HDMI 2.2 standard: Is the huge bandwidth or AV Sync ability the highlight?
The HDMI 2.2 connection standard is expected to officially be available on commercial devices in 2027, promising to create new advances for high-end TVs, gaming monitors and multi-channel amplifiers. However, for the audio playing community and home movie room setup, the huge bandwidth number printed on the box may not bring as much practical value as the image and sound synchronization feature.
1. 96Gbps bandwidth: A big jump, but HDMI 2.1 is still very strong
The biggest bright spot in terms of HDMI 2.2 specifications is its ability to support bandwidth up to 96Gbps (double the current HDMI 2.1 standard). This power allows the device to smoothly transmit super heavy video formats such as 4K at 240Hz or 8K at 60Hz, while preserving the uncompressed color range.
2. The playground of gamers, but not the destination of cinema
The wide bandwidth of HDMI 2.2 is a clear bargain for PC gamers or future gaming devices, where high Fps and low latency determine the experience.
But with cinema, this rule is not entirely true. Pushing the resolution and frame rate too high doesn't make the movie any more artistic. On the contrary, it can lose the natural grain effect of the film and create a feeling of artificially smooth movement, completely ruining the director's visual intention.
3. The story of 8K and evidence from Kaleidescape player
Take the newly launched Kaleidescape Strato K hi-end movie player as an example. Even though it is designed to play 8K movies, this device still only uses an HDMI 2.1 port with a maximum bandwidth of 24Gbps instead of HDMI 2.2.
4. LIP protocol: Solution to completely solve Lip-Sync error
Instead of getting hung up on the 96Gbps number, home theater enthusiasts should pay attention to a more practical feature of HDMI 2.2: Latency Indication Protocol (LIP). LIP was born to thoroughly deal with the problem of picture first, noise following. This is one of the most frustrating problems when setting up multi-device audio-visual systems, especially when the signal has to go through the Soundbar, AV Receiver or sound processor before reaching the screen. Thanks to the mechanism of automatically communicating, calculating and compensating time delays between devices, LIP promises to bring the most seamless and accurate movie watching experience.
In short, HDMI 2.2 is a technological step forward to look forward to, but it is not a reason for you to hesitate if you are planning to buy a good multi-channel TV or amplifier at the present time. While huge bandwidth is the playground of gamers, in the world of Home Cinema, the ability to perfectly synchronize sound and image thanks to the LIP protocol is truly the most worthwhile upgrade.