Say it with us now: "Yippee!" Why such joviality? We'll tell you why.
Nokia,
Samsung,
Toshiba,
Sony and Silicon Image have all teamed up to create yet another new connector, with this one hoping to forever harmonize the
strained relationship between mobile phones / PMPs and high-def displays. The so-called Mobile High-Definition Interface Working Group is seeking to create a new "industry standard" for connecting handsets and other portable consumer electronics to HDTVs and displays, though we're still wondering why exactly we need a replacement for HDMI, DisplayLink and the forthcoming
Light Peak so soon. As with most of these things, details about the actual product(s) are slim, but trust us, they're working on it. And they're working
hard.
posted Sep 29th 2009 10:19AM
Toshiba and sony working on some sort of HD standard....oh the irony...
As long as the other end of that cable is HDMI It'll be good.
I'm hoping Toshiba breaks away from the group and starts it's own consortium to create a new 'new' standard that's cheaper so I can break out the popcorn.
Actually, I love it when they come out with new technologies that are incompatible with my barely old devices. I get a warm fuzzy feeling knowing that there are manufacturers out there working hard at making the gadgets I buy obsolete before the next year comes.
They made Cell together.
Why don't they just use mini HDMI? That's why we have mini HDMI!!!!!!
This will be HDMI boiled down to fewer pins on the phone's dock connector, rather than a separate mini-HDMI connector. Mini-HDMI is 19 pins, this is 5 pins. Then a dock converts from MHL to HDMI. Mobile phone makers get to design in a smaller connector, plus charge everyone an extra $90 for a dock or cable. The dock can also power the phone so the battery doesn't go dead while playing video.
I presume the idea is to have a connector that is very small and slim. HDMI is fine but a bit bulky for portable devices. If it means no more docking stations (like Archos or ZuneHD) thats fine by me.
Just give us Mini-HDMI, my compact digital camera uses that, nobody will be interested in new special cables that wont work on their HDTV.
Apple, here come more fees headed your way in near future. :)
Damnit! Say it with me folks: Light peak, light peak, light peak!
No more new "standards", please!
No new standards...like Light Peak?
@NoandThen
Fanboy, fanboy, fanboy
Oh sorry, you were not trying to hide this were you?
As DR House says... Isn't Mini-HDMI that small-form-factor they're looking for?
I mean, I admit that HDMI has its problems (namely the DRM craziness), but it is at least an adopted standard.
just use hdmi dammit
Light Peak or MHDL the HD war continues.
War... War never changes.
I'll be happy with whatever plugs into an existing input on my TV and into a small output on my mobile device. Some kind of mini HDMI would be perfect.
Right now my phone has analog TV-Out which is not too bad, but there is still a lot of room for improvement
And why do they do this? So Apple won't do it for them of course! lol
A complete waste of time! 1) Why on Earth do you want to connect your mobile device to a larger display - with all the hassle involved when it is way better to upload your content (say a photo) to 'the cloud', and then view it on your net connected TV or other device? And we all know, that a year from now (approx) every (new) TV will be offer built in WiFi and/or an Ethernet port for access to the net. 2) As others have said above, why another 'standard' anyway - and if we are to introduce something, Light Peak is the way to go. It is the inevitable future for non wireless connectivity.
Seems to me these guys are looking to make money from selling yet more cables and adapters whilst in denial about Light Peak.
Bandwidth isn't free.
Content like realtime stream (games, movies, etc.) from mobile device to TV through a cloud. Sounds like a great plan.
And I'm pretty sure that this working group was planned pre- Light Peak announcement. At least this is a try to create truly open standard, not just Apple or Intel announcing shit like "Hey we have this thing X. We're not going to cooperate with anyone else. This is the best. We made this."
HDMI type D ("micro HDMI") is the only option. It's the "micro USB" equivalent of HDMI, noticeably smaller than even the type D ("mini HDMI").
http://www.nordichardware.com/news,9268.html
I'd be seriously pissed off if they came up with something other than this.
replying to the only sensible comment here--
yes, hdmi d connector is great-- half the width and half the height of the common type a.
the only sensible upgrade from the hdmi type d would be some kind of wireless spec: wireless hd, or whdi.
Just please don't put the damn connectors on the side and covered with an annoying flap. I want' to be able to charge and sync in my car or using a dock. I'm tired of opening little flaps with my fingernails to insert cables. I want convenience!!!!
"...though we're still wondering why exactly we need a replacement for HDMI, DisplayLink and the forthcoming Light Peak so soon."
Why? Because Sony is involved obviously.
See also Memory Stick, Playstation Portable Movie Format, SACD, Betamax, etc...
You can't compare eg. Memory Stick with Betamax. Betamax was going through the format war which is perfectly fine. Memory Stick on the other hand...that's just the companies cockyness. At least on Xperia X3 (maybe X1 and X2 as well but I don't care about those phones due to the OS) they're using microSD.
The point is Sony always creates proprietary formats vs. going with what the natural industry comes up with. If they occasionally get some people to agree with them ala BluRay it still doesn't change how it starts.
Yeah, but don't forget CDs, 3.5" floppy disks, Betacam and its variants, S/PDIF, AVCHD, Blu-ray and the other evil Sony formats that worked.
Sony can be easy to pick on, but don't get side-tracked. These big companies are coming up with a new standard. It's not just Sony trying to push their weight around as they have done in the past.
Gotta agree with everyone else who suggested micro HDMI. No new nonsensical made up BS connector that won't be supported by anyone not in on the consortium.
As for the few wondering WHY? It's actually handy having an HD output, makes for a great way to show a presentation/rell in a conference room equipped with a flat screen TV or projector with an HDMI in (plus there's that whole 'bring a movie to a friends place thing')
No thanks for micro HDMI. I don't mind something that can be adapted to HDMI (i.e. the other side of the cable can be HDMI) but fully supporting HDMI is against a true consumer's principles. Even though I have MANY devices with that input it can die for all I care. The ability to control what we watch isn't helping the consumer.
"The ability to control what we watch isn't helping the consumer." -- No, but HDMI out doesn't have to mean HDCP.
Mini HDMI will do fine..They just want to impress and make us pay more!!!
If they can merge it into the existing headphone or usb/power jack, great, otherwise, one more jack on portable devices seems a bit much...
Sony isnt the same as SonyEricsson
They should cram it to either micro-USB (new charging standard) or 3.5mm plug (just standard) so the number of sockets/jacks and rubber flaps wouldn't increase. I don't know if it's possible with 3.5mm jack, but surely they can do it with micro-USB.
Light Peak FTW!!!
OK, now I'm looking for more information about it.
Agreed. I HATE docking ports. Use the damn standards, that's what they are there for.
This is not a new connector but more a new standard how those content is sent over the existing connector (actually a micro-USB connector with only 5 pins)...