Share on FacebookThe High-Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI) is a compact audio/video connector interface for transmitting uncompressed digital streams. It represents a digital alternative to consumer analog standards such as Radio Frequency (RF) coaxial cable, composite video, S-Video, SCART, component video, D-Terminal, and VGA. HDMI connects digital audio/video sources such as set-top boxes, Blu-ray Disc players, personal computers, video game consoles, and AV receivers to compatible digital audio devices, computer monitors, and digital televisions.
HDMI supports, on a single cable, any TV or PC video format including standard, enhanced, and high-definition video along with up to 8 channels of digital audio. It is independent of the various digital television standards such as ATSC and DVB as these are encapsulations of compressed MPEG video streams (which can be decoded and output as uncompressed video stream on HDMI).
HDMI products started shipping in autumn 2003. Over 800 CE and PC companies have adopted the HDMI specification (HDMI Adopters). HDMI began to appear on consumer HDTV camcorders and digital still cameras in 2006. Shipments of HDMI are expected to exceed that of Digital Visual Interface (DVI) in 2008, driven primarily by the Consumer Electronics (CE) Market.
