HDMI Forum has officially released the highly anticipated HDMI 2.2 spec, following its initial announcement at CES. This latest version boasts a significantly increased bandwidth of up to 96Gbps, double that of its predecessor, HDMI 2.1. Notably, the new spec will also encompass devices supporting 64Gbps, 80Gbps, and the full 96Gbps bandwidth.
One of the key highlights of HDMI 2.2 is its support for resolutions of up to 16K at 60Hz or 12K at 120Hz, utilizing display stream compression or chroma subsampling. Additionally, the enhanced bandwidth opens up possibilities for practical improvements in resolutions such as achieving 4K at 240Hz with 10-bit or 12-bit color depth without the need for compression, and true 8K at 60Hz 4:4:4 with 10-bit or 12-bit color depth.
Alongside the resolution advancements, the new spec introduces features like Latency Indication Protocol (LIP), dynamic HDR support, source-based tone mapping (SBTM), enhanced eARC, and enhanced gaming features including VRR, ALLM, and QFT. Moreover, Quick Media Switching (QMS) and HDMI cable power are part of the package.
To ensure seamless compatibility with the increased bandwidth, HDMI Forum has also unveiled a new standard for cables—Ultra96 HDMI, replacing the previous Ultra High Speed HDMI standard. Cables meeting the Ultra96 HDMI spec will be certified by HDMI Forum and bear the Ultra96 Certified Cable label for easy identification.
