New HDMI Format by End of H1 2009

The HDMI Licensing corporation, which is defining the HDMI format, announced that it will deeply revised the current specifications by the end of H1 2009. Among the new features, the 5 most important ones are:
- The HDMI cable will support Ethernet signal
- The support for audio data is back: one will be able to send TV audio information to an A/V recorder only via a HDMI cable.
- Bandwidth will be increase to support forthcoming video format (4kx2k and 3D).
- A new specification of the HDMI port will be defined and designed to be used in cards
- A new compact connector featuring 19 contacts will be developed.
Theses changes are the most important ones announced since the release of the HDMI 1.0 version. However, it will most likely upset customers who invested in HDMI devices expecting that this format was matured and fully defined when it was released… in other words bring new features to push consumers to upgrade or change more frequently their audio/video equipments…