unified display interface (UDI)

The Unified Display Interface (UDI) is a unified display interface established by several manufacturers including Apple, Intel, LG Electronics, National Semiconductor, Samsung and others as an alternative to analogSub-D connectors and the digital High Definition Multimedia Interface( HDMI).

The Unified Display Interface takes its cues from the High Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI) and the Digital Visual Interface( DVI), with which it is backward compatible, and like HDMI, it offers High-Bandwidth Digital Content Protection( HDCP) for digital video as copy protection.

UDI and HDMI connectors (right) compared, photo: Intel.

This allows monitors and consumer devices with HDMI interfaces to be connected to platforms with UDI interfaces, including projectors and displays for high-definition television( HDTV). Special features of the Universal Display Interface (UDI) include increased flexibility for broadband technologies based on PCI Express and TMDS transmissions, Transition Minimized Differential Signaling (TMDS).