MiniMig with AGA

[Belial6]

I get that, but when your already talking about a 3 to 6 foot cable, how much of a difference can an extra 3 inches make?

If cabling out the connector is going to make or bread a digital signal, there has to be more to it than cable length.  I am trying to understand what that is...

[freqmax]

Impedance alteration translates to a road bump. So not only length matters.

[kolla]

Doesn't an expensive golden DVI cable make up for that?

[freqmax]

It will deliver the trashed signal with less degredation than a bad cable will.

Read up on entropy.

[psxphill]

It will deliver the trashed signal with less degredation than a bad cable will.
 
Read up on entropy.

It's not that bad, pure digital signals can take some degredation. Especially at reasonably short lengths.
 
However the solution would be to replace the dvi-d connector on the board with an hdmi connector.

[freqmax]

That would block the use of DVI-only monitors. HDMI-to-DVI adapters are non-standard.
Another quick solution is to solder leads to the connector pads rather than to mount a connector to the PCB.

[mikej]

I did look at HDMI connectors originally but you need to license them and it's quite expensive. I am working on another project which uses display port, but it's not so handy for TVs.

For the first boards I may offer a soldered on in-line socket on a short lead as a solution.
Cheers,
Mike

[freqmax]

Could one leave pads to solder a HDMI encoder & connector. To eliminate the license issue?

[AmigaEd]

"Didn't think of that (tm) ;-) "
The only cable I have which doesn't fit is the DVI to HDMI cable which is about 2cm wider than the DVI connector

I've noticed this trend with a lot of cables lately, where the plastic around the perimeter of the connector is several times greater than it needs to be.  We have even run into this issue with some industrial products at my work.

I think this may stem from two fronts...

The first is some engineer at "Clone Tronics" focusing on trying to make a dimensionally correct pin-out for a "clone" connector, but then is just guessing at the housing dimensions.

The second is the lack of clarity in connector and bus standards to begin with. (An example that comes to mind is the PCI bus standard.)

Anyway, the progress sounds great! Looking forward to seeing more!

Regards,
AmigaEd

[billt]

I did look at HDMI connectors originally but you need to license them and it's quite expensive. I am working on another project which uses display port, but it's not so handy for TVs.

For the first boards I may offer a soldered on in-line socket on a short lead as a solution.
Cheers,
Mike

What exactly needs licensing? The connector itself on your board, or the protocol it uses? Couldn't you use a connector, and only allow its use with DVI connector (DVI protocol) and leave out anything HDMI specific? Or is anything using the HDMI connector using enough of the HDMI protocol etc. to get hit by licensing? And if you leave out HDCP?

[bloodline]

What exactly needs licensing? The connector itself on your board, or the protocol it uses? Couldn't you use a connector, and only allow its use with DVI connector (DVI protocol) and leave out anything HDMI specific? Or is anything using the HDMI connector using enough of the HDMI protocol etc. to get hit by licensing?

I thought you only need a licence if you advertise that it supports HDMI and/or use the official logo?

[freqmax]

It's cheaper licensing with logo.

Anyway, is licensing for putting the connector on the PCB. Or is it enough with a HDMI encoder chip to be liable to the license ?

[mikej]

when I looked into it, it looked like you couldn't even mount the connector or mention HDMI without being a member of the cartel.

I certainly couldn't buy any chips which supported it. I am trying to design out the Chrontel part and do the DVI/HDMI coding directly in the FPGA with a DAC chip for the analog part.

I would still need to use a DVI connector, but I could use HDMI protocol (including audio) on it.

One option is to go for a smaller SD card, but the connectors are not so robust.

/Mike

[freqmax]

Can you just put the encoder chip and pads but no connector on the board?

Also, did you find the exact licensing conditions, ie when you'r liable to license. (ie "protection money" )

[kolla]

I though the licensing for HDMI was due to the more or less implied support for HDCP. Anyways, I really struggle to see what kind of signal problems we're talking about in regards to DVI, it is digital after all. It reminds me of those Hi-Fi freaks that claim their sound systems works so much better when ipod is connected via über-expensive USB cable - hence my comment about golden DVI cables.

[freqmax]

Digital signals just have a higher tolerance. No need to decrease the S/N margin.