PS3 to have HDMI 1.3 support

[Guruboy]

I thought this was cool, and MG didn't have an article on it.

There is a new version of HDMI connection out called HDMI 1.3 and guess who's got it? The Sony PlayStation 3 will be the first gaming system ever to use the brand new technology which now gives 1080p better color depth and bandwidth.

The new version of HDMI allows for improved bandwidth; whilst the previous version could reach 4.95Gbps, HDMI 1.3 steams ahead with 10.2Gbps.

Also, HDMI 1.3 supports 30-bit, 36-bit and 48-bit color depths allowing for billions of colors to be displayed on your HDTV. Furthermore, it allows for your colors to be displayed more accurately.

In addition, the improved high definition connection format supports new lossless compressed digital audio formats like Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio.

Now with all these new additions, maybe more people will turn to getting the premium package PS3 and perhaps looking at maybe getting a TV that plays 1080p.

[Random]

It sounds great, its just unfortunate I don't have the money.

[born2phrag]

I don't care if Sony want to add HDMI v10 (exaggerating a bit there with the version number lol) support, it STILL doesn't justify a £550 price tag for the premium edition. And the non-premium edition without HDMI, card reader or WiFi (at any price) just doesn't appeal to me. The price of the premium will have to drop to at least £375 before I even think of getting a PS3, however long that'll take.

[Guruboy]

I agree and maintain that waiting for some good price drops and good games after a year or even two is much better than fuming about the price.

Will HDMI 1.3 need to have a TV that has HDMI 1.3 input? I'm confused there.

[born2phrag]

To enable the HDMI 1.3 features, you'll need to have a HDMI 1.3 enabled tv. I see no reason why HDMI won't be backwards compatible with the previous versions of the connection. Obviously the 1.3 features won't be enabled. At least that's what I think.

[Dr. F.G. Hobo]

if it wouldn't be backwards compatible, they would shot themself in the leg :nod:

[FantasyGhost]

New HDMI 1.3 standard adds more reasons to start getting in your PS3 pre-order now

Sony has just confirmed that the PS3 will support super high def in the form of a new HDMI 1.3 standard which it says will, "enable the next generation of HDTVs, PCs and DVD players to transmit and display content in billions of colors with unprecedented vividness and accuracy."

In a joint announcement with its partners Hitachi, Panasonic, Philips and Toshiba, Sony pimps HDMI 1.3 by saying it "more than doubles HDMI's bandwidth and adds support for Deep Color technology, a broader color space, new digital audio formats, automatic audio/video synching capability ("lip sync"), and an optional smaller connector for use with personal photo and video devices. The update reflects the determination of the HDMI founders to ensure HDMI continues evolving ahead of future consumer demands."

Advertisement:Sony boss Ken Kutaragi wasn't slow to point out the advantages for potential PS3 owners (at least, the one's who plump for the more expensive 'premium' model, with the cheaper version not supporting HDMI) saying, "By introducing the next-generation HDMI 1.3 technology, with its high speed and deep colour capabilities, PS3 will push the boundaries of audiovisual quality to the next level of more natural and smoother expression on the latest large flat panel displays."

If HDMI 1.3 lives up to the hype, perhaps that PS3 price tag isn't looking quite so expensive after all. We'll let you digest the HDMI 1.3 specs in the official release below - have a read then let us know if its made you consider a PS3 purchase this November more seriously.

The Official line on HDMI 1.3 capabilities:

Higher speed: HDMI 1.3 increases its single-link bandwidth from 165MHz (4.95 gigabits per second) to 340 MHz (10.2 Gbps) to support the demands of future high definition display devices, such as higher resolutions, Deep Color and high frame rates. In addition, built into the HDMI 1.3 specification is the technical foundation that will let future versions of HDMI reach significantly higher speeds.

Deep color: HDMI 1.3 supports 30-bit, 36-bit and 48-bit (RGB or YCbCr) color depths, up from the 24-bit depths in previous versions of the HDMI specification.

Lets HDTVs and other displays go from millions of colors to billions of colors
Eliminates on-screen color banding, for smooth tonal transitions and subtle gradations between colors
Enables increased contrast ratio
Can represent many times more shades of gray between black and white. At 30-bit pixel depth, four times more shades of gray would be the minimum, and the typical improvement would be eight times or more

Broader color space: HDMI 1.3 removes virtually all limits on color selection.
Next-generation "xvYCC" color space supports 1.8 times as many colors as existing HDTV signals
Lets HDTVs display colors more accurately
Enables displays with more natural and vivid colors

New mini connector: With small portable devices such as HD camcorders and still cameras demanding seamless connectivity to HDTVs, HDMI 1.3 offers a new, smaller form factor connector option.

Lip Sync: Because consumer electronics devices are using increasingly complex digital signal processing to enhance the clarity and detail of the content, synchronization of video and audio in user devices has become a greater challenge and could potentially require complex end-user adjustments. HDMI 1.3 incorporates an automatic audio/video synching capability that allows devices to perform this synchronization automatically with accuracy.

New lossless audio formats: In addition to HDMI's current ability to support high-bandwidth uncompressed digital audio and currently-available compressed formats (such as Dolby Digital and DTS), HDMI 1.3 adds additional support for new, lossless compressed digital audio formats Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master

Source: http://www.computerandvideogames.com/article.php?id=141987

[Tone]

All well and good, but who can afford to buy a new HDTV with HDMI 1.3.. not a lot i bet!

And there is only a small percentage of households that actually own a HDTV in the 1st place.

[FantasyGhost]

TV's available on the market now don't even support 1.3 yet. I'll play on the ps3 with the scart for a few years before getting HDTV. They aren't even available here. Only HDTV Ready which isn't the same because of the resolutions.

[JAGPANZER]

Well at E3 the PS3 demo'd had a composite cable and no HDMI.
Leading some to believe that it wasn't going to support HDMI.
Not correct, however; the PS3 HDMI as it stood at E3 wasn't used
becaused it caused some gfx and audio distortion on HDMI 1.2 sets.

I would imagine they got the codec right now so there should be no
'feedback' on 1.2 enabled HD sets.

Also, this was covered awhile ago here gb.
There might not have been a thread dedicated to lauding HDMI 1.3,
but it was discussed within one of the PS3/Next-Gen threads.

[Guruboy]

The press release by Sony and others as HDMI founder companies happened on June 22nd. I think that three days later when I posted it, it was still news.

TV's available on the market now don't even support 1.3 yet.

True, but how about five months from now when the PS3, along with Blu-Ray, HD-DVD players, all support HDMI 1.3? We're entering new times, HD TVs aren't as high-tech as they once were seen, same goes for the standard DVD. TVs that are HD capable are becomming more and more common, catering to lower and lower budgets. We can now pick up a 15-17 inch HD TV for about $300, sometimes less! Wait until the fall and winter seasons, and HDMI 1.3 will make a lot more sense.

[born2phrag]

True, I read somewhere that industry insiders expect 50" HDTVs to cost under £1000 by the end of next year. So imagine how much a 32" HDTV will cost? Now if that isn't catering to lower budgets, I don't know what is.

[Tone]

Thats all well and good, but no way am i still going to buy a TV that costs a grand, or just under that.. am not made of money, plus things state side always seem to cost a lot less than over here.

[JAGPANZER]

No man, the discussion regarding the HDMI bug of the PS3
was like back in late April early May.

The SCEA announcement was more an answer to all the questions
that were raised regarding whether or not the PS3 would have HDMI at all.

Still no clairification as to the compatibility of 1.2 devices.

[FantasyGhost]

No man, the discussion regarding the HDMI bug of the PS3
was like back in late April early May.

The SCEA announcement was more an answer to all the questions
that were raised regarding whether or not the PS3 would have HDMI at all.

Still no clairification as to the compatibility of 1.2 devices.
Yeah it's true they had backwards compatible issues. I'll see if i can find back the article. And look if there's a sollution made already or not.

Edit:
GDC 2006: Playstation 3 without HDMI (http://www.tgdaily.com/2006/03/24/gdc2006_ps3_no_hdmi)
PS3 needs HDMI 1.3 enabled TVs for HD resolution? (http://www.cdfreaks.com/news/13240)
http://www.hdmi.org/ for more clarification on 1.3 HDMI here's the FAQ on 1.3: http://www.hdmi.org/resourcecenter/hdmi_1_3_faq.asp