HDMI cables are a great way to connect your Blu-ray player, game console or media streamer to your TV. Luckily, there are lots of good cables out there for a range of price points.
There are a few things to look for when choosing an HDMI cable. These include bandwidth, length, and quality.
Cable Assemblies
HDMI cables carry high-definition video and audio data from an audio-video source to a receiver or display device. They are used to connect PCs to TVs, laptops to monitors, games consoles to projectors and more.
They are also used to connect Blu-ray players, DVD players and home theatre systems to televisions for the delivery of full 1080p video. They also offer dense audio bit streams.
Cables are available in male and female versions with space-saving right-angled connectors and gripping or locking connectors. They are ideal for digital signage applications, conference facilities and other applications where the cable must be terminated in a neat and tidy manner.
They support HDMI Ethernet Channel and ARC – the latter allowing connections to send audio information back to the source. Premium, deluxe and flat cables also support 3D over HDMI, 4K video and additional color spaces.
HDMI Cables
HDMI combines high-definition video and audio into a single cable, allowing devices like Smart TVs, computers, game consoles, sound systems and more to connect. It also offers a number of features, including a Display Data Channel that lets source devices and displays communicate information about audio and video, such as brightness and contrast settings.
HDMI cables are available in various types to accommodate the needs of different consumers and applications. Some include Ethernet channels to streamline the networking of Smart TVs and other Internet-connected devices.
Other features are included in more advanced HDMI cables, such as chroma subsampling to reduce the amount of color data that a display must send out. There are also HDMI cables that support 4K resolution. These are ideal for more sophisticated applications, such as streaming services. The speed of data transfer is a major factor in choosing an HDMI cable, and it’s important to look for one that can handle the bandwidth requirements for your application.
Video Cables
HDMI Cables, also known as high-definition multimedia interface cables, are used to transmit video and audio signals from your computer or other devices to a television or monitor. They’re a great way to avoid multiple cords and a messy setup.
Unlike analog cables, HDMI supports high-definition video (720p and 1080i) and surround sound audio. It also lets components and displays “talk” to each other through the remote control channel, requiring only one remote for an entire system.
A standard HDMI cable can run up to 25 feet, although longer runs may cause signal degradation. For even longer distances, consider an active HDMI cable that uses a tiny chip to borrow a tiny bit of power from the device it’s connected to.
Video cables can be made of oxygen-free copper (OFC) or copper-clad aluminum (CCA). Both types use shielding to protect the video data from electromagnetic interference and noise. Braided and foil are the most common shielding styles.
Audio Cables
Audio cables are used to connect different types of sound equipment, including microphones and audio devices. They are also essential for achieving optimal sound quality when recording.
There are a number of different cable types to choose from, depending on your needs and budget. These include XLR, S/PDIF, Coaxial, and AES/EBU.
XLR cables have three pins and are often used for connecting microphones to PCs, audio consoles and external audio devices. They are resistant to electromagnetic interference and can be used for studio applications or on stage during concerts and performances.
S/PDIF connectors are used to transfer stereo audio over a coaxial cable or an optical cable. These are less common than XLR cables and can be found on some CD players and other audio equipment.
USB cables are one of the most popular digital interfaces available and are widely used on digital music and audio equipment. They are available in a variety of shapes and sizes, with the latest USB-C cables becoming increasingly popular among professional users.
