Display Interfacing 2018: Getting Around the UHD Speed Bump

The growth of ultrahigh-definition (UHD) imaging and the addition of high dynamic range, wide color gamut, and high frame rates are pushing display interfacing to even higher clock and data rates. However, current interfacing standards are too slow to accommodate these rates. We are testing the limits of copper wire interfaces and are now compressing display signals for the first time. The newest version of high-definition multimedia interface (2.1) will not be widely available for a few years and may require optical fiber connections at higher speeds. In the meantime, DisplayPort (1.4) is ramping up its bus speeds to new highs and adopting support for consumer video formats. This paper will provide updates on the latest interface architectures and speed challenges and will also consider network signal transmission as an alternative connection method.