- Trending Categories
Data Structure
Networking
RDBMS
Operating System
Java
MS Excel
iOS
HTML
CSS
Android
Python
C Programming
C++
C#
MongoDB
MySQL
Javascript
PHP
Physics
Chemistry
Biology
Mathematics
English
Economics
Psychology
Social Studies
Fashion Studies
Legal Studies
- Selected Reading
- UPSC IAS Exams Notes
- Developer's Best Practices
- Questions and Answers
- Effective Resume Writing
- HR Interview Questions
- Computer Glossary
- Who is Who
Difference between HDMI and USB
HDMI and USB are two popular interfaces used for connecting devices and peripherals with computers and other electronic devices. The fundamental difference between HDMI and USB is that USB (Universal Serial Bus) is an interface designed for data transfer, while HDMI (High-Definition Multimedia Interface) is designed for transferring high-quality audio and video signals.
In this article, we will discuss the important differences between HDMI and USB. But before discussing the differences, let us first get an overview of HDMI and USB individually.
What is HDMI?
HDMI is an acronym for High-Definition Multimedia Interface. HDMI is a digital interface designed to transfer high-quality video and audio signals from a source device like DVD player to a display device like a TV.
In modern electronic devices, HDMI is being used as a standard display interface. HDMI were developed by a group of companies (Hitachi, Philips, Panasonic, Sony, Silicon Image, Thomson, and Toshiba) in 2002. It is a modern digital interface that is capable of supporting both analog and digital signals. Therefore, it is used for transmitting high-definition video signals, multichannel audio signals, control signals, Ethernet signals and many more through a single cable.
HDMI connector also has a compact design making it suitable to use in small devices like laptops, tablets, etc. HDMI has a small rectangular shape connector with 19 pins.
HDMI has become a standard display interface for computers, laptops, TVs, gaming devices, etc. The more compact versions of HDMI, such as Mini-HDMI and Micro-HDMI are also being used in portable electronic devices like smartphones, tablets, PDAs, etc. HDMI offers higher data transfer rates and supports higher resolutions. It also supports HDR (High Dynamic Range) video outputs. Over a period of time, several versions of HDMI have been developed, such as HDMI 1.4, HDMI 2.0, HDMI 2.1, etc.
What is USB?
USB is an acronym for Universal Serial Bus. USB is an interface developed in 1996 to connect peripheral devices to computers and other electronic devices. USB is a plug and play interface, hence devices can be connected or removed without need of rebooting the computer. Therefore, it is widely used for connecting peripheral devices like keyboard, mouse, camera, hard disk drives, printers, scanners, etc. to a computer system.
USB has become a standard interface due its several advantages, such as high-speed data transfer, plug and play feature, compact size, etc.
The development of USB has eliminated the complexity of several connector types required for each peripheral. It also provides error free data transfer between devices. However, USB supports only peer-to-peer communication, which means only a single message can be transferred between the host device and the peripheral device.
After getting insights into the basics of HDMI and USB, let us now discuss their important differences.
Difference between USB and HDMI
The following table highlights all the significant differences between USB and HDMI:
Parameter |
HDMI |
USB |
|---|---|---|
Full form |
HDMI is an acronym for High-Definition Multimedia Interface. |
USB is an acronym for Universal Serial Bus. |
Main objective |
HDMI is mainly designed for transferring high-quality audio and video signals. |
USB is mainly designed to transfer data between a computer and peripheral devices. |
Speed |
HDMI transfers signals at a faster speed than USB. |
USB transfers data at a slower speed. |
Resolution |
HDMI supports higher resolutions. |
USB supports lower audio and video resolutions than HDMI. |
Compatibility |
HDMI is primarily compatible with display devices like TVs, monitors, projectors, etc. |
USB is compatible with a wide range of devices. |
Maximum data transfer speed |
HDMI 2.1 provides a maximum data transfer speed of 48 GB/s. |
USB 3.2 Gen 2 × 2 provides a maximum data transfer speed of 20 GB/s. |
Cost |
HDMI is more costly than USB. |
USB is relatively less expensive. |
Connector |
HDMI connector has a larger rectangular shape and specialized design. |
USB connector smaller size and less specialized design. |
Power |
HDMI can provide power to connected devices. |
USB can provide power to connected devices. |
Bandwidth |
HDMI support wider bandwidth. |
USB supports lower bandwidth than HDMI. |
Types |
HDMI is of several types like Standard HDMI, Mini HDMI, and Micro HDMI. |
USB also has several types, such as Type-A USB, Type-B USB, and Type-C USB. |
Data encryption |
HDMI supports HDCP (High-Bandwidth Digital Content Protection) protocol for data encryption. |
USB does not support any encryption protocol. |
Standard cable length |
HDMI cables are available in a maximum length of 15 meters. |
USB cables are available in a maximum length of 5 meters. |
Applications |
HDMI cables are used for connecting display devices like TVs, monitors, projectors, etc. |
USB cables are used for connecting peripherals, such as keyboard, mouse, printer, HDD, etc. |
Conclusion
Both USB and HDMI are widely used communication interfaces used in almost all modern electronic devices. But they are absolutely different from each other as described in the above table. The most significant difference between HDMI and USB is that HDMI (High-Definition Multimedia Interface) is designed to transfer high-quality audio and video signals, while USB (Universal Serial Bus) is designed to transfer signals between computer and peripherals.
1K+ Views
