Make Sure HDMI Products Are Licensed And Certified

May 25, 2021

Sales of consumer electronics grew sharply last year, and 2021 is shaping up to be a banner year as well.

Enabled with HDMI® 2.1 features, many products are creating quite a bit of buzz as they elevate the entertainment experience with video resolutions and refresh rates of 4K@120 Hz and 8K@60 Hz and incredible immersive audio with Enhanced Audio Return Channel (eARC) support for high bitrate audio formats like Dolby Atmos and DTS:X.

Most major TV manufacturers also are including advanced gaming features, such as Variable Refresh Rate (VRR), Auto Low Latency Mode (ALLM) and Quick Frame Transport (QFT), to get the most from the new Xbox Series X and Sony PlayStation 5 consoles and new HDMI 2.1 gaming laptops and PCs.

To ensure consumers truly experience this level of entertainment and reduce product returns, it’s important that resellers guard against selling unlicensed, untested, uncertified and counterfeit products.

Help Is Available – The Licensed HDMI Technology Ecosystem

Consumer electronics and cables are part of the HDMI technology ecosystem, which starts with manufacturers becoming licensed HDMI Adopters who may access and use HDMI specifications as well as HDMI trademarks and logos.

The HDMI founders produced the 1.4b specification, and since 2013 the HDMI Forum has created all subsequent versions, including the most recent Specification Version 2.1. The member companies in the HDMI Forum collaborate on specifications and produce the Compliance Test Specification (CTS) to test and certify compliance. Testing and certification for HDMI 2.1-enabled products take place at HDMI Forum Authorized Test Centers (HDMI Forum ATCs).

Special HDMI Cable Certification

There are always questions about HDMI cables. All HDMI cables must be tested for compliance with the specification, and the HDMI Licensing Administrator (HDMI LA) administers two special certification programs for added compliance assurance with anticounterfeiting labeling.

The Premium HDMI® Cable Certification Program for Premium High Speed HDMI Cables adds testing to ensure support for 4K@60 Hz, 18 Gbps bandwidth and low electromagnetic interference (EMI). All lengths of cables must be tested at HDMI ATCs and are required to display the Premium Cable Certification Label for verification of compliance and to prevent counterfeiting. More info: https://hdmi.org/spec/premiumcable.

The recently launched Ultra High Speed HDMI® Cable Certification Program supports the new Ultra High Speed HDMI Cables from the HDMI 2.1 specification. It’s the only cable that complies with the stringent specifications to ensure support for ALL HDMI 2.1 features, including uncompressed 8K@60 Hz and 4K@120 Hz and increased bandwidth of up to 48 Gbps.

Mandatory for all Ultra High Speed HDMI Cables, the program ensures quality cables support those resolutions and refresh rates as well as dynamic , VRR, eARC and all other HDMI 2.1 features. All lengths must pass testing at an HDMI Forum ATC, including testing to meet current low EMI requirements. Certified cables must bear an Ultra High Speed HDMI Certification Label on each package.

More info: https://hdmi.org/spec21Sub/UltraHighSpeedCable.

Both programs use the HDMI LA proprietary HDMI Cable Certification scanning app to enable users to verify certification and check the reseller brand and cable length. HDMI LA also conducts audits of the marketplace to ensure both HDMI cables continue to pass certification testing during their product lives. More information is available at HDMI.org.

The terms HDMI, HDMI High-Definition Multimedia Interface, Premium HDMI Cable Certification Program, Ultra High Speed HDMI Cable Certification Program, and the Premium HDMI Cable Certification Label, Ultra High Speed HDMI Certification Label, and HDMI Logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of HDMI Licensing Administrator, Inc.

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