The second generation HDMI chip have loads more pins and there the first generation chips are incompatible with the full HDMI spec ones due at the end of the year (optomistic date?). Something like 68 poins as opposed to the current 40 something. This is why most are avoiding HDMI at the moment.
IEE1394 is however receiving MANY supporters so please don't write it off just yet. It is now on most pc AS STANDARD, HDMI is not and will not be either. [ DVI is for computers and HDMI is for AV]. Most HD Sat set top boxes in US and elsewhere are IEE1394 aware / equipped, NOT HDMI, though a few have a VERY limited DVI capability (big emphasis on limited). D Theater, camcorders and now SACD all use IEEE1394. It is vey effective audio interface (jitter etc) and chips are cheap. It ONLY starts to look expensive when transmitting video where additional MPEG decoder is needed but for audio it is a great solution. I think the future is not HDMI or IEE1394 but BOTH. I have argued this for years to Tag and others. If they just go down the HDMI route, how do I deal with my camcorder, HD Sat box, DTheater and SACD player?
Gandley, sorry if my last post seemed a little strong, wasn't meant to be but I just get frustrated by this HDMI thing and in particuler the HDMI2 thing and HDMI and DVI being identical. THEY ARE NOT.
IEE1394 is here, it has been for ages, it is cheap and it works, it is also the new 'standard' for pro audio, just look at the the pro mags for the huge number of IEEE1394 equipped music devices, it is the future, iit is here now, it is cheap, but is it in your future?