[Arm-netbook] HDMI variant low profile ethernet socket

[joem]

Hi,

Luke/Aaron, you need to get some shoes on
and go make a mini HDMI connector that is a little bit smaller (so as to
prevent it being used as a video connector) and use it as ethernet
connector.

Notice all the tablets out there don't have physical ethernet?

For lack of a decent substitute ethernet connector that is thin enough
to go on a tablet.

It could be designed so that future EOMAs could have it and so too
should the Plasma Active tablets. And thin stacks of future server
boards.

You guys need to use your industrial contacts and muscle and go pull
some strings to make it happen. The alternative is I go make it in
mini-HDMI size and just make cable adapter (which will lead to
confusion). I'm sure my adventure will end in tears and a sorry mess but
it be better than nothing.

HDMI has at least 4 tx/rx pairs and a lot more - just use the tx/rx
pairs only and its good enough to get gigabit ethernet.
The ethernet magnetics chip is very small these days costing under $1,
so the overall solution could fit inside an EOMA.

There is some standard out there milling around
to support ethernet through HDMI, but I don't fancy that as a better
solution than a low profile dedicated ethernet connector long overdue
for the tablet market to replace the bulky RJ connector.