The launch of the Sharp 8M-B80AX1E, our second-generation 8K monitor, brings with it a host of innovations, particularly HDMI 2.1. But what is this new standard and why does it play such an important role in delivering outstanding video quality?
HDMI (High Definition Multimedia Interface) has been the de facto high-definition video connector for all digital displays since its introduction in 2013. Whether the television in your home, the digital signage panel in retail environments, or the large format display in your meeting and board room, it’s the ubiquitous standard that is as common as USB on our computers and smartphones.
Meet the Sharp 8M-B80AX1E 8K Monitor
Times are changing, and as the quality of video content increases from Full-HD to 4K and onwards towards 8K, the current HDMI format no longer meets the demands of the market. As a result, the HDMI 2.1 format has been developed. First ratified in 2017, it plays an important role in the evolution of our 8K ecosystem strategy, and can be found on the Sharp 8M-B80AX1E, our 80-inch second-generation 8K monitor.
But what is HDMI 2.1 and how does it benefit the ecosystem?
HDMI 2.1 has been designed primarily to support higher video resolutions and faster refresh rates, including 8K at 60Hz and 4K at 120Hz. Dynamic HDR formats are also supported, and bandwidth capability is increased up to 48Gbps.The standard can support resolutions of up to 10K, which are required for new levels of innovation in the commercial AV, industrial and medical fields, as well as speciality uses.
The Sharp 8M-B80AX1E 8K monitor, for example, has a resolution of 7680 x 4320 pixels in 16:9 aspect ratio, which is four-times that of a standard 4K monitor, and 16-times higher than a Full-HD display. With so many extra pixels, greater bandwidth is required to send information from the source to the display. Therefore, one of the key driving points of HDMI 2.1 is the support for increased bandwidth up to 48Gbps (Gigabits per second).
From an end-user perspective, this increased bandwidth will reduce the amount of cables required to connect your monitor to source material, as the new Ultra High Speed HDMI Cable can be used to deliver all content to the monitor, including uncompressed 8K video with HDR.
The cable also features very low EMI emission and is backwards compatible with earlier versions of the HDMI Specification and can be used with existing HDMI devices.
For truly amazing image quality, Dynamic HDR (High Dynamic range) monitors the depth, detail, brightness, contrast and wider colour gamuts of the video content, so monitors can adjust picture quality based on frame-by-frame or scene-by-scene information. In this way, the user is always presented with the best possible image quality.
HDMI 2.1 advances the needs of the user, allowing for vibrant video and audio content to be shared and displayed on the latest cutting edge 8K monitors and displays.
The Sharp 8M-B80AX1E is an 80-inch monitor offering support for 8K processing. It is part of our growing 8K ecosystem, a range of innovative products designed to further advance the capabilities of high-performance broadcast and media.
To find out more about the Sharp 8M-B80AX1E monitor and other 8K ecosystem components, Get In Touch.
