[mythtv-users] Building a small front end with HD - hardwaresuggestions

[Michael T. Dean]

On 10/18/2007 08:41 AM, Sean Goodpasture wrote:
> no board that I know of sends the audio over hdmi.
>  
> You should avoid the HDMI headache anyway.  What a busted "standard"
> that was only developed to "protect" content providers.

But, if we ever see true HDMI audio support from a PC, it will provide
for 8-channel PCM (digital) audio output.  This would allow us to do
real surround sound from Myth even when using timestretch without
decoding and re-encoding from/to a lossy digital format (AC-3 and
DTS)--i.e. without the generational loss.

Regardless, now that people are starting to get HDMI-enabled
displays/components/PC's/etc., the new DisplayPort is starting to make
an appearance.  This should replace HDMI in the future (at least in
computers) as it's license-free and supports both audio and video
(despite the name).  Note, though, that DisplayPort signal is not
compatible with DVI or HDMI, so you won't be able to get the adapter
plugs you can with DVI->HDMI or vice versa--you would actually need a
converter (at which point you're better off using DVI or HDMI
directly).  I'm hoping, though, that it completely replaces HDMI because
DisplayPort is license free, but HDMI requires licensing.

Of course, it's also defective by design--it has DisplayPort Content
Protection.  So, just like HDMI, it's DRM-encumbered.

Mike