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VESA's Mobility DisplayPort standard links smartphones to PC displays, jabs MHL

If you own a modern Android smartphone, there's a reasonable chance you're familiar with MHL for video out to a TV. The format saves the trouble of adding an extra port, but it's really only intended for HDMI-based destinations and occasionally runs into compatibility issues. VESA is hoping to settle all that with its newly available Mobility DisplayPort standard, or MyDP. Existing micro-USB ports will still serve as the output, but you'll have the option of plugging into DVI or VGA displays with the right adapter, in addition to HDMI and full-size DisplayPort. Picture connecting to an older projector and you'll see why that might make sense. The new spec will charge up your device like with MHL, but it also has about 1Mbps of bandwidth for input, such as keyboards and trackpads in some future lapdock. Video still tops out at 1080p and 60Hz, so there's no hooking into a 4K display here. The real advantage, for many, is simply in having a broadly-adopted standard in the first place: VESA backing sees 180 companies tacitly endorsing the idea, producing a big improvement over the patchwork results that we've seen from MHL's much smaller alliance. The chief obstacle is the wait for the first smartphones, Ultrabooks and tablets with MyDP, which could be months or more away.


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VESA Enables Mobile Devices to Share Full HD Video and 3D Content on Any Display With Release of MyDP Standard

New Mobility DisplayPort (MyDP) Standard Delivers Industry's Highest Mobile-to-Display Resolution through Existing Data Connectors

NEWARK, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The Video Electronics Standards Association (VESA®) today announced the release of the Mobility DisplayPort™ (MyDP) Standard. MyDP is an extension of the DisplayPort connectivity standard that enables mobile devices to share high-definition video, audio, and 3D content with the broad universe of larger external displays through common, widely adopted connectors. Offering the industry's highest mobile-to-display image resolution, MyDP allows consumers to experience their mobile content in full, uncompressed 1080p (HDTV).

"Today's mobile devices with powerful processors and mass storage capacities have become the new hub of media content," said Soumendra Mohanty, senior director of marketing for Analogix. "However, consumers wish to experience their mobile content in a more diverse manner, beyond what a four-inch screen can offer. MyDP gives the industry a standard interface to break down screen size limitations, and Analogix is ready today with its compatible SlimPort products."

With the MyDP standard, high-quality audio, video, and 3D content can be shared from a mobile device to a larger external DisplayPort or HDMI equipped display, including a PC monitor, digital signage display or HDTV, using the micro-USB connector found on the majority of smartphones and tablets. By leveraging a simple passive cable, consumers can instantly experience their content at 1080P full HD resolution, 24-bit color, and 60Hz. Consumers can also access the millions of legacy DVI and VGA displays, projectors and TVs through the use of MyDP adaptors and active converters. The MyDP interface also includes a robust 1Mbps sideband channel that provides enough bandwidth to support accessory functions including multi-touch, keyboard, mouse, and remote control of the external display. Furthermore, MyDP enables charging of the mobile device battery, through the MyDP cable, from the power provided by the DisplayPort-enabled display, while content is enjoyed.

"MyDP is a win-win for consumers and technology manufacturers," said Ganesh Tekkatte, senior product marketing manager at STMicroelectronics. "MyDP is simple and flexible allowing content to be shared with today's displays through common connectors that are widely adopted, and will support the advanced media and connectivity standards through the foreseeable future."

Backed by VESA's nearly 180 member companies, MyDP adoption is expected in next-generation tablets, ultrabooks, and smartphones, with the first products scheduled to ship in the fourth quarter of 2012. MyDP's simple plug-and-play functionality with any external display benefits the entire mobile ecosystem by enabling better experiences and the delivery of new features and services. Consumers will benefit from the entertainment and productivity value of viewing and editing mobile content on a large screen; hardware manufacturers can evolve their systems to have more robust business and gaming features; software developers can create more mobile-centric office and 3D entertainment apps; and carriers can provide a variety of new value-added services to leverage data plans and sell accessories like cables, docking stations, and more.

"Consumers expect their mobile devices to interface with other CE products. However, in order to get this functionality, consumers are often forced to either purchase products from a single vendor, or leverage interfaces that have limited industry backing and adoption," said Bill Lempesis, executive director of VESA. "MyDP is an open standard that is backed by a large ecosystem of the leading technology companies. This gives consumers the ability to choose the devices they want, and share whatever content wherever they go."

For more information about MyDP, please visit http://www.displayport.org. For more information about VESA, please visit http://www.vesa.org/ or connect with us on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.