When do you need an HDMI interface?

At present, many flat-panel TVs are equipped with HDMI interfaces, including LCD, plasma, LCD rear projection, DLP rear projection, LCD projection, DLP projection, etc. Not only do flat-panel TVs have HDMI interfaces, but many high-end DVDs are also equipped with HDMI interfaces, and even some domestic low-priced DVDs have launched HDMI interfaces. Careful readers will find that there is a big difference in price between flat-panel TVs of the same brand, series, and size with or without HDMI, ranging from 7,000 yuan. For example, SONY Broad Crystal LCD TV V40 has HDMI, which is 7,000 yuan higher than S40 without HDMI, and the difference is also one or two thousand yuan. At the current price, 7,000 yuan can buy a domestic 32-inch LCD TV, and even 1,000 yuan can buy a very good DVD. Therefore, many people are troubled by whether they need to buy a flat-panel TV with HDMI interface.

HDMI, or High Definition Multimedia Interface, is the abbreviation of High Definition Multimedia Interface. In April 2002, seven companies, including Hitachi, Panasonic, Philips, Sony, Thomson, Toshiba and Silicon Image, jointly formed the HDMI organization. HDMI can transmit uncompressed high-definition video and multi-channel audio data with high quality, and the maximum data transmission speed is 5Gbps. HDMI can not only meet the current highest picture quality 1080P resolution, but also support the most advanced digital audio formats such as DVD Audio, support eight-channel 96kHz or stereo 192kHz digital audio transmission, and only use one HDMI cable to connect, eliminating the need for digital audio wiring. At the same time, the extra space provided by the HDMI standard can be used in future upgraded audio and video formats. Compared with DVI, the HDMI interface is smaller in size and can transmit audio and video signals at the same time. The cable length of DVI cannot exceed 8 meters, otherwise it will affect the picture quality, while HDMI basically has no cable length limit. Just one HDMI cable can replace up to 13 analog transmission cables, which can effectively solve the problem of messy and tangled connections behind the home entertainment system.

So, under what circumstances do you need to buy a flat-screen TV with an HDMI interface? Who doesn't need to buy one?

Watching ordinary cable programs

Ordinary cable programs are all analog signals. If you buy a flat-screen TV just to watch ordinary cable programs, there is no need to waste money and buy a useless HDMI flat-screen TV. Cable signals can only be input through ordinary cable interfaces. HDMI is a digital interface and is not used at all.

Watching digital cable programs

At present, all places are accelerating the work of digital cable conversion. It won't take long before many places can watch digital cable TV. No matter where you are, you need to use a set-top box to connect to the TV to watch digital cable TV. Even the most advanced flat-screen TVs cannot be directly connected to the cable TV cable to watch digital programs. They must be decoded by the set-top box to watch.

Does it mean that you need an HDMI interface to watch digital TV? The digital cable that is currently being vigorously promoted generally uses set-top boxes that only have AV and S terminal outputs. Very few have color difference outputs, and some don't even have S terminal interfaces. It is almost impossible and unnecessary to let the set-top box provide an HDMI interface. So if you plan to watch digital TV programs that are being vigorously promoted, there is absolutely no need to buy a flat-screen TV with an HDMI interface.

Watching DVD

DVD itself can provide color difference signal. For ordinary people, directly connecting it to a flat-screen TV with a color difference cable is already very good.

At present, there are many types of DVDs with HDMI interfaces, and there are more than 20 brands or models of products on the market. Since the DVD signal itself is digital, if it is connected to a flat-screen TV through the HDMI interface, the signal can be processed completely within the digital range without going through the digital-to-analog conversion inside the DVD player and the analog-to-digital conversion circuit inside the flat-screen TV. The signal quality is guaranteed to the maximum extent, which is very attractive to enthusiasts who pursue high-quality images.

HDMI can also process DVD480P level images into 1280*720 or 1920*1080 level high-definition formats, providing a stage for the high-resolution of flat-screen TVs. However, it is necessary to remind readers that the clarity of this high-definition processed signal is not improved at all. It is just converted into a high-definition image format. It seems that the effect has improved to a certain extent, but it is still not true high-definition.

The HDMI interface of DVD can also transmit DOLBY DIGITAL and DTS digital audio signals, but there are still few amplifiers with HDMI interfaces at present, and the price is still very high. For enthusiasts, the thousands of dollars are worth it.

Download HDTV with HTPC

Currently, there are a lot of 1080 or 720 HDTV programs on the Internet, and many friends use computers to download and play HDTV. To download high-definition programs, you must use HTPC. HTPC is the abbreviation of Home Theater Personal Computer, which means home theater computer. The configuration requirements of HTPC are relatively high, requiring P4 2.4G or above, dual-channel memory 512M or above, and high-end graphics card. The graphics card is required to support 1920*1080 HD format and have an HDMI interface. Only under HDMI conditions can the effect of HDTV be brought to the best state. In this way, it is required to have a flat-screen TV with an HDMI interface.

At present, there is also a product called HDTV player, which is equivalent to HTPC. It can store HDTV programs with hard disks and play HDTV programs with DVD discs. It is equipped with HDMI interface and requires an HDMI flat-screen TV.

Watch CCTV HD

Starting from January 1 this year, CCTV HD video channel officially started broadcasting, and more than 40 cities across the country will be able to receive it through cable TV systems.

To receive CCTV HD via cable, a dedicated HD set-top box is required. Currently, Panasonic's HD set-top box is equipped with an HDMI interface. Although there is also an analog 1080i color difference output, in order to achieve the highest level of HDTV, HDMI must be used to achieve full digitalization. In this way, you also need to buy a flat-screen TV with an HDMI interface. HDMI is the fundamental guarantee for achieving HD effects.

A new generation of HD DVD or game consoles

The news just came out shows that the new generation of HD disc players, HD DVD, will be officially launched on March 88 this year, and BD Blu-ray HD will also be launched in the second half of the year. It is expected that more than 200 discs will be released for HD DVD alone this year. Both of these HD disc players use the AACS copyright protection system. According to the regulations of AACS, HD signals cannot be output using analog color difference, and HD signals must use the HDMI interface. If you plan to buy HD DVD or BD, you must also buy a flat-screen TV with an HDMI interface, and it must pass the HDCP certification.

The PS3 game console is also HD, and the disc system that comes with it is a BD drive, which also has an HDMI interface. XBOX360 has also been confirmed to be equipped with an external HD DVD drive, which is a high-definition system. The current details are still unclear, but if you want to play XBOX360, you must buy a flat-screen TV with an HDMI interface to be prepared.

HDMI, in essence, should be a basic interface that digital TVs and flat-screen TVs should have. It is a basic digital channel and communication platform. The current HDMI interface is somewhat similar to the color difference interface a few years ago. When DVDs were first launched, TVs with color difference interfaces were rare. Although the price of HDMI interfaces and cables is relatively expensive now, I believe that within two years, HDMI will become a basic configuration of flat-screen TVs.