HDMI is nowadays the standard for digital data transmission for image and sound. Almost every electronic device for data transmission has a corresponding connection. But HDMI is not always HDMI. There are different versions with different requirements – and different cables. This guide untangles the HDMI tangle for you.
HDMI – or High Definition Multimedia Interface – is an interface for digital data transmission of audio and video signals between electronic devices. Peripheral devices such as receivers, Blu-Ray players, game consoles, or notebooks with HDMI jacks can be easily connected to the TV and the signals can be transmitted with virtually no loss of quality.
HDMI through the ages
Since the first generation, HDMI 1.0, from 2002, the technology has undergone a strong change up to the 13th version – released in 2017. While Blu-Ray or HD were unknown terms to most people just 20 years ago, we are now at UHD 8K with a transfer rate of up to 48GBit/s. It also influences the other two most important parameters at the same time: The higher it is, the better the image can be resolved and repeated. In addition, a poor data rate also affects the sound quality.
The different versions differ in various specifications. The most important of these are image format, data rate and refresh rate. The image format describes the maximum screen resolution. The long common format VGA with a resolution of 640 x 480p has long been replaced by HD (1280 x 720p) or Full HD (1920 x 1080p). Meanwhile, 8K (7680 x 4320p) represents the highest resolution and thus shows the sharpest picture.
The refresh rate – specified in Hz – stands for the factor frames per second. Thus, the higher this rate is, the smoother the displayed images appear, which increases the perceived image quality. For a long time, a high refresh rate was primarily desired by gamers in order to display games more smoothly. Today, widespread video technologies such as 3D also require very high refresh rates in order to be able to display the material in good quality.
Thanks to interframe calculation (also called frame interpolation (FI) or motion estimation motion compensation (MEMC)), even cinema films typically shot at 24 Hz thus appear much smoother without the same frames being used several times to match the TV’s frequency. With this, as the name suggests, new intermediate frames are generated in real time between the 24 original frames, smoothing out the changes between the frames.
However, if you want the original cinema feeling, you should turn off these options and enjoy the movie with 24Hz.
Which version needs which cable?
The large number of versions with different specifications gradually caused confusion among consumers. The specified version numbers were not very understandable, and often it was not clear which cable was the appropriate one. Therefore, the HDMI Consortium has decided to divide HDMI cables into different markings:
- Standard
- High Speed
- High Speed with Ethernet
- Premium High Speed
- Premium High Speed with Ethernet
- Ultra High Speed
However, since these identifiers sometimes span several versions, the ban on version numbers has since been lifted again. The following applies: A specified version number is more accurate than the standard. If the number is missing, you can orientate yourself by the labeling.
| Overview HDMI | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| HDMI Standard | HDMI High Speed | HDMI High Speed with Ethernet | HDMI Premium High Speed | HDMI Premium High Speed with Ethernet | HDMI Ultra High Speed | ||||
| Version | 1.0 | 1.1 | 1.2 | 1.3 | 1.4 | 1.4 | 2.0x | 2.0x | 2.1 |
| Max. Data Rate | 3,96 Gbit/s | 7,92 Gbit/s | 8,16 Gbit/s | 8,16 Gbit/s | 14,4 Gbit/s | 14,4 Gbit/s | 48 Gbit/s | ||
| Max. Resolution | 1920 x 1080p / 60 Hz | 2560 x 1440p / 60Hz | 2560 x 1600p / 60 Hz 4K / 30 Hz | 2560 x 1600p / 60 Hz 4K / 30 Hz | 4K / 60 Hz 1920 x 1080p / 48 Hz 3D | 4K / 60 Hz 1920 x 1080p / 48 Hz 3D | UHD 4K / 120 Hz 3D UHD 8K / 60 Hz |
||
| Blu-ray and HD DVD compatible | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | x |
| Deep Color | x | x | x | x | x | x | |||
| 3D-capable | x | x | x | x | x | x | |||
| Audio Return Channel (ARC) | x | x | x | x | x | ||||
| 4K-capable | x | x | x | x | x | ||||
| Network channel | x | x | x | ||||||
| 4K-3D capable | x | x | x | ||||||
| 21:9 Cinemascope | x | x | x | ||||||
| High Dynamic Range | x | x | x | ||||||
| 8K-capable | x | ||||||||
| 14- and 16-bit color depth | x | ||||||||
With a minimum data rate of just under 1.8 GBit/s and a maximum of 8.16 Gbit/s, HDMI Standard has the lowest rate and thus also the lowest resolution of 720p. HDMI Standard with Ethernet can at least deliver 1080p (Full HD) at 60 Hz with 3.96 Gbit/s and is thus quite suitable for older devices.
HDMI High Speed achieves four times the resolution with up to 3840 x 2160p . In other words: a high-speed cable like this ST HDMM2M provides you with Full HD images with a refresh rate of 120 Hz. Even 4K or 3D image material can be played back – but only at 30 Hz.Premium High Speed standard cables such as the GOOBAY 72318 are subjected to appropriate tests during production. These tests are designed to ensure that the specified transmission rate is maintained and that interference is kept to a minimum. They also support HDMI 2.0, which means a 4K resolution at 50 to 60 Hertz becomes possible. With a maximum transfer rate of 14.4 Gbit/s, you can also easily play back your 3D material.
HDMI Ultra High Speed even goes one step further: This standard grants you highest resolution picture material with UHD 8K at 120 Hz- and even up to 10K at 30Hz.
Cables marked HDMI Standard Automotive are special models intended for vehicles with the specifications of the HDMI standard.
What specifications to consider
Want to connect Internet-connected peripherals like a game console or Blu-ray player to your TV? With an Ethernet-enabled cable, the connected devices share an Internet connection. This way, your network is not burdened by unnecessary connections.
The ARC (Audio Return Channel) makes the previously required additional audio cables superfluous from version 1.4. This specification allows you to transfer audio signals in both directions of the connection. For example, if you have a console connected to the TV and want to run the sound through a home theater system, they do not have to connect the console to the system for this. If the TV is connected to both devices, the third connection becomes obsolete. As of version 2.1, the cables also support the eARC audio standard. This means that object-based audio formats like Dolby Atmos and DTS-HD Master Audio can be played for the first time.
Most movies today are recorded in a format that is even wider than 16:9. Movies in the so-called Cinemascope format have an aspect ratio of 21:9. Starting with version 2.0, HDMI supports this format, so you can get an even better cinema feeling in your home.
Normal digital images usually have 256 levels of brightness and therefore often have little contrast. High Dynamic Range (HDR), on the other hand, refers to digital photos with extremely high contrasts and very large differences in brightness. In this way, the photos come even closer to the contrasts perceived by the human eye and thus appear even more authentic. This feature is supported from version 2.0a.
Why compatibility and shielding are important.
Most HDMI cables are backwards compatible. So you can also connect two devices that support different HDMI versions. In this case, however, only the functions of the lower version can be used. To be able to transfer and scale large amounts of data, you should still make sure that your HDMI cable meets the requirements of the higher version. Therefore, devices of the same standard are easier to connect.
HDMI guarantees interference-free transmission up to a length of five meters. If there is still considerable picture interference, you should check the shielding of your cable. If this is too low, a power cable running in parallel can interfere with the transmission.
Special case: What to consider for long distances.
Especially in the professional field, it sometimes happens that you have to bridge distances of more than five meters have to. In such cases, an HDMI extender is often recommended. High quality AOC cables like the PURE FX-I350-015 meanwhile offer you the possibility to transmit your data via fiber optics over longer distances without loss.The DELOCK 84037 is specifically designed to bridge longer distances between PC and peripherals without data loss. However, make sure here that your computer also has an HDMI-A port. Especially modern laptops, which are getting slimmer and slimmer, do not have enough space for such a wide connector. In this case, you might have to resort to an HDMI-A-to-B or even C adapter.
If you follow these tips, nothing stands in the way of buying the right HDMI cable. Whether it’s a home cinema experience or a professional display of high-resolution image material – in reichelt online shop you will find the right solution for your requirements.
Images: Adobe Stock, reichelt
