What is HDMI 2.1a and what new features does it bring?

(Pocket-lint) - Yet different caller HDMI modular volition beryllium announced astatine CES 2022 successful aboriginal January - HDMI 2.1a.

That mightiness travel arsenic a daze to those who person conscionable invested thousands successful a caller TV sporting HDMI 2.1 ports, particularly if they thought they were aboriginal proofed. But, determination mightiness not beryllium origin to interest conscionable yet.

We explicate what HDMI 2.1a plans to bring to the enactment and whether it truly matters.

What is HDMI 2.1a?

The afloat HDMI 2.1a modular is yet to beryllium announced by the HDMI Forum, the corporate that controls HDMI specifications for the galore AV manufacturers. However, The Verge reports that HDMI 2.1a has 1 tiny but important update that manufacturers tin instrumentality successful aboriginal - source-based code mapping (SBTM).

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What is SBTM?

Source-based code mapping is simply a exertion that enables root equipment, specified arsenic a set-top-box oregon games console, to nonstop the nonstop HDR code awesome to your HDR-enabled display. Currently, the show itself sets the tone, which tin alteration based connected the prime of the TV oregon monitor, its brightness, etc.

Usually, it relies connected the idiosyncratic calibrating his, her oregon their TV oregon show to springiness the champion HDR presentation, but with SBTM it should destruct that measurement entirely.

In addition, SBTM could let a show to amusement antithetic tones connected the aforesaid screen, depending connected the root material. For example, if you person thumbnails of aggregate sources connected the aforesaid screen, immoderate successful HDR, others not, the TV oregon show volition acceptable a azygous HDR code implicit the lot. But, with SBTM enabled, each thumbnail could beryllium shown arsenic primitively intended.

As the HDMI Licensing Administator states connected its website, SBTM does not regenerate HDR standards, specified arsenic HLG and HDR10, but it tin assistance simplify optimisation.

Will my TV beryllium compatible with HDMI 2.1a?

It is suggested that manufacturers volition beryllium upgrade their existing HDMI 2.1-enabled TVs done a firmware update. However, that mightiness not adhd each of the caller features coming with HDMI 2.1a.

We await the afloat merchandise notes earlier we'll cognize for sure.

Is determination thing other and does it truly matter?

One different insignificant contented is that, similar different HDMI standards, manufacturers are improbable to person to enactment SBTM to enactment "HDMI 2.1a" connected the TV larboard oregon selling materials. It could extremity up getting a small confusing.

It's worthy noting though that, barroom immoderate different announced features, SBTM sounds similar a nice-to-have but acold from an indispensable technology. Other features, specified arsenic adaptable refresh complaint and 4K 120Hz, are much important and already included successful HDMI 2.1. Your TV's existent quality to play HDR10 and HLG, positive Dolby Vision and HDR10+ wherever applicable, is unaffected.

We'll update erstwhile the caller modular is officially launched during CES 2022.

Writing by Rik Henderson. Originally published connected 30 December 2021.