From material world to digital world … As we head into the latter part of this decade, we are moving more towards a digital world then ever before…and faster than ever before. It’s no wonder that a lot of us are having difficulty keeping up with the latest innovations. Unless you constantly embrace all things techie, you probably feel a bit overwhelmed, or maybe even a little bit behind, when it comes to the latest in digital technology.
We could write volumes about what is up and coming in electronics technology, so perhaps let’s start with something that we can all relate to, something that would be near impossible to live without. Our televisions. Loads of people have already made the switch to high definition, flat panel digital TVs, but many are still in the dark on how to use high definition programming and cable features to their fullest. Get ready to take a crash course!
HDMI? What does that mean?
With HDTVs everywhere we look, you keep seeing the phrase HDMI all over the place. What does that mean? HDMI stands for High Definition Multimedia Interface and is the all-digital cable connection from any audio/video source (including cable boxes, DVD players, and audio receivers) to televisions or monitors. HDMI cables transmit uncompressed digital video and audio content to audio/video entertainment systems that support HDMI. In layman’s terms, instead of using oodles of cables for audio and video equipment hookup, an HDMI-capable TV only requires a single HDMI cable to receive and display the highest quality in audio and video entertainment.
Okay. Easier hookup, less cables. Got it. But besides that, why would I choose to hookup through HDMI instead of other video interfaces such as component video?
Besides the ease of utilizing only one cable when hooking up or upgrading your video entertainment, HDMI offers a lot of valuable advantages over the other interfaces. It provides the best picture quality available because there is no need for the analog-digital conversions that are required through the other connections.
With HDMI, you also get the finest in sound quality because HDMI connection maintains the audio in its pure digital form. HDMI can also support true Dolby Digital sound and DTS-HS audio formats. These formats can not be carried through analog audio connections, such as component video.
Can I use HDMI cables with my existing TVs?
Depends. If your current televisions support 720p, 1080i or 1080p, then you can take advantage of all HDMI has to offer.