HDMI Forum rejects AMD’s Open Source HDMI 2.1 driver support plans

The HDMI Forum has turned down AMD’s request to offer open source HDMI 2.1 support

One limitation of AMD’s open-source Linux graphics drivers is that they lack HDMI 2.1 support. This is not due to any hardware limitations on modern AMD graphics cards, but due to the legal requirements of the HDMI Forum.

AMD has been working for years to enable HDMI 2.1 support within the open source Linux drivers. Sadly, AMD has not been able to achieve this in a way that the HDMI Forum can accept. This is due to the HDMI Forum’s decision to stop public specification access for the standard (as reported by Phoronix). Now that HDMI is a private specification, open source driver support is not feasible.

Below is what AMD’s Linux Engineer Alex Deucher had to say about the matter.

The HDMI Forum has rejected our proposal unfortunately. At this time an open source HDMI 2.1 implementation is not possible without running afoul of the HDMI Forum requirements.

As it stands, users of open source drivers should not expect the newest HDMI standards to work on their systems. This makes DisplayPort the output of choice for Linux users. Unless the HDMI Forum changes their mind about HDMI specification access, this situation will not change.

You can join the discussion on the HDMI Forum scuppering AMD’s open source HDMI 2.1 driver efforts on the OC3D Forums.