Mark Corbin, president of Vanco International, recognizes the AV market is about to change and in the middle of all this change is the HDMI 2.1 format. 

Corbin’s company is one of the go-to manufacturers in the custom-installation electronics market for connectivity solutions that include HDMI cables. Now with formats and technologies such as 8K and dynamic HDR becoming increasingly relevant in 2021 the transition to HDMI is rapidly approaching. 

“HDMI 2.1 was introduced at CES a couple of years ago and is a notable update because of its ability to support a range of higher video resolutions and refresh rates, as well as increased bandwidth – from 18Gbps to 48Gbps,” states Corbin.  

“HDMI 2.1-enabled products also open the door to more options, technologies, and creates a whole new market for installers looking to maximize specifications and reduce threat.”

HDMI 2.1 Offers Features to Support Activities that Includes Gaming

Looking back at the HDMI 2.0 format Corbin notes there are lots are great features associated with that platform, including 4K at 60Hz and 4:4:4 chroma subsampling with HDR. 

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According to Corbin, the needs for these features won’t go away any time soon, but with the release of the HDMI 2.1 compliance test specifications products have already hit the market and will continue to hit the market that require HDMI 2.1’s upgraded features. 

“With the HDMI 2.1 compliance test specs that have been released and with certified products continuing to enter the market, more HDMI 2.1 features will need to be supported,” he asserts.

“This doesn’t just include 8K at 60Hz, but also Variable Refresh Rate [VRR], Auto Low Latency Mode [VLLM], eARC, and more. HDMI 2.1 also introduces a brand-new signalling technology called Fixed Rate Link that needs support with certified products.”

Corbin continues by noting that in order to keep the market moving forward integrators will have take advantage of the HDMI 2.1’s specifications by investing in new cabling in order to futureproof their clients’ systems. 

The saving grace in all of this he adds is the fact that HDMI cables are backwards compatible, which eliminates the concern of new and old hardware working together. 

For the time being with 2021 set for an influx of new HDMI 2.1-enable products, Corbin comments that Vanco is awaiting the format’s final testing criteria to ensure its products comply to the format’s standards.

“At Vanco, we, like many other manufacturers of HDMI products, are waiting for the final testing procedures and certifications from the HDMI Group to help ensure our products are compliant with the new set of standards, he adds. 

“We are keeping a very close eye on this technology advancement and intend to incorporate HDMI 2.1 into our future developments to ensure we can provide dealers with the tools they need to future-proof their AV installations for years to come.”