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Why won’t Steam Machine support HDMI 2.1? Digging in on the display standard drama. (arstechnica.com)

submitted 2 days ago by Fubarberry@sopuli.xyz to c/steamdeck@sopuli.xyz

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The TL;DR is that the organization that controls the HDMI standard won't allow any open source implementation of HDMI 2.1.

So the hardware is fully capable of it, but they'll get in trouble if them officially implement it.

Instead it's officially HDMI 2 (which maxes out at 4k @ 60Hz), but through a technique called chroma sub-sampling they've been able to raise that up to 4k @ 120Hz.

However there are some minor reductions in picture quality because of this, and the whole thing would be much easier if the HDMI forum would be more consumer friendly.

In the meantime, the Steam Machine also has display port as a completely issue free display option.

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[-] SteveTech@aussie.zone 1 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago)

on these atomic distros where even something like syncthing involves shenanigans to keep active week to week? Ain't happening.

I don't see why you couldn't kexec into a new kernel. kexec will load a kernel into memory from an already running kernel, and jump into it. It'll suck for the user as they'll have to semi-reboot everytime they want HDMI 2.1, but it's easy and doesn't install anything.

There's also live patching, but I think that'll be a bit of work.

Of course the kernel needs to be compiled with those options enabled, but most distros do.

Edit: And they probably won't work with kernel lockdown/secure boot.

this post was submitted on 05 Dec 2025

550 points (100.0% liked)

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