HDMI 2.2: 96 GBit/s, new cables and better lip sync
The next generation of HDMI Fixed Rate Link (FRL) technology enables bandwidths of 96 GBit/s, but requires new cables.
Proud presentation of the "prototype packaging" of an upcoming Ultra 96 cable - interestingly labeled 16K, although the resolution does not appear in the official announcements.
(Image: Nico Jurran/c't)
The new specification 2.2 of the digital audio/video interface was officially announced in mid-December. On CES press day, the HDMI Forum, as the party responsible for the specification, and the HDMI Licensing Administrator, Inc. (HDMI LA), as the licensor, announced the details. HDMI 2.2 will transmit a maximum of 96 GBit/s, whereas the previous version 2.1 already reached the limit at 48 GBit/s. Displayport 2.1 achieves 80 Gbit/s in its fastest operating mode, but is largely limited to PC monitors.
(Image:Â HDMI)
Thanks to the higher bandwidth, HDMI 2.2 can, for example, transmit a resolution of 4K/UHD (3840 Ă— 2160 pixels) with a refresh rate of 240 fps (with 4:4:4 at 10 and 12 bits) without compression. With the Display Stream Compression (DSC) specified for HDMI, even 12K (12288 Ă— 6480 pixels) with up to 60 fps is possible. In the private environment, 4K240 is interesting for gamers; otherwise, upcoming data-intensive AR/VR/MR solutions and commercial applications (including displays in stadiums, medical imaging and machine vision) were mentioned as possible areas of application for HDMI 2.2.
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New cables
To be able to use the higher bandwidth, new cables are required, which will bear the name “Ultra96”. There was no more than packaging to be seen, and HDMI LA does not expect any real products before the 3rd quarter. When asked by heise online, it became clear that HDMI Forum and HDMI LA themselves no longer expect passive cables that exceed a length of 12 feet (3.66 meters).
New feature
HDMI 2.2 also introduces a new, improved feature called Latency Indication Protocol (LIP), which is intended to improve synchronization between audio and video. LIP is aimed, for example, at home cinema configurations in which a soundbar is connected to a TV alongside players via the (extended) HDMI audio return channel (e)ARC or in which the signals from some players are fed directly into the TV, while others are fed via an audio/video receiver. The use of different audio or video codecs by the players can result in different latencies, which have not always been compensated for to date.
Heise Medien is an official media partner of CES 2025. (nij)
