14 DAY TRIAL // The IT market is no stranger to odd quarrels but, even so, the recent stance that HDMI Org has taken in regards to DisplayPort to HDMI adapters could be seen as fairly unusual, to say the least.
HDMI, as consumers no doubt know, is a display connectivity standard that has more or less made its way into every sort of video solution out there.
This includes graphics cards, monitors, HDTVs, multimedia players, motherboards with integrated graphics (or where CPUs have built-in video chips), etc.
Then again, there are video cards, laptops and other products that, while lacking an HDMI port, do have other interfaces.
For the mini DisplayPort technology, some manufacturers are selling Mini DisplayPort to HDMI cables.
Turns out that HDMI Org is none too pleased about the existence of such things, as they apparently aren't licensed and, thus, should be taken off shelves.
"The HDMI specification defines an HDMI cable as having only HDMI connectors on the ends. Anything else is not a licensed use of the specification and therefore, not allowed,” HDMI Org reportedly told TechRadar.
"All HDMI products undergo compliance testing as defined by the Compliance Testing Specification. The CTS clearly defines necessary tests for all products defined in the HDMI Specification. Since this new cable product is undefined in the Specification, there are no tests associated with this product. It cannot be tested against the Specification."
HDMI does admit that there might be demand for these cables, but Apple (Mac Systems use DisplayPorts liberally) and other companies still have much to lose in terms of funds, since the cables set to be recalled number in the hundreds of thousands.
"We do recognize that there may be a market need for a cable solution rather than a dongle solution. However, at this time, there is no way to produce these cable products in a licensed manner."