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Designed Specifically For Home Entertainment Networking
Consumers around the globe are using
more electronic entertainment devices,
enjoying more digital home appliances
and consuming more digital content than
ever before. Yet a frustration building
among them is the difficulty of connecting
their devices together. Consumers want
more applications, more interaction and
more control over their devices and
content. And they long for an easy way
to share content across their 3 primary
screens (TV, PC, and mobile).
Consumer Electronics (CE) manufacturers
are attempting to introduce products
that provide these value-added features.
However, a big hurdle is the interface
technology associated with these devices.
In order to get the interactive features
desired, consumers must contend with at
least three different types of interface
cables: a multimedia cable for video &
audio (HDMI), a networking interface
(Ethernet) and a point-to-point data
interface (USB). For both consumers
and CE manufacturers this is overly
complicated and diffi cult to manage.
The Digital Interactive Interface for
Video & Audio™ (DiiVA™) was
created to offer a new home entertainment
networking solution that integrates
entertainment content in multiple data
formats into a single cable. Uncompressed
video, audio, USB, Ethernet,
device control, content protection,
power delivery and power management
are coordinated throughout the DiiVA
network. As a result, DiiVA streamlines
and simplifies the interface technology
in the home, providing ease-of-use and
helping users maximize their multimedia
entertainment experience.
DiiVA’s enormous bandwidth and bidirectional
data channel coupled with its
networking protocol allow any DiiVA-equipped
TV to access and control any
DiiVA-equipped source device, enabling
mobile, PC and CE networks to converge
and communicate within a home and
establish a personal domain that provides
for the flexible yet secure distribution
and playback of content.
DiiVA.

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DiiVA for Home Entertainment Networking
DiiVA technology combines a reliable,
high-speed, bi-directional data channel
with an uncompressed video and audio
channel. While point-to-point interfaces
such as USB and HDMI contain only a
Physical and Link layer, DiiVA combines
the Physical and Link layers with additional
Networking and Transport layers to
make DiiVA devices network-capable
for use in personal domains.
DiiVA networking allows uncompressed
video, multichannel audio, USB, Ethernet,
content protection and commands to
be sent from any source to any display
in the network.
For consumers this means a single DiiVA
port on their digital television is capable
of connecting and controlling multiple
devices on the network.
Examples of new features enabled by
DiiVA include:
- High-Definition & 3D movies on a
DiiVA-equipped Blu-ray player can be
accessed from any DiiVA-equipped
TV in the house
- Video games can be played from any
DiiVA-equipped TV because the USB
controllers for the game can be connected
directly to the USB port on
the TV, instead of to the game console
- Mobile devices can be charged through
the DiiVA connection while outputting
HD audio and video and synchronizing
data to any source on the DiiVA network
- Applications on PCs can be launched
from TVs.
- Unused devices on the network can be
intelligently powered down automatically
enabling power savings.
Since video, audio and data are sent
simultaneously, digital TVs and other
CE devices connected through DiiVA
networks can offer user-friendly
interactive interfaces for consumers to
make viewing choices based on content
thumbnails rather than the connection.
With DiiVA—which enables a secure home
network and a personal domain—content
can be securely shared between devices
within the home network such as a TV,
mobile phone or PC. |
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Technology Comparison
| |
HDMI 1.4 |
USB 2.0 |
Ethernet |
DiiVA 1.0 |
| Uncompressed
Video |
Point to Point |
None |
None |
Any to Any |
| 3D Video Support |
Yes
Up to 10.2Gbps |
N/A |
N/A |
Yes
Up to 13.5Gbps |
| Uncompressed
Audio |
Point to Point |
None |
None |
Any to Any |
| Data |
Point to Point |
Point to Point
Host Tree |
Any to Any |
Any to Any |
| USB |
No |
Yes |
No |
Yes |
| Ethernet |
Yes |
Yes
(Ethernet over USB) |
Yes |
Yes |
| Content Protection |
HDCP |
None |
DTCP |
HDCP, DTCP |
| Charging Power |
No |
Yes |
No |
Yes |
At the core of DiiVA’s technology is a high-speed, serial link I/O that runs at 4.5Gbps per differential pair.
Uncompressed Video (1-3 lanes) - Up
to three differential pairs can be used
to send uncompressed video with a
maximum bandwidth of 13.5 Gbps. By
comparison, 1080p video at 8-bit color
and 60Hz refresh consumes about 4.5
Gbps. So DiiVA is future-ready, capable
of handling video transmissions well
beyond 1080p resolution, high refresh
rates and 3D video.
Hybrid Channel (1 lane) - DiiVA enables
a high-speed, bi-directional hybrid data
channel that can operate at over 2 Gbps
in each direction simultaneously. The link
itself runs at 4.26 Gbps in a single direction
and operates in half-duplex mode.
The hybrid channel is shared among
three sub-channels:
- Bi-directional audio sub-channel
- Command sub-channel
- Bulk data sub-channel
All sub-channels can operate simultaneously
and the DiiVA protocol includes
error checking routines to guard against
data loss. Protocols such as USB and
Ethernet can be sent through the bulk
data sub-channel, enabling true data
sharing between devices.
DiiVA as a Green Technology – Applying
proven concepts to deliver power over
data wires (as with telephone wires and
Power over Ethernet), the DiIVA specifi cation
has provisions to send power through
the cable. With four twisted pairs in a
standard DiiVA cable, DiiVA can deliver a
total of 5W from a single device to adapters,
repeaters and mobile devices (two
twisted pairs can send 2.5W of power
- 500mA @5V). Power over DiiVA (PoD)
can also power the DiiVA interface portion
of devices in standby mode, so the DiiVA
interface can remain active even when
intermediate DiiVA devices are in standby.
The Power over DiiVA protocol benefits
users by detecting unused devices on
the network that are powered on and
automatically putting them in standby
mode to save energy. When a device in
standby mode is selected, a command
is sent through the DiiVA network to turn
the device on while powering down other
unused devices. This type of aggressive
power management can help reduce overall
power consumption of CE devices as
wasted power for unused devices left on
is a shared problem for households
around the world.
DiiVA Architecture

DiiVA Cable & Connector
Standard DiiVA works over 4 differential
pairs and is suitable to operate over a
single CAT6 cable. As a result, DiiVA
keeps costs low as CAT6 has reached
economies of scale through wide use by
other applications.
To avoid potential confusion, the DiiVA
Specification has defined a new unique
connector. The connector has 13 pins (8
signal, 5 ground) in a single row.
The DiiVA consortium is also working on a
mobile connector which can operate with
2 differential pairs (1 pair for video and 1
pair for bi-directional data). The mobile
profile connector will be compatible with
full profile DiiVA and is capable of simultaneously
transmitting uncompressed
video and audio with data while
receiving power. The mobile DiiVA specification is targeted for release later in 2010.
DiiVA 1.1 Specification Overview
| Chapter |
Title |
Purpose |
1 |
Scope |
Defines the scope and goals of the specification |
|
2 |
Normative References |
Cites references to other standards necessary for implementation |
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3 |
Terms, Defi nitions and
Abbreviations |
Lists conventions, terms and acronyms used throughout the document |
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4 |
Overview |
Provides a general description of DiiVA and introduces key concepts of DiiVA
architecture and topology |
|
5 |
Physical Layer |
Details Physical Layer including the basic electrical specification |
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6 |
Link Layer – Video Link |
Defines the Video Link Layer, including format timings, pixel encodings, color
space descriptions and corresponding requirements |
|
7 |
Link Layer – Hybrid Link |
Defines the Hybrid Channel Link Layer, including all information regarding audio,
command and bulk-data sub-channel data sent across the Hybrid Channel |
|
8 |
DiiVA Control Layer |
Defines the use of Hybrid Link packets and data structures for network
management and device management |
|
9 |
Audio / Video
Application Layer |
Describes the methods, messages and data structures that are used for Audio
and Video stream management, AV Content Protection and user control of remote
DiiVA devices |
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10 |
USB Application Layer |
Describes the method used by DiiVA to carry USB data and the mechanisms
used to manage such USB connections |
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11 |
Ethernet Application Layer |
Describes the higher-level aspects of Ethernet on DiiVA |
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12 |
Power Over DiiVA |
Describes the mechanism used to deliver power through the DiiVA cable |
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13 |
Connector / Cable |
Provides a detailed specification for DiiVA cable and connector assemblies |
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DiiVA Consortium
DiiVA charter members (called Promoters) include leading CE and home appliance manufacturers
Changhong Electric Co., Haier Co., Hisense Electric Co., Konka Group, Panda Electronics Co.,
Samsung Electronics, Skyworth Group, Sony Corporation, SVA Information Industry Co., TCL Corporation, and chip
developer Synerchip Co., Ltd.
Providing further industry backing, the organization of Chinese CE manufacturers, the
China Video Industry Association (CVIA) has agreed to fully support the DiiVA standard.
CVIA’s leadership in the Chinese electronics industry and abroad aids the consistent
adoption of DiiVA as it becomes a global industry standard—ensuring interoperability
among the many brands implementing this technology.
The following industry leaders have joined as Contributors,
providing technical input to the DiiVA specifi cation:
- CE: LG Electronics, Panasonic, Sharp,
Toshiba, Wanlida (Malata),
XOCECO (PRIMA), Zinwell
- Mobile: Nikon
- Semiconductor: MediaTek, Himax
- Test Equipment: Tektronix
- Connector: Foxconn, JAE
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