GPMI: The new Chinese standard that could replace HDMI and DisplayPort

China has made another move in the technological arena. This time, the focus is on the connectors we use every day to connect our video and data devices. A large number of companies in the Asian country have submitted GPMI, a new interface that points directly to replace the current dominant standards: HDMI and DisplayPortTheir proposal is simple but ambitious: to provide more bandwidth, more power, and greater integration all through a single cable.

With the rise of 8K resolutions, high refresh rates, and increasingly demanding data transmission demands, traditional connectors are beginning to show their limitations. This has led to manufacturers such as TCL, Hisense, Skyworth or Huawei, among others, to join forces in the creation of this new standard under the name of GPMI (General Purpose Media Interface)More than 50 companies are involved in this joint development, which could represent a significant change compared to HDMI 2.2.

What is GPMI and how does it work?

The GPMI interface was born with the intention of becoming a universal connector for multimedia devices, facilitating the transmission of video, data, and power over a single cable. This compact and efficient approach is designed to simplify the design of electronic products, particularly in the areas of televisions, monitors, set-top boxes, and other multimedia devices.

There are two main variants from GPMI:

• GPMI Type-C: It has a design very similar to the well-known USB-C, allowing it to reach up to 96 Gbps of data y Power 240W through the wire.
• GPMI Type-B: It is a larger, more robust version, designed to offer up to 192 Gbps of bandwidth and an impressive upload capacity of 480W.

This second variant far surpasses all current competition.To put this into context, HDMI 2.1 offers up to 48 Gbps without power delivery capability, while DisplayPort 2.1 can reach 80 Gbps and 240W. GPMI Type-B literally doubles these figures, which could be a game-changer for the industry.

Technical advantages of GPMI over current standards

One of the great attractions of GPMI lies in its huge bandwidth. This allows you to stream content in resolutions higher than 4K, with high refresh rates and without the need to resort to compressions such as DSC (Display Stream Compression), which can introduce quality losses.

In addition to that, GPMI has been conceived to be bidirectional, in other words, can send and receive data at the same time, including video, audio and other types of information. It also has multi-streaming, which facilitates the connection between multiple devices using a single port, an advantage that can be very useful in daisy-chain configurations or professional setups. With this, we can see how GPMI adapts to the new connectivity needs that arise with the rise of technology.

Another notable feature is the support for ADCP, a system designed to improve security during data transmission, which adds an extra level of protection to this interface.

As if that were not enough, the standard offers flexibility in the allocation of data channelsIn the Type-B version, the 192 Gbps can be divided into eight 8 Gbps channels, allowing for customized configurations: for example, six channels in one direction and two in the other, with different combinations depending on the device's needs.

Companies involved in development and adoption

The development of GPMI is not a one-off effort. Among the more than 50 companies involved in its design and promotion are some of China's leading brands in the technology and consumer sectors: Huawei, Sharp, Hisense, TCL and Skyworth, to mention a few.

These companies are looking for this movement greater autonomy with respect to standards developed in the West, such as HDMI and DisplayPort, which are largely controlled by American or European consortia. GPMI represents an opportunity for domestic brands to control their own connection standards and reduce their dependence on foreign patents and licenses. For more information on these standards, you can consult technical aspects related to HDMI.

In fact, the Type-C version of this connector already has the Official license of the USB-IF (USB Implementers Forum), ensuring compatibility with devices that currently use USB-C ports without the need for special adapters or additional designs.

GPMI Availability and Future

For now, GPMI is in the standardization phase and has not yet reached the mass market. However, Several manufacturers have already confirmed their intention to include it in future products, which are estimated to include televisions, monitors, and possibly laptops and multimedia decoders.

The success of GPMI will depend on several key factors:

• The speed with which it reaches commercial devices
• The ability of manufacturers to integrate this technology without increasing prices
• Compatibility with existing accessories and cables
• International support for the new standard outside the Chinese market

In this sense, while the ecosystem in China seems to be aligned with the adoption of GPMI, Its global acceptance is not yet guaranteedHowever, if these specifications are maintained and the standard is implemented correctly, it would offer a very attractive alternative in terms of both bandwidth and versatility.

The technology industry is moving forward at a rapid pace and, as has happened on previous occasions, It would not be strange if an initially regional standard ended up setting standards at a global level., especially if the technical benefits are as clear as those presented by GPMI. With the GPMI proposal, China seeks to position itself as a leader in the design of next-generation connections, offering a solution that not only competes with, but It surpasses current ports in several technical aspectsIt remains to be seen whether the international industry will accept the challenge or, on the contrary, continue to rely on more established technologies such as HDMI and DisplayPort.