The Shenzhen 8K UHD Video Industry Cooperation Alliance (SUCA), a Chinese organization of more than 50 local companies, has introduced a new wired media transmission standard, the General Purpose Media Interface (GPMI). This standard is designed to support the transmission of 8K video and reduce the number of cables required to transmit data and power devices.
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According to the available information, the GPMI cable comes in two variants: Type-B, which is supposedly a proprietary interface, and Type-C, which is compatible with USB-C. 8K video has a resolution that is 4 times higher than 4K and 16 times higher than 1080p, which requires significantly more bandwidth than existing standards.
The GPMI Type-C connector has a maximum throughput of 96 Gbps and a power delivery capacity of up to 240 W. This is more than double the 40 Gbps data transfer rate of USB4 and Thunderbolt 4, but the power rating is similar to the latest USB Type-C standard with Extended Power Range (EPR) support.
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The GPMI Type-B cable exceeds existing standards by delivering data transfer rates of up to 192 Gbps and power delivery of up to 480 watts. While this is not enough to power high-end gaming PCs from a monitor, it is more than enough for many gaming laptops with high-end discrete graphics. Additionally, the HDMI-CEC control standard is supported, allowing you to use a single remote control for all devices connected via GPMI that support HDMI-CEC.
Currently, the most widely used standards for transmitting video with the ability to power devices are USB Type-C and Thunderbolt, mainly used in monitors. TVs still use HDMI connectors. The advent of GPMI may change this situation, facilitating the introduction of a new interface in TVs in the future.
It is worth noting that the Shenzhen 8K UHD Video Industry Cooperation Alliance was established in December 2020 with the participation of companies such as HiSilicon, Skyworth, KONKA, Tencent and ZTE, with the aim of promoting 8K technologies and developing the relevant ecosystem.