Original URL: http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2005/12/21/unified_display_interface/
A consortium of computing and consumer electronics companies have come together to create the successor to today's DVI and yesterday's VGA display connectors.
The next-generation connector, dubbed the Unified Display Interface (UDI), will provide compatibility with DVI and the HDMI (High Definition Multimedia Interface) currently favoured by HD TVs. The system will also support the HDCP (High-bandwidth Digital Content Protection) anti-piracy specification.
The upshot: a single port that can connect a PC device to any HD TV or monitor, allowing DVI, VGA and possibly even S-Video ports to be ditched from new machines. The timeframe for the technology: look to version 1.0 of the specification being published in Q2 2006. Ultimately, UDI and HDMI are expected to be brought into alignment - essentially, UDI will bring HDMI into the PC arena.
The UDI initiative is being led by Intel and its new best friend, Apple, along with Samsung, LG, Nat Semi and Silicon Image. The likes of Nvidia, Foxconn, JAE Electronics, THine Electronics and FCI are also contributing to the spec.
However, they've got competition. The Video Electronics Standards Association (VESA) has already begun work on DisplayPort, its answer to DVI's successor standard. DisplayPort is set to support both internal and external monitor connections, and can be used with multimedia kit.
The system will sport a new "small, user-friendly connector optimised for use on thin profile notebooks", VESA said when it unveiled its initiative in May 2005. Since then, the basic spec has been developed, and more recently, demonstrations made to consumer electronics companies and PC makers. DisplayPort is backed by ATI, Samsung (again), Nvidia (again), Dell, HP, Molex and others. ®
Samsung parades 30in screen with DisplayPort (25 July 2007)
http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2007/07/25/samsung_displayport/
VESA adds anti-piracy tech to DisplayPort (4 April 2007)
http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2007/04/04/vesa_posts_displayport_1dot1/
HDMI pitches for PC vendor mind share (13 February 2007)
http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2007/02/13/hdmi_pitches_for_pc_mindshare/
DisplayPort to support HDCP? (6 November 2006)
http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2006/11/06/vesa_offers_displayport_update/
VESA completes DVI successor (4 May 2006)
http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2006/05/04/vesa_completes_displayport/
Foxconn calls for new benchmarks (9 March 2006)
http://www.channelregister.co.uk/2006/03/09/foxconn_benchmarks/
ATI licenses HDMI technology (31 January 2006)
http://www.channelregister.co.uk/2006/01/31/ati_licenses_hdmi_tech/
Nvidia to launch GeForce 7900 GTX 'at CeBIT' (12 January 2006)
http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2006/01/12/nvidia_g71_march_launch/
ATI Radeon Xpress to support HDMI (10 January 2006)
http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2006/01/10/ati_radeon_xpress_hdmi/
ATI to launch Radeon X1900 'next month' (23 December 2005)
http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2005/12/23/ati_schedules_r580_launch/
Intel Inside seen stamped on loo lid (22 December 2005)
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2005/12/22/intel_inside_toilet_seat/
ATI back in the black (22 December 2005)
http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2005/12/22/ati_results_q1_06/
ATI to add CrossFire to 'all' X1000 GPUs (22 December 2005)
http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2005/12/22/ati_crossfire_radeon_x1000/
HP goes HD DVD (19 December 2005)
http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2005/12/19/hp_goes_hd-dvd/
MS says 'no' to Xbox 360 HD DVD plan (15 December 2005)
http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2005/12/15/ms_denies_xbox_360_hd_dvd/
Ex-Warner Home Video boss blasts Sony (8 December 2005)
http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2005/12/08/warner_boss_blasts_sony/
ATI pitches for PC-TV convergence (20 September 2005)
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2005/09/20/ati_avivo/
VESA readies next-gen display interface (11 May 2005)
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2005/05/11/vesa_displayport/
High Definition and the future of viewing (8 March 2005)
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2005/03/08/hd_and_hdtv_analysis/