Amigabill Projects

After my previous post about using eSATA and/or USB3 ports as PCI-Express connections, I was told that someone already uses mini-HDMI connectors in much the same way.

The people at www.hwtools.net (aka www.bplus.com.tw) make various adapters for external PCI-Express test slots and use mini-HDMI cables between their different boards to carry the PCI-Express signals. I don't know if they are custom cables or if they are plain standard mini-HDMI cables. And they only use this to cable between their own PCI-Express boards. But it does make it tempting to mux out an HDMI port on a laptop to do either HDMI video or to carry PCI-Express to one of these external slots as a standard feature. Especially while I'm wondering how to pay for HDMI membership/certification etc. The port can be useful as PCI-Express until it is allowed to enable the video side of that mux. Then, if Bplus used standard HDMI cables, then we should be good to go with any HDMI to mini-HDMI cable, or work out an arrangement for custom HDMI to mini-HDMI cables if necessary.

I had been aware of Bplus's products, but was not aware until now that they were using mini-HDMI connectors. And they provide schematics for many of their adapter boards to show us how they connect to this mini-HDMI port, so we should be able to have some fun here!