Want a quick way to confuse a customer? Throw a new version of something on the market.
In the software world this is accepted, and typically expected, though nobody really likes it. New versions cause support and communication breakdowns between customers and vendors, and create extra work for software teams to test and maintain. But again, with software, it’s just the way things go. You can choose not to upgrade something and keep using the old version, or be on the cutting edge and try the pre-release “beta” version of something. Again, software is easy when it comes to versioning.
Hardware, on the other hand, is a little trickier. When my MacBook has a firmware upgrade, not only is a reboot in order, it takes complete control of my system for a while. The same is true for my cell phone, my Slingbox, and other gadgetry I own. Upgrading a device usually requires a dedicated application/program to do the work for you.
But how do you upgrade a cable? Well, it turns out you don’t. You buy a new cable. And you clearly tell consumers the difference. Unless you are HDMI, in which case you upgrade the standard from 1.3 to 1.4 and require a new cable, despite not renaming it. This, my friends, sucks. Here’s a little vision of the future for you:
Random customer in Best Buy: “Hi, can you help me find an HDMI cable for my plasma?”
Best Buy employee: “Sure, do you need a 1.3 or 1.4 cable?”
RC: “What is that, metric? How about 6 feet?”
BB: “Hah, no, I meant what version HDMI cable?”
RC: “One that works with my plasma.”
BB: “Here, I’ll show you the two cables, see how the ends are different? Which one looks like the one on your plasma.”
RC: “Gee, I don’t know, why on earth would I remember that? I sure remember when they were red/yellow/white, or red/blue/green, or S-video. Now I have a plasma, and my son said I should get HDMI.”
BB: “Yes, well you need to know if it’s the 1.3 standard or 1.4 standard.”
RC: “What’s the difference?”
BB: “1.4 is faster! It can send Internet content too!”
RC: “I’m going home now.”
and… scene.
To be clear – I think the new technology is cool. But why couldn’t they just call it something completely different? A “point upgrade” for a cable? Really? Bad idea. According to a graph I saw on VentureBeat there are over a billion HDMI cables already on the market.
As a technologist, I “get” the upgrade as a concept. But as a consumer I dread the support calls I’ll inevitably get from friends and family members with incompatible devices, equipment, and cables. I certainly don’t want to have a call like (I’ll let you find the source to the following, as it’s one of my favs)…
Okay. Did you use the Intensifier Disc?
Yes.
Turn the controls 18 degrees to the left?
Did that.
Are you in Europe? Do you need an adapter?
I hope when HDMI 1.4 comes to market it has a completely new name, like HDMI-PRO, or S-HDMI, or something other than a number. Ditto to the USB 3.0 people, by the way. There’s a certain point where the numbers have to go bye-bye, and mass-understandable concepts must take over. This is one of them.
OK, I’m usually with you, but not this time Toeman.
For starters you can use an HDMI cable with any HDMI device, as far as the spec is concerned the rating on the cable just means it is certified for the new spec — and thus newer features.
I mean you didn’t throw out all your USB 1.0 cables when USB 2.0 came out did you? Or all your CAT5 cables when CAT6 was released? Even closer, all your HDMI 1.2 cables when HDMI 1.3 was announced?
The fact is that the new standard can carry more data and some older cables weren’t ever tested to handle it, the new cables just mean they have been tested with the new equipment.
Besides, when we went from HDMI 1.2 to HDMI 1.3, what we saw was that all new HDMI cables were 1.3. I’m still using HDMI 1.2 cables that work just fine with my new 1.3 equipment and supports the newer features.
Now having different cables with and without Ethernet is just silly though, I’m with you there at least.
Ben – reread my post, I don’t have an issue with the new technology, I have an issue with the naming/marketing.
I agree with the general premise, but the reality is yet to be seen. And should we stop all development out of fear? Presumably the people who don’t understand this stuff will shop at Best Buy where at some point all the cables will be HDMI 1.4 (maybe different grades) that will be backwards compatible.
I wish they would stop integrating the internet with everything. I’m more concerned with razor sharp video and crystal clear audio than being able to stream crappy internet content to my “hi-fi” home theater.