UDI vs. HDMI

[W1nTry]

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Universal Digital Interface favoured over HDMI

Except with copy protectionists, natch

By Fuad Abazovic in old Muenchen Town: Thursday 10 August 2006, 12:43
 
WE did a spot of investigation around the rather interesting High Definition Media Interface (HDMI) connector.

Graphics card manufacturers are still sceptical about HDMI as the feature does not come for free. Manufacturers we spoke to bitched about the new proposed standard as they have to pay a hefty licensing fee to have the HDCP (High bandwidth Digital Content Protection) capability.

To have HDMI, you need to pay a few cents for the HDCP licence. You have to pay it for every single card, and the Taiwanese - like any reasonable economy does not like to pay licensing unless absolutely necessary.

But now the Universal Digital Interface (UDI) appears as a third way around these troubles.

The UDI could subvert HDMI. It will be capable of the same - if not even higher - bandwidth but will not be able to transfer audio. The connector looks very similar to HDMI's and - most importantly for cheapskate manufacturers - you don’t have to pay the licensing fee for the HDCP, as the UDI doesn't need it.

Of course the content protection lobby will be miffed by the appearance of UDI. No-one likes to lose a revenue stream for which they have to do burger all. This will be one hell of an interesting fight to follow. µ

Now imagine if the manus are running from DRM infection based on the fact that they have to pay a price for each card using it, whic INHERENTLY gets passed onto us... isn't this just ANOTHER reason NOT to want DRM infected ANYTHING? GG...

[Spazosaurus]

In a way, the HDMI/CP people shafting themselves by charging manufacturers so much for the license to add the tech to their cards. Since it is not a manditory feature, the main manus will be reluctant to add the feature, which will mean that people wont be able to experience media using the new tech. Even if manus pay the fee and include the feature, we the consumers have to pay more for the cards...PLUS buy the bloody connector AND a HD display with HDMI input. I mean thats an awful lot of trouble and expense they putting consumers through so that people wont pirate their stuff. Why cant they fins a way that will only cost them? If we have to pay more for the media, fine, but we also paying for YOUR method of protecting Your stuff?....Rediculous...just rediculous.