Move Over HDMI, Here Comes GPMI
The General Purpose Media Interface (GPMI) is a newly announced wired audio/video interface standard developed by a consortium of over 50 Chinese technology companies and is being positioned as the potential successor to HDMI, DisplayPort, Thunderbolt, and USB-C.
Behind the new high-speed interface is the 8K UHD Video Industry Cooperation Alliance of Shenzhen, which includes brands such as Hisense, TCL, Huawei and many more. With this much weight at the manufacturer level behind the new tech, it has every chance of early mass-market adoption.
Offering significantly higher bandwidth and power delivery than HDMI at 192 Gbps (Type-B) and 96 Gbps (Type-C), Type-B has the potential to support higher resolutions, frame rates, and colour depths.
GPMI can also deliver up to 480W (Type-B) or 240W (Type-C), enabling a single cable to handle both data and device power. HDMI provides no power delivery, of course.
While HDMI has been the long-standing global standard for transmitting high-definition video and audio between devices such as TVs, AV receivers, and gaming consoles, GPMI specs talk a big game. GPMI Type-C is compatible with USB-C, supports two-way, multi-stream data transfer and control protocols similar to HDMI-CEC, and includes networking capabilities and enhanced security features, which HDMI lacks.
While major players such as LG, Samsung, and Sony have not yet committed to GPMI, it's still early days for this new spec. The first phase rollout is said to target home entertainment devices in China, and there is no clear timeline yet for widespread adoption.
GPMI represents a significant technical leap over HDMI, especially in bandwidth and power delivery. It leads to simpler connections and integration between audiovisual and computing devices.
However, its impact will depend on the big names in consumer electronics supporting it, so for now, HDMI remains the worldwide dominant standard.
Gallery
Marc Rushton
StereoNET’s Founder and Publisher was born in England and raised on British Hi-Fi before moving to Australia. He developed an early love of music and playing bass guitar before discovering the studio and the other side of the mixing desk. After writing for print magazines, Marc saw the future in digital publishing and founded the first version of StereoNET in 1999.
Posted in: Home Theatre | Visual | Integration | Technology
JOIN IN THE DISCUSSION
Want to share your opinion or get advice from other enthusiasts? Then head into the Message
Forums where thousands of other enthusiasts are communicating on a daily basis.
CLICK HERE FOR FREE MEMBERSHIP
Trending
1TechDAS Air Force IV Features Separate Motor & One-Piece Platter
2JBL’s Summit Series Soars Higher with New Flagship Loudspeakers
3Mark Levinson New 600 Series Redefines Reference Hi-Fi
4NAD Launches M33 V2 and M23 V2 at Munich High End
5Qobuz Connect Rolls Out Across Devices for Seamless Hi-Res Streaming
applause awards
Each time StereoNET reviews a product, it is considered for an Applause Award. Winning one marks it out as a design of great quality and distinction – a special product in its class, on the grounds of either performance, value for money, or usually both.
Applause Awards are personally issued by StereoNET’s global Editor-in-Chief, David Price – who has over three decades of experience reviewing hi-fi products at the highest level – after consulting with our senior editorial team. They are not automatically given with all reviews, nor can manufacturers purchase them.
The StereoNET editorial team includes some of the world’s most experienced and respected hi-fi journalists with a vast wealth of knowledge. Some have edited popular English language hi-fi magazines, and others have been senior contributors to famous audio journals stretching back to the late 1970s. And we also employ professional IT and home theatre specialists who work at the cutting edge of today’s technology.
We believe that no other online hi-fi and home cinema resource offers such expert knowledge, so when StereoNET gives an Applause Award, it is a trustworthy hallmark of quality. Receiving such an award is the prerequisite to becoming eligible for our annual Product of the Year awards, awarded only to the finest designs in their respective categories. Buyers of hi-fi, home cinema, and headphones can be sure that a StereoNET Applause Award winner is worthy of your most serious attention.