Press Releases

MUNICH, Germany and SANTA CLARA, Calif., December 15, 2020 – Silicon Line GmbH, a global leader in innovative ultra-low-power optical link technology for consumer and commercial applications, and Granite River Labs (GRL), a global leader in engineering services and test solutions for connectivity and HDMI Forum Authorized Testing Center, today announced that the Cable Matters® active optical cable model 300047 powered by Silicon Line’s HDMI 2.1 modules is the first active cable assembly to achieve certification under the Ultra High Speed HDMI® Cable Certification Program (UHS Program). Certification testing was performed in GRL’s Taipei, Taiwan facility.

The HDMI 2.1 specification introduced the Ultra High Speed HDMI Cable, which supports up to 48 gigabits per second bandwidth for uncompressed HDMI 2.1 feature support. Active optical cables, or “AOCs”, such as those supported by Silicon Line’s modules, use active circuit components with an equalizer function inside the cable assembly and transport data over optical fiber instead of copper wire. AOCs can thus overcome the limitations inherent in wire cable assemblies to allow for longer, thinner and lighter cables in the living room that meet UHS Program requirements, including low EMI, while supporting consistent and reliable HDMI performance. AOCs address the market needs for ever-increasing bandwidth requirements, including, high resolution and high frame rates demanded by next-generation gaming consoles now being launched.

“We are thrilled to have the first HDMI Adopter to achieve Ultra High Speed HDMI Cable Certification of an AOC powered by Silicon Line’s HDMI 2.1 modules, and appreciate GRL’s support to achieve this milestone,” said Ruud van der Linden, CEO of Silicon Line. “The certification of Cable Matters’ HDMI UHS AOC, manufactured by Unixtar of Taiwan, is a major milestone for the rapid deployment of HDMI UHS AOCs. Silicon Line’s unique ultra-low power module architecture, featuring an in-house chipset designed specifically for HDMI UHS AOCs and our innovative Optical Sub Assembly (OSA) technology, does not require external power and enables cable vendors to offer certified HDMI UHS AOCs at consumer cost-levels.”  

“The UHS Program brings the benefits of a seamless verification experience to HDMI adopters and consumers,” said Rob Tobias, CEO of HDMI Licensing Administrator, Inc. “We expect that active cables will play an important role in the HDMI ecosystem, and this will also significantly expand the UHS Program.”

“Active Ultra High Speed HDMI® Cables offer great promise for consumers, but present unique design and test challenges,” said Quintin Anderson, co-Founder and Chief Operating Officer of Granite River Labs. “GRL is excited to support Silicon Line in this important accomplishment, and proud of our role as a HDMI Forum ATC to ensure HDMI 2.1 product interoperability and backwards compatibility.”

Cable Matters® is a registered trademark of Cable Matters Inc.

The terms HDMI, HDMI High-Definition Multimedia Interface, Ultra High Speed HDMI, Ultra High Speed HDMI Cable Certification Program, and the HDMI Logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of HDMI Licensing Administrator, Inc.

About Granite River Labs

The world’s leading Engineering Services and Test Automation Solutions firm for connectivity and charging, GRL helps engineers solve tough design and validation challenges. GRL began in 2010 with a vision to provide affordable test services to help hardware developers implement digital interface technologies as they become faster, more complex, and more challenging to test. Today, GRL has worked with hundreds of companies supporting the adoption of new and emerging technologies from their worldwide test facilities and R&D centers.

About the HDMI Forum, Inc.

HDMI Forum, Inc., a non-profit, mutual benefit corporation, is comprised of the world’s leading manufacturers of consumer electronics, personal computers, mobile devices, cables and components. An open trade association, The HDMI Forum’s mission is to foster broader industry participation in the development of future versions of the HDMI Specification and to further expand the ecosystem of interoperable, HDMI-enabled products. For more information on the HDMI Forum or on becoming a member please visit www.hdmiforum.org.

About Silicon Line GmbH

Silicon Line GmbH is the global leader in ultra-low-power optical link technology enabling thin, lightweight and long high-speed cables for consumer electronics, commercial and industrial applications. The company develops and manufactures integrated circuits and modules which allow a simple, low-cost, high volume assembly of active optical cables. Founded in 2005, Silicon Line is based in Munich, Germany with offices in Korea, Japan, Taiwan, China and the United States.