Next gen. video standard UDI proposed to rival HDMI & DVI
Posted on 21/12/05 00:48 by Seán Byrne                             
Next gen. video standard UDI proposed to rival HDMI & DVI

While High-Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI) and Digital Video Interface (DVI) seem to be the two main standards for high definition digital video, leading PC and consumer electronics companies have been working on yet another video interface standard specification, the Unified Display Interface (UDI).  Like DVI, it will be targeted at replacing the VGA standard as well as offering compatibility with the DVI and HDMI standards.

Like the two existing standards, UDI incorporates High-bandwidth Digital Content Protection to protect content streamed over the interface from unauthorised recording, as well as to ensure compatibility with HDTV displays incorporating HDMI and secure playback of upcoming Blu-ray and HD DVD media.  UDI also aims to provide a universal video connection between the PC and display.  As UDI and HDMI share most elements in common, it enables manufacturers to offer products supporting both standards for only a small extra cost. 

Microsoft's Windows Digital Media group currently backs the UDI standard and plans to offer support for UDI in its OS platforms, although it is not clear which versions will offer support.  The main purpose of UDI is to offer a less costly solution compared with existing display standards, ability to be supported on discrete integrated graphics adapters as well as to be compatible with HDMI TDMS.  The UDI Special Interest Group is still working on validating and refining the specification, which they expect to have completed by the 2nd quarter of 2006.

Leading PC and consumer electronics companies today announced that they are working to develop a specification, referred to as the unified display interface (UDI), that is intended to serve as the next-generation digital display interface standard for PCs and provide compatibility with Consumer Electronics (CE) devices.

UDI is targeted to become the new display interface for desktop PCs, workstations, notebook PCs and PC monitors, replacing the aging VGA analog standard and providing guidelines to ensure compatibility with today's DVI standard. Further, as planned, the UDI specification will be fully compatible with HDMI (High-Definition Multimedia Interface), the standard digital interface for High Definition TVs (HDTVs) and advanced CE displays.

UDI will be able to use High-bandwidth Digital Content Protection (HDCP) technology widely deployed in HDMI-compatible products today. As a result, host platforms with UDI connectors will be able to plug into monitors and HDMI-equipped display devices including HDTVs with full content-use rights management and high-definition video compatibility.

For end users, UDI will provide a universal video connection from the computer host to the display, including PC and notebook monitors, HDTVs and projectors. For PC and monitor makers, UDI is intended to enable easy integration with both discrete and integrated graphics controllers, letting OEMs build computer platforms and all-digital LCD monitors that are lower in cost, easier to use and higher in bandwidth.

The full article can be read here.

As HDMI already offers a fairly discrete interface when compared with DVI, it will be interesting to see what the main advantages UDI will offer over HDMI besides possibly an even smaller interface.  Hopefully it will always remain backwards compatible with HDMI and DVI HDCP for all content and not just for what is currently available.  For example, if Blu-ray or HD DVD players decide to incorporate UDI only and use a new copy protection system that requires a compatible display, this would cause problems.  Then again, this is very unlikely going to be the case, especially if both the Blu-ray and HD DVD backers want their players and media to take off and the HDMI founders wount to ensure compatibility between UDI and HDMI equipment.

On the other hand, if all UDI does is offer no more what HDMI already offers besides a more discrete cheaper cable / interface connector, it seems strange to try and reinvent the wheel again when it comes to digital video connectivity between a device an display just to offer something what is already available and quite common with most existing PC display adaptors, HD set-top boxes and displays.  If this is the case, it would better to have just created a more compact HDMI connector, along with an adaptor for backwards compatibility with existing cables, much like how there are discrete versions of USB and Firewire sockets and cable ends.

Feel free to discuss about HDTV and connectivity on our Satellite, HD-TV, Blu-ray and HD-DVD Forum.

Source: Yahoo Financial News

Reactions
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By Ranmacanada, Wednesday 21 December 2005 03:39
woo hoo the current standards are not restrictive enough so lets make a new one to make it even more secure so that we control the content 100%. I love the fact that they say this is "optional", odds are they will just control everything and make certain that we can not do anything without them telling us. bah, I love how all this stuff is supposed to make our lives better, but instead they just make it easier for them to pull the wool over the uneducated eye's
By Hypnosis4U2NV, Wednesday 21 December 2005 06:32
Hypnosis4U2NVThis is getting retarded.. My HDTV supports DVI and now the new up-conversion DVD players support HDMI.. While its not that bad, its also not that good.. I can buy a converter and still connect my player to the DVI port in the back of the TV, but I lose out on the audio.. Now another format that puts us a step back.. This is retarded, really..
By CORRSA, Wednesday 21 December 2005 08:36
as alradt said it will only work for them if we buy it if we dont then it dont work for them spread the word tell your neighbours tell your kids educate them to the corperates ways now at a young age i feel it will be the strength of the teen yr old upwards that will come together and eventually fell the corperate
By professor_nova, Wednesday 21 December 2005 10:01
professor_novaI think the title should be changed. UDI is not to substitute DVI or HDMI. It's to substitute VGA wich is an old standard, and according to the group, is reaching it's limit at WQXGA (2560x1600). With UDI they say it will be possible higher resolutions. It will be compatible with the current interface standards DVI and HDMI. Of course it could all be an excuse to kill VGA and substitute it with a standard with content protection puke
By Dick Rivett, Wednesday 21 December 2005 17:35
How long before they come out with a new keyboard standard with built in DRM. It 'protects' you from talking about anything DMCA related or talking badly about any movie or music cd.
By shimman, Wednesday 21 December 2005 20:26
vga still has tons of life left besides of dvi; it's good thing that intel, ms, samsung, lg, and si image decided to go up against sony backed hdmi as it is expensive & unnecessary end result will be more life for vga & dvi Wink let them fight so that dvd will last longer Wink
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