USB-C HDMI support - Why has this been disabled?

[Bloodhoundje]

I recently bought the XZ2 Compact and have been enjoying my phone so far. 

As Steam released it's BETA streaming client and steam controller support under android this enabled alot of new options for gaming. Just when I was getting excited for gaming on the go on my phone through VPN + Inhome, I got hit by immense dissapointment when I found out that Sony decided to disable the HDMI support through USB-C. 

My plan was to buy the Sony MP-CL1A pico projector (https://www.sony.com/electronics/projector/mp-cl1a), connect my phone through HDMI, connect my steam controller over bluetooth and I would have an amazing gaming platform on the go.

Sony stated in another message here on the board that the removal of HDMI has been a design choice. I would like to hear the reason why Sony has actually put effort into removing a feature that is available on the SOC by default. Every other phone with this SOC supports usb-c  to HDMI and it is even a part of the USB-C protocol...

Miracast is not a viable replacement for HDMI, it is slow and only usefull when giving a powerpoint presentation.

So please Sony, it would be greatly appreciated by the entire community if you enable this standard feature on the XZ2 compact. Enabling this is a software change, not a hardware change. When this feature is supported I will instantly buy the pico projector to use with my phone. 

Stating this this change is by design while knowing that this does not change anything to the hardware layout or appearance on the phone simply means that this "design" change is purely based on forcing your end users to use miracast and earn extra money over sold miracast devices.

Currently not having this feature made me decided not to buy another Sony smartphone in the future.

I hope that someone at Sony could give us an actual answer with better reasoning than "it is by design".

[Strampke]

Hi @Danin 

Did you succeed?

[MichalH94]

Really Sony? You will grab your money to disable automatic feature and forbidden the MHL support to us? Even the biggest chinese crap can do this and they can support everything that this port and processor can do and you, proud Japanese will start do this...I dont even know how to say it non-vulgary...okay, my XZ2 Compact is the last Sony phone, if your targer is to throw away all loyal customers of yours, let it be in your way.

[GeoffH]

must admit this is pretty poor from Sony 

although it has to be said that with wifi speeds much faster these day there are still options but why take one away ?

[Stepouch]

Dear Jonas,

 is there any information regarding support of the HDMI by the other Sony mobile(s)? It will be one of the GO/NoGO decision criteria for selecting my next mobile device. It will be a reason to interrupt the line of the approx. 50 devices in the last 8 years in my department and family.

I'm looking for your answer.

Kind regards

Stepan

[NunoSEN2]

Hi @Stepouch;

The Xperia 1 supports Displayport or USB-C to HDMI as already answered here: /t5/Xperia-1/does-the-xperia-1-finally-support-hdmi-output/m-p/1375684/highlight/true#M581.

Regards

[Jonas]

Hi @Stepouch, sorry for the late reply, I have been out office due to vacation.

As @NunoSEN2 wrote, the Xperia 1 supports DisplayPort/HDMI via the USB Type-C port.

To connect the phone to an external display or TV that has a DisplayPort, you can use a USB-C to DisplayPort cable which supports DisplayPort 4K 60 fps*.

To connect the phone to an external display or TV that has an HDMI port, you can use a USB-C to HDMI adapter cable which supports DisplayPort 4K 60 fps*.

* For more details about compatibility, refer to the cable adapter retailer or supplier.

I hope that helps you in making a decision for your next device and let me know if there are any other questions!

Have a nice weekend!

[cryss]

Is there any plan to enable hdmi with an update? 

This is pretty lousy to spend money and ressources to DISABLE a feature that is already there... 

[Jonas]

Hi @cryss,

I don't know if there any plans to do that or if it is even possible. There could be some limitations in the hardware that makes it not possible to enable it in a software update.

I'll forward the feedback, but I can't make any promises!

[cryss]

Would be wonderful... 

Or if we could have least some more insight or more technical details to what would be possible via software and what would require a hardware change. 

[Jonas]

Hi again @cryss,

Agreed! Now is just says "not supported" and on the Xperia and Xperia 5 you can connect the device to a HDMI or DisplayPort so it has at least not been discontinued.

If I read between the lines and since it's supported now again on a different chipset (SD 855) it sounds more like a hardware limitation than software. If it was due to software, I doubt that it would be available in other devices with the same Android version, but I can of course be wrong.