Sunnyvale, Calif. – The first cellphones and tablets
incorporating MHL (Mobile High-Definition Link) port are on the way to U.S.
consumers, the
said.
The first mobile product with MHL is the Samsung
for the AT&T network. It became available May 15 at $199.
Other MHL-equipped devices coming this way include HTC’s
Wi-Fi-only
,
due in the spring from Best Buy; HTC’s
, due in the summer for the Sprint 3G/4G network; and HTC’s
Android phone, which captures video in 720p 3D and is due in the summer for the
Sprint network.
The Samsung
Android smartphone also gets the technology, but U.S. availability
hasn’t been announced.
Equipped with MHL technology, cellphones and other
battery-powered mobile devices get powered and charged while they stream HD
video through the MHL-equipped HDMI ports of TVs and other home theater
equipment. MHL also enables the IR remotes of compatible TVs to control the
selection of smartphone-stored video via an on-TV user interface.
Like current HDMI technology, MHL transfers up to 1080p HD
video in the uncompressed HDMI format and audio in up to 7.1 channels.
Until home products are equipped with MHL-enabled HDMI
ports, MHL-enabled mobile devices will ship with cable adapter that connects
the mobile device to a wall outlet for charging. The adapters will also enable
the TV’s remote select smartphone video.
MHL technology
requires only five pins on a mobile device, allowing for thin cables. The technology
can also be integrated with other types of digital-video connections.
Founding members of the consortium include Samsung, Nokia,
Silicon Image, Sony, and Toshiba. Adopter members include HTC and Acer.
