HDMI (High-Definition Multimedia Interface) is a compact audio/video
interface for transmitting uncompressed digital data. It represents a digital
alternative to consumer analog standards, such as Radio Frequency (RF) coaxial
cable, composite video, S-Video, SCART, component video, D-Terminal, and VGA.
HDMI connects digital audio/video sources—such as set-top boxes, Blu-ray Disc
players, personal computers (PCs), video game consoles (such as the PlayStation
3 and Xbox 360), and AV receivers—to compatible digital audio devices, computer
monitors, and digital televisions.

HDMI supports, on a single cable, any TV or PC video format, including standard,
enhanced, and high-definition video; up to 8 channels of digital audio; and a
Consumer Electronics Control (CEC) connection. The CEC allows HDMI devices to
control each other when necessary and allows the user to operate multiple
devices with one remote control handset.Because HDMI is electrically compatible
with the signals used by Digital Visual Interface (DVI), no signal conversion is
necessary, nor is there a loss of video quality when a DVI-to-HDMI adapter is
used. As an uncompressed connection, HDMI is independent of the various digital
television standards used by individual devices, such as ATSC and DVB, as these
are encapsulations of compressed MPEG video streams (which can be decoded and
output as an uncompressed video stream on HDMI).