[geeks] Whee! Lightning strikes, AGAIN!

[Joshua Boyd]

On Tue, Jul 28, 2009 at 11:06:55AM -0400, Phil Stracchino wrote:
> Joshua Boyd wrote:
> > On Mon, Jul 27, 2009 at 05:36:00PM -0400, Phil Stracchino wrote:
> > 
> >> As mentioned elsewhere, I really wish the world had long since switched
> >> over to fiber not just for networking, but for pretty much all other
> >> data-only connections.  Imagine how much easier it would be hooking up a
> >> hi-fi/home theater system if each component - including the TV monitor -
> >> required only a single optical cable to connect it to the receiver.
> > 
> > It isn't fiber, but isn't HDMI already only a single cable to connect it
> > to whatever?  There are certainly plenty of bad things to say about HDMI
> > though. 
> 
> It's a single cable and connector, sure, but even with 26-gauge
> conductors the cable is close to a half-inch thick.  And as (I infer)
> you note, HDMI currently implies HDCP.

Actually, I think 28 guage is quite common. 

Although HDCP is a big issue, it wasn't what I was thinking about.
Instead I was thinking about the difficulty in doing long HDMI runs, as
well as the connectors that don't lock securely, and of course the
licensing issues (which effect even devices that don't support HDCP at
all) and Silicon Image's near monopoly on the stuff (they own the
licensing company, they own the validation company, and they are the
primary supplier of chips).  Dis-satisfaction with the business aspects
of HDMI was what led to the creation of displayport (although it may be
too late for display port to kick out HDMI).