Denon Staff
HDMI (High Definition Multimedia Interface) is the most important connection method between sources such as Blu-ray players, gaming consoles or media players, and displays like TVs or projectors. This fully digital standard overhauled the popular SCART or other analog connections in the early 2000s. It transports high definition video and immersive audio as well as various control signals. Moreover, it ensures that the content is copy protected. Today, everybody who has a flat TV, a modern game console, a pay-TV set-top-box or a streaming device like FireTV or AppleTV, is using an HDMI connection between all devices. An AV receiver like the Denon AVR-X2700H, is a kind of HDMI switching device, repeater device or hub, since it collects audio and video signals from all connected devices and resends data—mostly the video—to the display. It is a vital part of home cinema.
Why a new version of HDMI?
Each version of the standard published by the HDMI Organization; defines different functions which may be supported by a compliant product. The development in audio and video technology is very fast, and as new functions simply require more digital data, the transmission technology needs to adapt. That’s why in January 2017, the HDMI Organization announced a new standard called HDMI 2.1 which includes enhancements for better video, better audio but also for better user experience and better gaming. The enhancements cover so many areas that it should take until mid 2020 for the first AV Receivers like the Denon AVR-X4700H to be launched with all the key features of the new HDMI version.
The former HDMI 2.0b standard defined a lot of amazing things like 4K picture (also known as Ultra HD), HDR (High Dynamic Range), and Dolby Vision for better video, as well as up to 32 channels of audio and immersive audio formats even sent from the TV back to the AV Receiver by ARC (Audio Return Channel) which is very handy running media player apps like Netflix on the TV. Speaking tech: A total of 18 Gbit/s was defined as video transmission bandwidth that required good cables and the use of new cable technologies for long lengths to transmit these high resolution and more vivid and colorful video signals without any interruption.