HDTV Magazine
(Not logged in)  Sign In  |  Register  |  HelpHelp
Free HDTV Magazine Daily:
Rodolfo La Maestra HDMI Part 7 - Type A and B Connectors (Did You Know a Type B Existed?)
By Rodolfo La Maestra
Senior Technical Director
Posted on August 22, 2006
Category: Technology
 Add to NewsvineNewsvine Add to Del.icio.usDel.icio.us Save ArticleSave Email ArticleEmail Print ArticlePrint
Receive instant notification of new articles: Register Now to receive notification of new HDTV Magazine Articles via email as soon as they are published.
Digg This

There are several TVs that already support 1080p60 on HDMI (using Type A) and there are quite a few other video processors, projectors, etc. that have been out for years that support 1080p60 on HDMI (Type A). 1080p60 was supported since HDMI 1.0.

There are no products with Type B connectors, and there is no relationship between 1080p60 (148.5MHz speed) and Type B. None of the Primary or Secondary formats requires use of Type B.HDMI Mini Connector They can all be (and are) handled on Type A. Considering that HDMI 1.3 just raised the speed of HDMI Type A from 165MHz to 340MHz, there may never be a need for Type B and you will probably not see a Type B connector for many years.

The new Type C mini-connector (shown here) that is part of HDMI 1.3 contains the same number of pins as the Type A connector and targeted to the HDMI camcorders and digital still cameras.


Dual Link

Although the information released officially by HDMI does not indicate that a dual link version would be capable to double up the 10.2Gbps bandwidth capacity of 1.3 to 20.4 Gbps using the type B connector/cable (such as the original DVI and HDMI did with single at 4.95Gbps and double link at 9.9Gbps), it was informally confirmed that the potential exists, but there is no definition of a specific cross over frequency.

Furthermore, Joseph Lee explains, DVI specifies a maximum single link bandwidth of 4.95Gbps, and higher frequencies must implement the dual link configuration. DVI's dual link option has been generally viewed by the PC industry as a high cost solution as all cables & connector must be burdened with the extra pins & wires for dual link, yet it is at times difficult for the consumer to know whether a product is dual link capable or not.

Technically the Type B dual link solution could be implemented by a manufacturer. However, there has been little interest by the industry to use the Type B connector (in fact, this connector is not in production by any cable or connector manufacturers) since the HDMI single link solution with the Type A connector has more than adequate bandwidth for the vast majority for mainstream and high end CE & PC applications.

Both the HDMI & DVI specifications have no upper limit to maximum speeds when using the DVI or Type B dual link connectors, so the maximum bandwidth is dictated solely by the availability of electronics that can support higher bandwidths.

Therefore, it is possible from a specification point of view to have a 20.4Gbps or higher interface when using HDMI with a dual link connector, but this speed will be dictated by the availability of the semiconductor and other electronics. In addition, as the HDMI 1.3 press release mentions, the technology foundation has been set for HDMI to further increase the single link bandwidths to higher speeds in the future specifications.


Stay tuned for Part 8 "Cables for 1.3" (oh no! snake oil! the sensitive cable subject!)

Posted by Rodolfo La Maestra, August 22, 2006 07:38 AM

Reader Commentary

See Forum Topic: HDMI Part 7 - Type A and B Connectors (Did You Know a Type B (0 replies)
Showing only excerpts from 0 out of 1, Read More

More on Technology

More from Rodolfo La Maestra

About Rodolfo La Maestra

Rodolfo La Maestra is the Senior Technical Director at HDTV Magazine and participated in the HDTV vision since the late 1980's. In the late 1990's, he began tracking all HDTV consumer equipment, and since 2002 he authors the annual HDTV Technology Review report covering HDTVs, Hi-def DVD, content providers, broadcast, cable, satellite, government, standards, connectivity, content protection, H/DTV tuners and DVRs, etc. In addition Rodolfo has authored a variety tutorials, books, and educative articles for HDTV Magazine, DVDetc, and HDTVetc Magazines, Veritas et Visus Newsletter, Display Search, and served as technical consultant/editor for the "Reference Guide" and the "HDTV Glossary of Terms" for HDTVetc and HDTV Magazines. In 2004, he began recording a weekly HDTV technology program for MD Cable television, which by 2006 reached the rating of second most viewed by the public, here is the opening episode.

Rodolfo's background encompasses Electronic Engineering, Computer Science, and Audio and Video Electronics, over 4,700 hours of professional training, a BS in Computer and Information Systems, and over thirty professional and post-graduate certifications, some from American, George Washington, and MIT Universities. Rodolfo was also Computer Science professor for over 700 students in five institutions between 1966-1973 in Argentina, for IBM, Burroughs, and Honeywell mainframes. After 38 years of computer systems career, Rodolfo retired in 2003 as Chief of Systems Development from the Inter-American Development Bank where he directed 65 software-development computer professionals, supporting member countries in north/central/south America 24x7.

In parallel, from 1998 he helped the public with his other career of audio/video electronics. Rodolfo started with hi-end audio in the early 60’s and merged with Home Theater video, multichannel audio, widescreen laser disc, anamorphic DVD, 16x9 NTSC displays, HDTV, Hi-def DVD, IPTV, HDMI, and 2.35:1 Cinemascope HD Home Theater over the past 40+ years.

When HDTV started airing in November 1998, he was an early adopter of HDTV and realized that the technology as implemented would overwhelm regular consumers due to its complexity, and it certainly does even today. Rodolfo then launched his HDTV mission of educating and helping consumers understand the complexity, the challenge, and the beauty of the technology, so the public learns to appreciate HDTV not just as another television.