Let's see if I were to design a standard today I would want the following.

1. Enough bandwidth to account for at least 10 years of technology improvements, hopefully longer. I think 1 tbs should be good for that. So when resolutions, bit depth, frame rate, etc. increases you won't have to update your equipment because your cabling or chips to handle the signal won't be obsolete as technology improves. Like not having to upgrade your receiver or sound bar because you want a new TV.

2. Connectors should be able to be field terminated just like previous technologies RCA, BNC, Cat5, F connectors, fibre, etc. Why spoil a good design?!

3. It should have a locking connector like other connectors like BNC,Cat5, fiber, VGA, HDMI's predecessor DVI, etc. Again, don't re-invent the wheel.

4. It should be able to go reasonably long lengths. I don't know what's reasonable 100 feet, 100 meters, 1000 meters? Definitely no less than 100 feet at full bandwidth.

Hmmm, easily done 20 years ago with all these specs. It is called fiber. HDMI was a poor standard and not well thought out. The guy must have been a computer guy and used to having monitors 3 feet from his computer and the only thing he ever snaked was putting his VGA cable through the 2" hole in his desk to reach the monitor. HDMI was never designed for how it would be used in many homes.

From a business standpoint with the creator of HDMI, it is a grand slam. Whole industries have appeared because of it. Extenders, signal restorers/fixers, distribution, etc. Along with the ever revolving door of required equipment upgrades means the royalty checks keep rolling in.

I'm glad your friend is good to you but I hope HDMI dies and we move onto something a lot more reliable with less headaches.