CES 2022 will see the introduction of yet another HDMI standard: 2.1a. What will it do? Both good and bad things.
Let’s start with the good: HDMI 2.1a is an upcoming revision to the HDMI 2.1 stack and adds a major new feature, Source-Based Tone Mapping, or SBTM. SBTM is a new HDR feature that offloads some of the HDR tone mapping to the content source (like your computer or set-top box) alongside the tone mapping that your TV or monitor is doing.
More HDMwhy, am I right?
Hyper launched a new USB-C adapter for HDMI and it supports 8K 60Hz or 4K 144Hz HDR. You can buy it now for US$49.99.
We have a deal on MoovyGo, a 12-in-1 USB-C hub with a built-in wireless Qi charger and its own power bank. This circular hub has an ethernet port, three USB-C ports (including a 60 watt charging port for laptops), an audio jack, an HDMI port, three USB 3.0 ports, one USB 2.0 port, and an SD/MicroSD card reader. The top is a Qi wireless charging pad, and inside the thing is a 4,500mAh power bank making this a portable battery, too. It’s $99.99 through our deal.
We have a deal on a handy hub for folks with different display needs. It’s called the CASA USB-C Hub, and it has both an HDMI and a VGA port for displays and projectors. It’s small enough to toss into your go-bag, so you can be the hero at that meeting, even if you aren’t the one doing the presenting. It’s $39 through our deal.
4K/UHD TV is now mainstream. But new 8K TVs are coming. CNET writes: “The current version of the ubiquitous HDMI [2.0] audio video connection can handle pretty much every video format available today, but with 8K on the horizon, TV and other hardware makers could hit its limits in the next few years. That’s where HDMI 2.1 comes in.”
This article fills you in on the new standard, what video protocols it supports, which TV makers are moving to it in 2019, and whether you’ll need new cables.
OWC has a new USB-C travel dock out that’s loaded with ports to make your tech life easier on the go. The OWC USB-C Travel Dock includes two USB 3.1 Gen 1 type A ports, HDMI capable of driving a 4K display, an SD card reader, plus a USB-C power port that can charge Apple’s 13-inch MacBook Pro. It’s available in silver, space gray, gold, and rose gold at the Macsales website for US$49.99.
