Adrian Kingsley-Hughes/ZDNET
The arrival of HDMI 2.2 technology ushers in a new era of A/V potential, which is great news for enthusiasts and future-proofing fanatics. It might be a little while before every device on the market sports the new tech, but you can expect to see the first "Ultra96" HDMI cables hitting shelves later this year.
Increased bandwidth and resolution
This is a significant leap forward from the current HDMI 2.1. Even ultra-high-speed 2.1 cables cap out at 48 Gbps. While 48 Gbps has capably handled resolutions up to 10K and 4K content at 120 Hz, HDMI 2.2 throws open the gates to even more mind-bending visual experiences. Imagine 4K at a fluid 480 Hz, 8K at a zippy 240 Hz, and a jaw-dropping 16K at 60 Hz.
For your exceptionally discerning eye, it will also flawlessly transmit uncompressed video formats with 10-bit and 12-bit color at 8K 60 Hz and 4K 240 Hz.
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Before you start dreaming of 16K cable TV, though, let's keep things in perspective. Native 8K content is still incredibly rare, and HDMI 2.1, which debuted in 2017, hasn't even been fully leveraged by most hardware manufacturers yet. So, while HDMI 2.2's increased bandwidth and resolution capabilities might feel a bit ahead of its time, that's because it's laying the groundwork for innovations yet to come.
New Latency Indication Protocol
Another clever addition in HDMI 2.2 is the new Latency Indication Protocol (LIP). This feature builds on the audio and video synchronization enhancements brought by HDMI 2.1, specifically addressing those tricky home theater setups where your audio and video signals might be taking a detour through a soundbar or separate receiver before reaching your display. LIP aims to ensure everything stays perfectly in sync, eliminating those annoying "lip-sync" issues.
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