HDMI Licensing, LLC is rolling out a new certification program that ensures the public gets the digital entertainment experience they are promised when they purchase high-speed HDMI cables.
Citing the potential of 4K/UltraHD format, HDMI Licensing states its newly announced program, launching at CEDIA Expo 2015 this month, provides an optional and additional level of product testing and it includes an anti-counterfeit labeling system.
“With the rapid growth of feature-rich 4K/UltraHD content, it’s critical that all components in a 4K/UltraHD HDMI-connected system are fully capable of delivering on the experience, that is why we are launching this proactive program to give consumers absolute peace-of-mind,” says Jeff Park, technology evangelist, HDMI Licensing.
Park says that all participants must go through its Authorized Test Centers (ATCs) to test if the products regardless of length are able to support the full cabling specification, including its 18Gbps bandwidth requirements. These high-bandwidth capabilities are necessary to support UltraHD resolutions, high-dynamic range (HDR) content, and high-frame rate 50fps, 60fps content. In addition, EMI levels are also tested to ensure signal integrity remains true in a variety of installation environments.
Driven by the market’s changing landscape, Park says the program should be widely embraced by the electronics industry.
“We expect 4K to be adopted very quickly, and we are seeing the market trying to figure it out. People are trying to take advantage of these opportunities, and we are trying to be proactive in providing solutions,” he emphasizes.
Interested in HDMI? Sign up for our free webinar today: 5 Common HDMI Problems & How to Avoid Them
Supporting the testing portion of the its 4K/UltraHD program, Park says the group will label products that complete the testing process with unique, tamper-proof holographic labels that will help to differentiate the products from standard HDMI cables. A soon-to-be-released mobile app will also be made available and this tool will enable manufacturers, distributors and dealers to authenticate any product that carries the Premium HDMI label.
“This will make sure that people get the premium experience that is expected with the program,” says Park. “It ensures consumers get the best 4K experience, especially with HDR and high-frame rate content.”
HDMI Licensing says Premium certified cables could be available as soon as the first quarter of 2016. The group’s president Rob Tobias says that with this program the public can have the peace-of-mind of knowing they are getting what they paid for when they purchase HDMI cables.
“As they upgrade their equipment, consumers expect to fully enjoy the 4K/UltraHD features that the HDMI specification enables,” adds Tobias. “Consumers can easily identify Premium High-Speed HDMI cables and be confident that their new 4K/UltraHD TVs, sources and cables will deliver an ultra-reliable, 4K/UltraHD experience.”
The Premium HDMI Cable Certification Program is currently available to HDMI adopters through HDMI Licensing’s Adopter extranet, and it says ATCs are standing by waiting to accept products to test. The Premium program only applies to wired, copper passive cables.
