How Can You Tell if HD Devices Will Work Together?

High-definition content is a beauty to behold, and many devices--HDTVs, DVD players, and A/V receivers, to name a few--promise to deliver it. But sometimes these supposedly like-minded products don't work with each other, giving you a blank screen instead of full high-def glory. Simplay Labs and its Simplay HD Testing program, launched by Silicon Image at CES in Las Vegas this week, is now testing products for mutual compatibility. TVs and other devices using the High-Definition Multimedia interface may bear the Simplay HD logo only if they pass the certification tests.

Over a dozen HDTVs--perhaps as many as 18--have already earned Simplay HD certification, according to Joseph C. Lee, Silicon Image's director of product marketing. DVD players, A/V receivers, and other HDMI-equipped devices will soon follow suit. Devices with the Simplay HD certification will work with other devices bearing the logo, making it easier to buy components and be sure they'll play well together.