Silicon Line demonstrates first active optical cables with HDMI 2.1 support

Monday, January 7th, 2019
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Silicon Line Demonstrates World’s First Active Optical Cables with Technology to Support HDMI 2.1 Features

  • Public Unveiling at 2019 Consumer Electronics Show

LAS VEGAS — This week at the 2019 International Consumer Electronics Show, Silicon Line GmbH, the global leader in developing and providing innovative optical link technology for consumer, commercial and industrial electronics, is demonstrating the world’s first active optical cables with embedded technology supporting all features of the recently released HDMI 2.1 specification.

Show visitors can view the demonstration, involving the latest HDMI 2.1-enabled 4K and 8K TVs, at the Las Vegas Convention Center South Hall in the HDMI Licensing Administrator exhibit, booth 20208.

“CES is the premier world stage for debuting the latest consumer technologies, and we are pleased to unveil what will become a common standard for connectivity with TVs, set top boxes, video game consoles, mobile devices, virtual and augmented reality headsets and other consumer electronics,” said Silicon Line CEO Ruud van der Linden.

“Copper cabling presents many limitations for very high bandwidth applications that make it impractical for use in many applications,” van der Linden said. “Our embedded technology supports all the advanced new features of the HDMI 2.1 specification and will allow the production of thin, long, flexible optical HDMI cables at prices affordable to consumers.”

Van der Linden said the company was awaiting release of the HDMI 2.1 Specification Addendum before finalizing the components it will provide to manufacturers of Ultra High Speed HDMI cables for use with HDMI 2.1 enabled products.

Munich-based Silicon Line, a member of the HDMI Forum, produces the tiny, proprietary integrated circuits and “optical engines” needed to convert electrical signals to optical signals and back again. It also makes cable modules – the electronics inside cable-end connectors – where optical fiber is joined to electrical wires. The company’s opto-electronics and manufacturing technologies have dramatically reduced the production cost of active optical cables for applications including HDMI, DisplayPort and USB3.