Hdmi 1.3

[DrB]

Anyone knows if the latest scalers can be "upgraded" to HDMI 1.3. Its not the sound bit which interests me but the deep color ability. The specific scaler of interest is the Crystalio II.

[chambeaj]

Originally Posted by DrB

Anyone knows if the latest scalers can be "upgraded" to HDMI 1.3. Its not the sound bit which interests me but the deep color ability. The specific scaler of interest is the Crystalio II.

Upgrading to HDMI 1.3 requires hardware (i.e. HDMI chipset) change. So no chance unless the manufacturer explicitly states that they will offer a hardware upgrade programme (highly unlikely).

[madshi]

Originally Posted by chambeaj

Upgrading to HDMI 1.3 requires hardware (i.e. HDMI chipset) change. So no chance unless the manufacturer explicitly states that they will offer a hardware upgrade programme (highly unlikely).

What he said.

Lumagen is hoping to use HDMI 1.3 for the Lumagen Radiance. Of course that will only work out, if HDMI 1.3 chips are available in time.

[Nic Rhodes]

I would asume that virtually no equipment will have an upgrade path, VP or other.

[Stephen Neal]

Presumably this is only particularly useful for HDMI sources that generate a high bit-depth output.

AIUI only BluRay includes compatibility with >8 bit depth YCrCb material (I think it allows for the 10 bit and 12 bit 4:2:2 extended modes of H264 on-disc) - certainly AFAIK broadcast sources (Sky HD, BBC HD etc.) are all likely to remain 8 bit 4:2:0 YCrCb.

[madshi]

Originally Posted by Stephen Neal

AIUI only BluRay includes compatibility with >8 bit depth YCrCb material (I think it allows for the 10 bit and 12 bit 4:2:2 extended modes of H264 on-disc)

That's news to me! Do you have a link for that? Do you know how HD-DVD behaves in this regard? Thanks!

[Stephen Neal]

Originally Posted by madshi

That's news to me! Do you have a link for that? Do you know how HD-DVD behaves in this regard? Thanks!

Can't be certain, but I remember reading a discussion that suggested (so only a poor recollection of potentially ill-informed gossip!) that BluRay was the only platform that included the optional H264 support for >8bit colour depths, and 4:2:2 / 4:4:4 in addition to 4:2:0 chroma.

The suggestion was that HD-DVD was 8 bit 4:2:0 only - as would be expected for a strictly domestic format (with a reduced capacity). BluRay has increased capacity - and is part of a wider strategy for Sony. (Their broadcast XDCam SD and HD camcorders use elements of BluRay technology for example)

Of course there is absolutely no guarantee that any commercial releases will release material with a higher bit depth and better chroma - though it could be useful in other applications. (Say where you master your own material for a specific application - such as feeding a large format screen)

[steve-p]

There's some quite good info here about Blue-ray and HD DVD capabilities:

http://www.digital-digest.com/highdefdvd/faq.html