[eljay]

From this article:

LG Electronics, Samsung Electronics, Sony Pictures Entertainment and Valens Semiconductor have been secretly conspiring to kill HDMI. And today they set their plans into motion, introducing a brand new audiovisual standard, HDBaseT.
...
It supports cable lengths up to 328 feet. The cable can pass HD and 3-D video signals, as well as data through an integrated 100MBit Ethernet connection. That data feed should allow for new internet-connected TV services, such as Google TV which delivers advertising-funded services to TV sets.
...
The standard will begin its rollout later this year. The majority of its volume will hit in 2011.

There seems to be a buzz starting up about this, but it seems unlikely that a group of just four players is going to unseat HDMI...or does it?

 

[Steve0]

Think about it, you wouldnt be limited by the number of inputs on the back of your TV or AV Receiver. When switching devices you wouldnt be switching actual inputs, but would actually just be switching IP Addresses.

The next logical jump is wireless ethernet.

 

[Jake]

it seems unlikely that a group of just four players

Well if it is really cheap (licensing) to add to your product then why not? Also, hold a 10m CAT-6 cable in one hand and a 10m HDMI cable in the other. The weight difference alone is huge. Look at the connectors too? HDMI is like SCSI back in the 90's.

 

[Danno100]

HDMI is a real pain in regards to audio from a PC. I learned that trying to get HD audio thorough HDMI. It is just not meant for the average consumer. Ethernet would be so much easier (easier wireless also). One cable, cheap, easy to use. Bring it on.....

 

[MAXAM]

If they used a slick professional advertising production company to promote their product, this could be a real winner IMHO.

 

[stampeder]

TV business kisses HDMI goodbye

Here's another article about it:

You won't even need to buy a fancy new cable to use it. According to the HDBaseT specification chart, you can "use existing network wiring" with a standard Cat5e/6 LAN cable and an RJ-45 connector. The HDBaseT Alliance, which is made up of the aforementioned electronics companies, has just finalised version 1.0 of the spec, and says it will be available for licensing within the second half of this year.

http://www.thinq.co.uk/2010/7/1/tv-business-kisses-hdmi-goodbye/

 

[timlocke]

I never quite understood why the "new" tv technologies didn't just use off the shelf Gigabit ethernet from the getgo. Cheap and well tried hardware, software drivers for every imaginable use. Easy enough to add a DRM layer in the protocol stack.. Oh well... the NIH complex strikes again.

 

[Hazzard]

What about all my HDMI equipment? My receiver, my TV, the millions of HD cable boxes, etc? Am I missing something? As simple as it might sound to suggest this will replace HDMI (and I have no doubt over time it could) it won't happen overnight and without more consumer backlash.

 

[hugh]

Cripes HDTV's still have Component Cables and S-Video connections and the number of companies signed on is limited.

Even if this becomes popular, my guess is it will be 15 years or more before HDMI is phased out

 

[FrostyButters]

What about all my HDMI equipment? My receiver, my TV, the millions of HD cable boxes, etc? Am I missing something? As simple as it might sound to suggest this will replace HDMI (and I have no doubt over time it could) it won't happen overnight and without more consumer backlash.

I'm sure HDMI will be around for awhile, this is in regards to new devices going forward.

What a fantastic idea!

 

[catatonic]

I think HDMI exists because you simply couldn't get 10 gigabits per second over this type of cheap cable 10 years ago.

 

[Costa]

Exactly! It's hasn't always entirely been the cables, it's the equipment at each end. Nothing wrong with compression if its equals the same quality too imho.

 

[markf]

If or when this happens, the conversion will be very quick for consumers buying new devices. If you have the choice between HDMI or ethernet cables to connect your devices and they both work the same, price is going to dictate you go with ethernet. It would be better to do it now as there is still lots of growth in the TV market, so new converts would have the newer technology.

The potential for this is huge. I have the HDHomerun network tuner and today was wondering why more video services don't use ethernet. I just ran a cord from my kitchen ethernet jack out the window and watched this afternoon's soccer game on my front deck in the shade on my laptop. If I had cable TV, that wouldn't be possible because I couldn't feed the uncompressed, high quality HD image to the computer (I know I could run coax with a USB tuner, but ethernet is much more versatile. I know I'm a bit of a geek so ethernet appeals to me in that way, but for most others, not having to buy $30+ cables would be a big bonus.

As a technology consumers, people have to realize things will constantly evolve. The stuff you have now will continue to work, just newer components will require new connectors. I still have a TV (about 10 years old) in my basement that only has coax in. I have to hook up a VCR to connect any composite (red, yellow, white). No chance at component, HDMI, etc. Should I feel ripped off now that there is HD and Bluray?

 

[Alan Bealby]

Am I missing something? When I watch the video, it seemed they were just inserting an Ethernet cable to extend a HDMI cable . That is the Blu-ray player was connected to a new box with a HDMI cable and then an Ethernet cable out of the new box to another new box which then connected to the TV by an HDMI cable. Not exactly replacing HDMI cable.

I realize that this omits some extra functionality that can be provided by this technology but it does not replace HDMI cables anytime soon. You are not going to be able to plug in a Ethernet cable into a Blu-ray player and then plug the other end directly into a TV and have audio/video at the TV anytime soon.

 

[Jake]

Am I missing something?

Yes watch the video again. It is explained. What you see in the external boxes will be embedded into a chip. The chip will be inside the sink and source.

 

[Alan Bealby]

Ah. So my AV gear is going to have to support composite video, S-Video, component video, HDMI, HDbaseT and on it goes. I must admit I like the sound of a cable lighter and capable of longer runs than HDMI but another standard for AV connections so soon after HDMI.

 

[polaris]

The potential here is for having intranet and internet connected devices throughout your home and other locations. Its not just for AV. LG makes a lot of fridges!

 

[David Susilo]

this is crazy. another change for the sake of change.

 

[Phage]

Monster Cables Inc. is not going to like this either!

 

[David Susilo]

nah, they'll come up with THX certified version of the cable ROFL!