(iTers News) - A short for mobile high-definition link, MHL technology is a sort of plug and play screen mirroring technology to share data across a wide range of mobile and consumer electronics devices from smart phones to tablet PCs to desktop PC to even TVs.

Nearly 3 years after it debuted in April, 2010, the MHL technology ecosystem has expanded so rapidly that over 200 manufacturers have rolled out more than 260 million MHL-enabled devices so far.

To keep the growth momentum up and running, the MHL consortium is now scrambling to extend the availability of the wired data mirroring technology beyond traditional mobile and consumer electronics spheres into yet untapped applications like automotive markets.

“One of the most exciting trends in the industry is the concept of the connected car. Here, we are seeing MHL sitting both on a head unit, or a car dashboard and a rear seat entertainment system. With the MHL being uncompressed technology, it has no lag,” said Dr. Judy Chen, president with MHL Consortium at a press conference held in downtown Seoul.

(Photo caption: Dr. Judy Chen, president with MHL Consortium)

MHL-enabled cars to hit roads by 2015

Added she, ”If you imagine that you are putting up your GPS map on your favorite restaurant that you want to go, you can actually swipe the touch screen on your car dashboard, and it will be immediately reflected on the smart phone itself. That, coupled with the ability to keep your phone charged, while driving, makes MHL a very compelling solution for the connected car."

JVC-Kenwood and Pioneer both have MHL-enabled car infotainment systems and car manufacturers are looking to implement MHL into their designs in the near future.  

According to Judy Chen, the MHL consortium was founded 3 years ago on April 9 2010 by some of the leading consumer electronics and mobile companies like Nokia, Samsung Electronics, Silicon Image, Sony and Toshiba. And, the first MHL-enabled product hit store shelves in May 2011.  The consortium also introduced a second generation of specifications MHL2 in April 2012.

2nd screen phenomenon

The first two MHL-enabled products were Samsung Electronics’ flagship Galaxy S2 smart phone and HTC’s Flier tablet PC, allowing phone or tablet PC users to share data with a TV to play back videos or games on the big TV screen. Since then, the adoption of the MHL technology started to gain speed, fueling so-called second screen phenomenon, where more and more people watch or play back their small screen video and game contents on the nearby living room TV’s big screen, . Today, it can be found on such hottest Android mobile devices as Samsung’s Galaxy S4, LG Electronics’ Optimus G, and HTC One Butterfly. Sony also has also embedded in into its flagship Nexperia smart phone an tablet PC lines.

As the penetration of the MHL technology into the mobile space is accelerating, so is its adoption into TV and monitors. Dr. Judy Chen expects that the year 2013 would mark a watershed year for the MHL technology to get widely deployed in the PC monitor and TV space, diversifying its use case and applications. “It is time to educate and inspire consumes to include MHL into their life style, “ added she.

Data latency-free, real-time data transfer is its most compelling appeal, enabling consumers to simultaneously watch their small screen full HD 1080p and 60 frame per second contents on their living TV with no lag, as it doesn't’t need to compress date and then decode back it.

Equally amazing is that it is also typical of triple-play data transfer technology that can not only deliver uncompressed full-HD video signal and 8-channel high quality surround sound audio signal, but also carry control and control signals. For example, it gets power from a TV to charge a connected mobile device. Using a TV remote controller of a MHL-enabled TV that has a built-in MHL receiver chip, consumers also can control their MHL-enabled mobile devices that incorporate an embedded transmitter MHL chip.

Triple play; audio and video, control and power  

“It can interoperate with a TV remote controller, that comes with a MHL TV, allowing users to dock  phones or tablet next to a television and sitting back on a couch to control a play-back of mobile devices All of these features are achieved through tunneling with existing ports both on mobile devices and televisions,” Dr. Judy Chen said.

Of course, the high quality audio and video transmission is protected through the latest high definition content protocol, HDCP1.3.

Photo & Video by JH Bae