source and digital display, the data
on the DVD is converted to analog and sent via component cable to the display,
which then converts the analog component signal back to digital so you can view
it.  But with a digital HDMI connection,
the information on the DVD is sent unchanged to your digital display for
viewing. While some people may not notice the conversions, you want to avoid
them where possible.

From a content standpoint, HD DVD and Blu-ray players have
to look for an Image Constraint Token (ICT) on all discs.  If the disc is equipped with an ICT and the
player isn’t connected to a HDCP capable display, it will down convert the
video from 1080p to 540p.  No titles
currently invoke the ICT, but the studios can start using it on a title by
title basis at any time.  The main reason
they haven’t used it yet is because so many people have older HDTVs that don’t
support HDCP.  Also, upconverting DVD
players with HDMI aren’t supposed to output higher than a 480p signal over
component video, and will only output an upconverted signal over HDMI (these
same rules apply to HD DVD and Blu-ray players when they are playing back
DVDs).

And from a resolution standpoint, HDMI maxes out at 1080p resolution, which makes it essential for larger TVs that support that maximum. Not all content supports 1080p, but for game systems and high-def disc players, HDMI is your best bet for transferring 1080p content to your screen.

HDMI Issues

While it seems like using HDMI should be as simple as
plugging in a wire and turning on your equipment, it doesn’t always work that
way.  While most new HDMI devices don’t
have interface problems,  some early
devices (mostly cable and satellite set top boxes) didn’t fully support the
standard.  They would work great when an
HDMI cable connected them directly to your display but wouldn’t work when you
connected them to a repeating device (like an A/V receiver).  If you have one of these boxes, try
contacting your cable or satellite provider to see if there is a software
update, if not a free hardware replacement. 
If not, I recommend that you try to use a digital audio cable to connect
the box to your receiver. In some cases this won’t work, and you may need to
resort to using an analog component video connection. Fortunately, many
receivers that support HDMI will allow you to convert component signals to
HDMI, so you can still connect a single cable from the receiver to the display. 

Another issue happens (also typically with early devices) when
users connect their source to their display using HDMI, and then run a digital
audio connection to their non-HDMI receiver for surround sound.  Since most displays can only support a two-channel
stereo signal, your source can limit the audio-out to stereo output or even
shutdown the digital connection to the receiver.  If you are using this configuration and are
only getting two channels sent to your receiver, look for an option in the
setup menu of your display or the source device to turn HDMI audio off.  Some issues can be easily remedied by checking
that all settings match up in your source, receiver, and display (which will
vary based on the make and model of each component).  If you are having problems, check your
owners’ manuals for specific settings and instructions on how to change
them.  Other issues may require firmware
updates from the manufacturer—a process that can be painful but will sometimes save
you from shipping the device back to the manufacturer.  In some rare instances, there may be no
workarounds due to limitations in how HDMI was implemented in your components,
and you may be forced to use component video.

If you are having problems and are using a HDMI switch,
repeater, or some type of booster, make sure you are using one that has an
external power supply.  Any product that derives
its power directly from an HDMI cable does more harm than good.

In the next installment, I’ll talk about the different
versions of HDMI, the optional features they support, and some purchasing
considerations. --Adam

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The Amazon High Def Team is asked a lot of questions about
HDMI, so I thought it would be a good idea to explain and explore the cabling format in a three-part series.  In this post, I’ll give
some background information about HDMI along with its association with content
protection.

What is HDMI and how does it work?

HDMI stands for High Definition Multimedia Interface.  It uses a single bi-direction cable with 19
conductors that can carry both high-definition digital video and high-resolution
audio. Since the signal is bi-directional, all devices in the chain can
communicate their current status and capabilities. HDMI devices (TVs, high-def
disc players, etc.) can tell when HDMI cables are attached and detached, when
components are powered on and off, when inputs are switched, and so on.

All HDMI equipped displays are required to have an Extended
Display Identification Data (EDID) chip. 
The EDID includes information about the display such as make, model, and
serial number.  It also includes
important information about the capabilities of the display like audio
capabilities, supported video resolutions, and color depths.  This information exchanged between the
devices makes sure that the source device doesn’t send a signal to the display
that it can’t handle.  For example, if
you have an LCD TV that will accept 720p and 1080i video and will only take two-channel (left and right) audio, your HDMI-connected playback source won’t send
1080p video or multi-channel audio even if it is set to, since the intelligence
built into HDMI knows that your display can’t handle it based on what the EDID
reported.  While this normally works
great, it can cause some issues depending upon how your equipment manufacturer
implemented HDMI.  Additional
authenticating needs to take place when you are viewing content-protected
media.

Content Protection

HDMI uses the High-bandwidth Digital Content Protection
(HDCP) standard for copy protection. 
All HDMI playback devices, including cable and satellite set-top boxes,
upconverting DVD players, and high-def disc players, are required to use
HDCP.  When HDCP-equipped source devices
are first powered on, they use HDMI to “handshake” with receiving devices. All devices, including the source, receiver,
and display, need to authenticate and verify that they are HDCP-authorized by exchanging
a unique key with each other.  Once the
devices are authenticated, the source device starts encrypting and transmitting
the audio and video signal.  The
encryption is random and changes approximately every two seconds when the
source re-authenticates with the receiving device.  If the authentication ever fails, the source
will stop transmitting or reduce the quality of the signal.

HDCP is only used for high-definition copy-protected
content like HD DVD, Blu-ray and high-def pay-per-view. 
It is not used for high-definition over-the-air broadcast signals, or
any standard definition sources like DVD (unless they are upconverted).  It is also not used for non-commercial
content like HD home movies.  Some
monitors equipped with DVI do not support HDCP, so using an HDMI-to-DVI adapter
will not allow you to watch copy-protected content on these monitors. You will get either no picture or a standard-definition
picture.  It’s important to remember that
all devices connected through HDMI must support HDCP if you are watching copy-protected
HD content.

In the next post, I’ll talk about when and why
to use HDMI and some issues to be aware of when you do.  A future post will cover the different
versions of HDMI, the optional features they support, and purchasing
considerations. --Adam

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Italian artist/provocateur Graziano Cecchini, who previously colored the waters Rome's Trevi Fountain blood-red last October, committed another public art attack. This time he unleashed 500,000 colored plastic balls (the same kind you find in the McDonald's play area) down the Spanish Steps. Here's some video footage of the stunt (I'd love to translate how the policewoman at the 2:15 point called in this art attack):

And here's a bit about what inspired Cecchini to embark on this stunt, as well as what happened next:

Mr Cecchini later stated that the protest was staged to raise the profile of Burma and the Karen people. Arranging the protest had cost him some £15,000 and a handsome fine we're sure.

Jean Leonard Touadi, Rome's head of security wasn't amused. He stated that getting publicity at the expense of the city just wasn't funny, a feeling that the large number of police officers required to clean up the mess probably shared.

But gadgetophiles might look at this and find something very familiar about it. Mr. Cecchini seems to have also taken some inspirado from this Web ad for Sony Bravia HDTVs (which features one of my faves, Jose Gonzalez, on the soundtrack of the ad) from a couple years back.

One wonders what he might be able to do with the most recent Bravia ad:

~Agen G.N. Schmitz

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