What You Need to Know About HDMI 2.1 and 8K TVs in 2019
You’ll hear a lot about HDMI 2.1 in 2019 . This is the latest version of the audio / video format that consumers have been using since it replaced previous audio / video connections nearly two decades ago, and with 8K TVs poised to take a hit. entering your living room, HDMI 2.1 is a necessary and welcome upgrade.
While the HDMI 2.1 ports and cables will look identical to the ones we are using now, this latest update, which will inevitably replace the HDMI 2.0 standard introduced in 2013, has a few differences from previous versions. It is packed with new features and will deliver incredibly high quality video. In addition, it is more complex and limited in some respects than previous HDMI versions.
This guide will explain the differences between HDMI 2.1 and the current 2.0, what this means for your TV and home theater, and whether or not you should buy a new TV because of it (spoiler: not worth it).
HDMI 2.1 versus 2.0 (both 2.0a and 2.0b)
HDMI technology has undergone several changes and updates over the years. The current standard, HDMI 2.0, replaced HDMI 1.4 in 2013 and updated the technology to support 4K Ultra High Def (UHD) video at 60 frames per second, as well as a number of AV features. What’s more, you didn’t have to travel to dusty lands behind your TV and change all your HDMI cables.
The two interstitial updates – 2.0a and 2.0b – expand HDR support for HDMI 2.0, but are otherwise identical to 2.0 and also use the same cables.
On the other hand, HDMI 2.1 is a very different beast.
The main difference is that HDMI 2.1 increases the maximum signal bandwidth from 18 Gbps (HDMI 2.0) to 48 Gbps, which provides video resolutions up to 10K and frame rates up to 120 frames per second – numbers that seem completely unnecessary. considering the current hardware realities, but impressive nonetheless. … And with the demands of tomorrow so you (hopefully) don’t have to upgrade cables or connectors for some time.
HDMI 2.1 also offers a number of other A / V features and enhancements, including:
- Dynamic HDR that can change HDR settings for frame-by-frame playback.
- Enhanced Audio Return Channel (eARC) , which enables object-based surround sound formats such as Dolby Atmos.
- Variable refresh rate (VRR) , fast frame rate (QFT ), and automatic low latency mode (ALLM) , which are useful for video games as they reduce input lag, latency, and refresh rate for smoother, more accurate gameplay.
- Quick Media Switching (QMS) , which removes the lag when switching between resolutions and frame rates.
Aside from higher signal bandwidth and new features, another notable difference between HDMI 2.0 and 2.1 is that 2.1 will require new cables, which HDMI 2.0 did not, despite being a significant leap from HDMI 1.4.
Called “ultra high speed” cables, these new cables offer higher resolution and higher refresh rates, but you don’t have to worry about buying them anytime soon. Super speed cables are only required for higher resolutions and frame rates, while additional HDMI 2.1 features (such as eARC, Dynamic HDR, and latency reduction benefits) are compatible with most modern HDMI cables .
Unfortunately, it is not possible to update an existing HDMI 2.0 device to support HDMI 2.1 features through firmware or software updates; The only way to use HDMI 2.1 features is to connect your HDMI 2.1 device to an HDMI 2.1-capable TV (even if the connection is not using an Ultra High Speed HDMI cable).
However, this is where the confusion arises. “HDMI 2.1 support” can mean different things depending on the device.
HDMI 2.1 versus … HDMI 2.1?
Technically, TV manufacturers can legitimately advertise that their TVs have HDMI 2.1 ports, even if they don’t support the ultra high definition or frame rates that HDMI 2.1 supports. TVs just need to support some HDMI 2.1 features , and manufacturers need to be open about what their kits have and what they don’t, which is exactly what you’ll see in the first wave of HDMI 2.1 TVs.
Of course, the stripped-down version of HDMI 2.1 makes sense for some TVs – you might not care if your new TV can’t output at 120fps, given that there is virtually no content you can watch right now, but you’re going to want to carefully refer to HDMI 2.1 marketing when buying new TVs in the future. (That said, you probably shouldn’t buy an 8K TV in 2019 anyway.)
What’s wrong with the 8K TV?
Moving to 8K Full Ultra High Def (FUHD) and HDMI 2.1 screens won’t make your current TV obsolete as HDMI 2.0 and 4K UHD content / device will stay relevant for quite some time.
8K may seem like another exciting leap in visual fidelity, and many of the AV improvements from HDMI 2.1 are likely to be amazing , but there isn’t enough 8K content to justify the astronomical spending of an 8K TV, and it probably won’t. quite a while. Yes, this is the same argument everyone has been talking about 4K TVs, but think about it: 4K content is still new to most people, and 4K TVs are still somewhat unnecessary for many people , depending on their home settings.
That doesn’t mean there isn’t any 8K content, but it’s paltry, with only a handful of movies and YouTube videos available. 8K Blu-ray and 8K Blu-ray players don’t exist yet, nor do 8K cable boxes or streaming devices. And even when they do, the first generation of 8K TVs will likely not be compatible, as the first models released in 2019 are likely to have incomplete HDMI 2.1 support. In addition, HDMI 2.0 supports 8K video at 24 and 30 frames per second – the frame rate at which most movies and TV shows are shot today.
The only consumers with a legitimate reason to upgrade to HDMI 2.1 earlier than others are gamers and avid home theater fans. Even so, most console gamers will have to wait for big discoveries from Microsoft and Sony – likely in 2020 – which will give TV makers enough time to package as many HDMI 2.1 features (and resolutions) as possible.
In other words, buying an 8K TV now and waiting for everything else to catch up would be a little silly; Buy an 8K TV when you’re ready for an 8K TV because then you have a much better choice than you do now. Maybe TVs will be a little more reasonable in size .