It's either everything that was sent, or full of very visible errors sparkles. The image cannot have more noise, or less resolution, worse color, or any other picture-quality difference. The pixels can't change. They can either be there perfect, yay!
All the claims about differences in picture quality are remnants of the analog days, which were barely valid then and not at all valid now. There is no way for different cables to create a different color temperature , change the contrast ratio , or anything else picture-quality-wise.
At this point some of you are saying "but sparkles are noise. If you see sparkles, you need a different cable. Another potential "fail" is a failure of the HDCP copy protection, which shows up as a total snowy image, a blinking image, or something else hard to miss. I have seen this in my testing, though, so it's worth mentioning.
One in particular claims this is because there is no error correction on the audio and its cables are more likely to transmit all the data. First of all, this is untrue. Audio over HDMI actually has more error correction than the video signal. But even if this weren't the case, it's still utter nonsense. Dolby has extensive error correction built into its codecs.
DTS presumably works in the same way, though the company ignored my repeated requests for info. Cheap or expensive, the cable is irrelevant when it comes to transmitting Dolby or DTS. If the cable is faulty or if there is some cataclysm causing data to be lost between the player and the receiver, the decoders are designed to mute instead of blasting out compromised data.
There is no such thing as an audio version of "sparkles. So if you're getting audio dropouts, it's possible it's the HDMI cable. But if you're not getting video issues as well, the problem is likely elsewhere. If the audio isn't muting, then as long as you're outputting an audio codec, you're getting exactly what's on the disc. This data is packetized, just like the rest of the audio and video signal. As such, it is error-corrected.
However, jitter is far more likely than with an optical or coax connection. In discussions with several audio equipment manufacturers since the original publication of this article, I've been told by all of them that the DAC in the receiver is going to have a far greater effect on the sound than the jitter in the transmission.
Before you leap on that, keep in mind that the DAC has a smaller effect on the sound than the amp, the speakers, and definitely less than the room itself. Oh, and in case that wasn't clear, the jitter is inherent in the HDMI transmission itself. The cable isn't going to have any effect.
Likely transmission The big "if" that I've been repeating is "if the signal gets there. Over longer runs, the answer is less clear-cut. The variables of the transmitter and receiver combo in the source and display, plus any repeaters you have in the mix like a receiver , mean that not every long HDMI cable can handle all the data. Xbox and Roku are two examples of devices that can take advantage of HEC to connect to the Internet. Dynamic HDR simply means the dynamic range can be set on a per-scene basis or frame-by-frame in the case of high-end TVs.
The higher the resolution, color depth and frame rate, the more bits need to be transmitted until the maximum bandwidth is reached. Then, the only way to transmit more bits is to add more lanes to the cable or compress the signal. HDMI 2. Active vs. Passive cables have a limited range more on this later. Active cables on the other hand include a signal booster that enables video and audio to be transmitted over longer distances. Active cables sometimes require a power supply.
Consensus seems to be about 50 feet for p and feet for 4K video, but distances of over feet are achievable. A good practical approach is to try a passive cable and, if you have problems with signal strength, add an in-line signal booster at the receiver end.
Active Cables — Length is more definitive in the case of an active cable because signal transmission is designed and tested over the advertised distance. When transmission distance requirements exceed the limits of passive and active cables, it's time to consider the various forms of signal extension. Greater distances are possible at lower frame rates. HDMI over Fiber — The connectors on fiber HDMI convert conventional electrical inputs to pulses of light that are transmitted at high speed through optical fiber, then converted back to electricity on the receiving end.
Wireless is generally slower than hardwire so make sure the video resolution and frequency is sufficient for your needs. Yes, but not directly. The adapter may require an external power source. It is the PD handshake that establishes an Alt Mode connection. As a general rule, video and audio can be converted from one protocol to another equal or lesser protocol as the table below shows.
Protocol conversion requires an adapter. Switches and splitters are often confused and for good reason. They perform similar functions. A switch takes multiple inputs and lets you choose which one to display on your TV or computer monitor.
A splitter does exactly the opposite. It takes a single video signal and replicates it to multiple displays.
Each display will show the same image. Splitters are often classified according to their inputs and outputs. For example, a 2-port splitter might be referred to as "1x2" because it has one input and two outputs.
When choosing a splitter, make sure the output is at the resolution and frequency you want. For example, a boardroom presentation might include Powerpoint slides and video from a streaming service like YouTube or Vimeo.
A matrix switch has multiple inputs AND outputs. For example, a 9x2 matrix switch has 9 inputs and 2 outputs. Another variation on the many-to-one theme is the Multiviewer , which consolidates a number of video inputs on a single monitor.
Multiviewers are found in broadcast control rooms and video surveillance systems. No, an HDMI splitter takes one video signal and replicates it to multiple displays so each display shows the same image. This is known as "mirroring". Here are your options for extending your desktop:. A power surge is typically a brief increase in voltage due to, for example, an overloaded circuit, power outage or lightning strike.
A surge protector detects excess voltage and safely diverts it through the building's grounding system so it doesn't damage connected equipment. HDMI surge protectors are intended to supplement primary surge protection and are installed "in line" between a video source and display.
Important: surge protectors do not provide two-way protection against power spikes. If you want to protect both source and display, you should install two surge protectors: one with its output facing the video source and one with output facing the display. They work and look just like a thin HDMI cable. Wireless: You could also skip cables completely and just go wireless. This isn't quite as simple as it sounds, though.
There are far too many considerations to get into here, but a few things to keep in mind: 1 They're going to cost more than cables; 2 4K options often only work in-room and can be blocked by anything, including cabinet doors and even people.
Though wireless seems like it should be easy for multiple devices in this era of near-ubiquitous Wi-Fi, it's not. If you're considering this, definitely do your research before you buy. In September a CNN article brought attention to a number of Amazon's own products that have caught fire. Like any copper cable, voltage can be transmitted over the cable, but that's an issue with the source, the display or perhaps the lightning bolt hitting your house.
There was no fire in that case, however: The reviewer's cable melted for unknown reasons. We don't think the CNN report is a reason to dismiss AmazonBasics AV cables, but if you're not comfortable with the idea, there are other options listed here, including Monoprice, which we've had in our labs and homes for years. And it's an added bonus if it has a great warranty like the Amazon or Monoprice cables. Keep in mind there's no such thing as HDMI cable "versions.
The version numbers refer to the physical connections in your TV, receiver or sound bar. It's just a dumb pipe. As long as that pipe is "big" enough, which is to say it has enough bandwidth, you should be good to go. The new Ultra High Speed cables are capable of 48Gbps, but that's far beyond what any current source can send. Lastly, if you want to run the cables through a wall, make sure you get HDMI cables specifically made for that. Check your local building codes for the HDMI specification you need.
As well as covering TV and other display tech, Geoff does photo tours of cool museums and locations around the world , including nuclear submarines , massive aircraft carriers , medieval castles , airplane graveyards and more.
He also wrote a bestselling sci-fi novel about city-sized submarines, along with a sequel. Be respectful, keep it civil and stay on topic.
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Yes — although not DVI-A. This adapter is also bi-directional. So no matter which way you need to send the signal, this should do the trick. Remember, if you use an adapter like this then you will only be able to transmit the picture.
So, in this case, you would have to send the audio via another connection type like coaxial or optical audio. Yes, you can.
One way is to use your AV receiver. There are plenty to choose from. You just need to check that the converter you use will deliver the signal that you need. The one above supports resolutions up to p. Also, you need to be clear about what you want to convert from and to. If you need to do something different, then you need to look for the correct converter for that job. In some situations, you may find it difficult, or even impossible, to plug your HDMI cable into your device.
The most common scenario is where you have your flat screen TV mounted on a wall. This useful little device will connect to the end of your existing HDMI cable and create a degree connector.
You may also see these described as degree HDMI adapters. It just means the HDMI connector is designed to point up — rather than down.
The adapters I have linked to above come with both versions. One that points down degree adapter — and another that points up degree adapter. Also, some people prefer to have a cable with the correct connector hard-wired on the cable — rather than use an adapter. A switch has multiple inputs and an output. Therefore, you can connect all your devices to the switch — and then use the single output to connect to your TV.
If you want more details on this and learn how to connect everything, check out my guide to the HDMI switch. If you are playing the movie from a device with an HDMI output — like a Blu-ray player or media streamer — then this is quite easy.
You just need to buy a splitter that has enough outputs. You also need to make sure that the splitter supports the video resolutions and audio formats that you need. For more details, check out my guide to the HDMI splitter. Category 3 cables come with the Ethernet wiring as standard.
The increased speed is required to support the new features of HDMI 2. It is fully backward-compatible with older HDMI connections.
There is no defined maximum cable length for HDMI cables — only a required performance. The ability of a cable to accurately reproduce signals over a long distance is very much dependent on the build quality of the cable — and the quality of circuits in the devices. However, in practice, a high-quality cable should transfer data successfully over about 10 meters.
Then, a repeater or amplifier may be needed to boost the signal. Over a short distance, like less than 3 meters, almost any cable should be able to transfer the required data.
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