Buying HDMI cables is not rocket science, in reality it is rather a simple task to find the best HDMI cable for your home theater. There are a few simple things you need to know, most importantly – price usually has no bearing on how well the cable will function. Still, there is a significant range of prices for HDMI cables. You will find both extremely economical cables for less than $1.00 and super costly cables for $50, $100 or even more.
You may be thinking there must be a large distinction in the quality of video and audio that is produced by the cables. But this assumption is wrong. Because HDMI cables pass digital signals, per definition each and every HDMI cable will provide either an ideal signal or no signal at all. It will either work or it won’t.
If all HDMI cables are equal – should you go out and buy the least expensive HDMI cable? No. Do not purchase the super cheap cables, because:
The build quality of cheap HDMI Cables is substandard; the connectors, twists in cables, electromagnetic interference protection, wiring, etc. are of the lowest quality.
Poor quality control by the cable manufacturer; too commonly inexpensive cables do not work at all.
Higher possibility of not meeting the standards set by the HDMI organization and not being an official HDMI adopter.
For some reason people still think that HDMI versions such as HDMI 1.3 and HDMI 1.4a, etc. are appropriate criteria for purchasing HDMI cables. In fact, the HDMI versions really only apply to the manufacturers of the cables. Consumers want to look for the following criteria when selecting cables:
HDMI Standard – 1080i and 720p
HDMI Standard with Ethernet – 1080i and 720p plus Ethernet
HDMI High Speed – 1080p, 3D and 4k
HDMI High Speed with Ethernet – 1080p, 3D, 4K plus Ethernet
If you are connecting a 3D BluRay player to a 3D HDTV, then you should choose a HDMI High Speed HDMI Cable.
If you want to use the new 4K high resolution standard, then be sure the cable supports 4K video and it is a HDMI High Speed version.
If you are connecting a standard DVD player to a HDTV with a resolution less than 1080p, then a HDMI standard cable will work just fine.
A High Speed HDMI cable is the very best HDMI cable you can purchase and will work with all the latest technology.
The vast bulk of HDMI products are certified by the HDMI Licensing Company and tested for finest performance. To make sure that you are purchasing an accredited and 100 % certified item we recommend:
Look for the official HDMI Logo and the HDMI High Speed Logo.
Purchase from trusted sellers, like Amazon.
This may seem very basic, but in fact selecting the correct cable television length is essential. As explained earlier HDMI cables either send the digital data or send no signal at all. In contrast to other type of television cables (e.g. coax cables), HDMI cables work with a cable technology that limits the maximum cable length to 35 feet.
Note: There is no explicit length cable length of HDMI cables. The HDMI Company makes it clear that HDMI signals can be transferred over a distance of 300 ft with the right technique.
Practically, most cables provide a basic twisted-copper architecture which due to its signal attenuation restricts the functional length to 35 feet, more or less. This length generally relies on the HDMI cable’s quality as well as its ability to conduct signals.
Longer HDMI cables are generally more susceptible to electrical interference.
Longer HDMI cables need much better protection, better quality and are hence more expensive.
If you want to use a cable longer than 35ft a signal booster should be used
To summarize: The Best HDMI cable is a High speed cable.
You now have the information you need to select the best HDMI cable for your needs.
Cables either transmit the digital signals or they don’t
Buy reasonably priced cables, ($1.00 per foot)
Select a cable designated High Speed for the best features and compatibility with the latest technology
Look for the official HDMI logos or statements
Choose the shortest cable for your application
