Jari Ketola
21 Jul 2006 3:45
The High-Definition Multimedia Interface (or HDMI for short) is more likely to appear on consumer electronics devices after the licensing fee was cut by 30 percent. HDMI Licensing, LLC, the agent responsible for licensing the HDMI specification, announced it has reduced the annual administration fee for HDMI adopters from $15,000 to $10,000.
According to HDMI Licensing the fee reduction was made possible by HDMI’s growing success in the marketplace, but more likely the cuts were made to get more Chinese consumer electronics manufacturers to implement HDMI on their devices. Chinese and Taiwanese have actively adapted their own, competing specifications to western standards, whose licensing costs they feel are too steep.
"The reduction of the annual fee, which was already minimal, will make it easier for smaller manufacturers to license the HDMI specification and will help ensure that all companies, large or small, can implement cutting EDGE HDMI technology into their products," said Leslie Chard, president of HDMI Licensing, LLC.
The China Video Industry Association (CVIA) announced it would promote and support the use of HDMI by the consumer electronics industry in China.
The fee reduction will apply to HDMI annual fee payments that come due after November 1, 2006, and the new fees apply to all HDMI adopters worldwide.
Source:
HDMI LLC Press Release