When it comes to HDMI / DVI connectivity, you have two choices: Copper or Fiber Optics. Which is right for you?
As digital displays become more popular, and more people understand that a DVI or HDMI 'pure digital' connection delivers the best HD picture quality available today, the decision of which type of cable to use is challenging and requires thoughtful consideration.
Today's video installations grow ever more complex, with source components positioned a good distance away from the display. The distance is the biggest factor in determining which technology to use.
There are two choices when it comes to choosing the technology for your connection cable. Copper or Fiber Optic. This subject has been debated since the introduction of optical and coax digital audio connections and it is believed that both are comparable, that choosing one over the other does not affect the audio quality. This is true for low bandwidth audio especially when the distance is short.
However, full motion uncompressed digital video signal is a different story. Due to the nature of digital signals and the natural impedance and inductance of copper, fiber optic conversion technology is usually the best connection medium for longer length DVI and HDMI signal extensions. Fortunately, with digital video, both technologies use the same connector type. The DVI/HDMI digital signal is both high-speed and high-bandwidth. Typically, 1080p signal would mean 1920x1080 pixels refreshing 60 times per second. At this high rate of speed and large bandwidth of data, the impedance of many copper cables can cause signal loss at about 15 feet - which results in digital artifacts (sparkles), pixilation (tiling) and/or no picture (blue screen).
A well built, high quality copper cable with low impedance in shorter lengths will do fine at 1080p and is used in conjunction with many fiber optic extension products. There are also some copper cables at longer lengths (50ft and beyond) that are known to pass 1080p video without pixilation or degradation. However, to accurately compare between fiber optic cables and copper cables, the two should be compared with same testing environment and set-up. Copper cables and booster technologies are somewhat dependent on the 'strength' of the transmitted signals. Computer video cards transmit the cleanest and strongest signals and many A/V components such as DVD players and Cable/Satellite receivers transmit weaker signals that may affect the end result.
In addition, the lifetime of these cables should also be considered. The optical conversion ICs are guaranteed to last at least 80,000 hrs of continuous operation. Fiber optic cables are also immune to lightning and other electrical interference such as RFI.
With Fiber Optic Conversion technology, there is theoretically zero impedance and thus zero loss as the digital electrical signal is converted into light-waves at the video source and the signal travels in light form till it reaches the display and is reconverted into digital electrical signals. Be sure to note the difference between 'boosters' and true optical conversion technology if you want to make sure all the pixels reach your display. 'Boosters' used over copper wire amplify the electrical signal to make it 'stronger' to minimize signal loss. However, the biggest problem with this technique is that when the signal is amplified, bad data may also get amplified at the same time, which can result in amplified digital noise and/or pixel loss. Another problem with many 'booster' solutions is that the DVI & HDMI signals can only travel up to about 60ft before the signal needs to be re-boosted. This is not only inefficient; it can be very costly. Last but not least, boosters are electrical devices that are not UL approved for in-wall locations. Custom installations that require in-wall capability over long distances require Fiber Optics because it converts the electrical signal into light-waves and thus maintains the integrity of the signal data up to 395 ft without interference by peripheral devices.
This is the very reason why IT infrastructures and cable TV companies are upgrading their networks to fiber optic. Considering the fact that the bandwidth of IT communication (generally less than 0.6Gbps) is much lower than uncompressed video data (1.65Gbps), it is easy to understand why fiber optic is better when it comes to high bandwidth digital signal transfer for long cable runs.
Recently introduced regeneration technology looks promising, however it needs more testing. These devices coupled with high quality low impedance copper cable may successfully extend the distance beyond 30ft. However, with fast moving 'full motion' gigabit HD video at higher resolution (1080p and above), this will be the true test between copper and fiber optic technology.
Connectivity products such as cables are one investment you will need to live with for at least 10 years. Consider it an investment as cable quality does make a difference and it will stay with your system for a very long time. Your current AV system may only do 720p or 1080i at this time and copper cables may be fine. However, as digital video technology is changing rapidly, you may be upgrading your DVD player or TV in the near future and you want to make sure your cables will work with your new system (especially, if you are burying the cables in the wall). Buy a cable that is guaranteed to work at 1080p regardless of whether it is a proven copper solution or fiber optic alternative. Fiber Optics may be more expensive, but the price differential may be worth consideration for future-proofing your system now.
It is always important to test your cable before your installation. Make sure to check the return policy with the merchant before making a purchase. You don't want to run the cable under the floor or inside the wall and find out the cable is not working out for your system. Test your new cable for at least a few hours to ensure it works on all of your system' supported formats.
Many thanks to Minsoo Park of PureLink for contributing this article.
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New owners of 4K TVs sometimes wonder if they need to buy a new HDMI cable to go with it. The very fast answer is: Probably not.
Here’s how to tell if the final call is a yes or a no.
HDMI cables explained
An HDMI cable is just a conduit between your TV and media device, be it DVD, Blu-ray, 4K UHD Blu-ray player; a media streamer; a video game console; or a PC. Different types of HDMI cables do exist, but their designations indicate how much data they can carry. (Spoiler: There’s really no such thing as a 4K HDMI cable.)
When pared down to the most basic information, the video resolution guidelines as set by the HDMI Forum Technical Working Group that defines the specification are:
Standard HDMI: Up to 720p or 1080i resolution at 30Hz
High Speed HDMI: Up to 4K resolution (including 1080p) at 30Hz
Premium High Speed HDMI: Up to 4K resolution with high dynamic range (HDR) at up to 60Hz
Ultra High Speed HDMI: Up to 10K resolution with HDR at a 120Hz refresh rate (4K video can refresh at up to 240Hz)
The more detailed versions of the guidelines matter if you want more than just a basic TV signal: If you play video games at more than 30 frames per second, for example, or you intend to make full use of an HDR TV, or you want an HDMI cable that can also carry data over ethernet (most people do not).
For these types of scenarios, you must take refresh rate (measured in cycles per second, stated as Hertz, and abbreviated as Hz), the level of color precision (color depth, measured in bits; e.g., 8-bit, 10-bit, or 12-bit), and color data compression (i.e., chroma subsampling) into consideration. The higher you go with refresh rate and bit depth—and the less color data compression you opt for—the more data that will be pushed to your TV.
Harper Lee — To Kill a Mockingbird Genre:As a Southern Gothic novel and a Bildungsroman, the primary themes of To Kill a Mockingbird involve racial injustice and the destruction of innocence. Scholars have noted that Lee also addresses issues of class, courage and compassion, and gender roles in the American Deep South. The story takes place during three years of the Great Depression in the fictional “tired old town” of Maycomb, Alabama. The narrator, six-year-old Scout Finch, lives with her older brother Jem and their widowed father Atticus, a middle-aged lawyer. To kill a mockingbird epub.
Accordingly, you’ll need an HDMI cable that has adequate bandwidth. The chart below details the nuances that divide Standard HDI, High Speed, Premium High Speed, and Ultra High Speed HDMI. Currently, a Premium High Speed HDMI cable should cover the highest demands you’d ask of a 4K TV. Consumer devices that can take advantage of an Ultra High Speed HDMI cable (e.g., 8K TVs) are rare and very expensive.
(Note that the table refers to refresh rate in frames per second. A 60fps is synonymous with a display refresh rate of 60Hz, and so on.)
If you’ve looked at the above chart and realized that your plans require a Premium High Speed HDMI cable, don’t rush out to buy one just yet. You might not need to spend any cash.
When to reuse an HDMI cable you already own
The HDMI cable that you already have might support all the features you need. Here’s how to figure that out.
All you plan to do is watch TV and nothing further
Just connect your TV and media device using your existing cable. If you get a steady image with no artifacts, you’re good to go. No additional thinking is required.
You want to watch HDR content, play games at 60fps, use a TV as a monitor, etc.
You can determine if your existing cable is compatible in one of two ways.
Check if the cable is labeled as High Speed, Premium High Speed, or Ultra High Speed. If your HDMI cable doesn’t clearly specify what type it is, you might be able to look it up if the manufacturer and part number are printed on the cord.
Plug the cable into your TV and your media device, and then change the settings on both to match your requirements. If you get a steady image while playing content, you should be good to go.
Of the two methods, the second is a little more reliable—typically, you’ll immediately get a signal (or you won’t.) But it’s usually best to start with method one first and then try method two. If you end up with a blank screen during method two, switching back to viewable settings can be a hassle depending on your device.
You need to send signals over a long distance
If your source device is at one end of the room and your display is at the other (such as a video projector and its screen), or if your source and display are in different rooms, you might need a cable with a built-in signal amplifier to ensure the data can be transmitted from one end to the other. You’ll commonly find these cables classified as “active” HDMI cables (preface each of the cable types we’ve already discussed with “active”).
When to buy a new HDMI cable for your 4K TV
If the HDMI cable(s) you have on hand can’t meet your requirements—say, playing 4K content at 120Hz or with HDR—then you’ll have to shell out for a new one.
But that doesn’t mean you need to pay $30 or more for a cable (active cables will cost more). The price of the cable doesn’t necessarily ensure performance. Rather, its classification and its certification do.
Which 4K HDMI cable should you buy?
You can buy a very inexpensive cable and still get top-notch performance. Our recommendation is to pick from among Monoprice or AmazonBasics options, which have huge followings for their affordability and reliability. (See the sidebar for specific suggestions.) Active and/or exotic cables (e.g., cables that use fiber optic strands instead of copper wires) for very specialized installations will cost more, but they don’t perform better than their more plebeian counterparts in typical installations and transmission distances.
If you don’t know which exact cable to get, or you’d like to peruse available options on your own, be sure to consider the following:
A cable need not be expensive to be of high quality. This advice can’t be stressed enough, and it applies across the board.
Certified Premium High Speed HDMI cables have passed additional testing in order to sport the label. (You can find out more about the certification and how to verify authenticity of certification in this article and on the HDMI.org website.)
But you don’t need to pay a markup to get that peace of mind: Monoprice, for example, sells two different 6-foot Certified Premium HDMI cables for just $4 each.
Use keywords only as a starting point. If you look on Amazon or Monoprice.com, you’ll sometimes see products with names like “Ultra Slim Series High Speed HDMI Cable.” If you’re not paying close attention, you might not realize this particular example is just a high-speed cable: The “ultra” in this case refers to how thin the cord is, not the speed at which it’s capable of carrying data.
Ensure you get the right cable by looking at the actual specs. The quickest way to determine the type is to look for its bandwidth rating.
High Speed = 10.2Gbps
Premium High Speed = 18Gbps
Ultra High Speed = 48Gbps
Price is still an important clue about type and quality. You won’t find a respectable Ultra High Speed HDMI cable for $3, but you can find a good High Speed cable for that much—or even less, although it might be limited to a lower refresh rate.
By paying attention to bandwidth rating, refresh rate, and price, you can avoid unreliable cables. Inexpensive options outside of known brands (AmazonBasics and Monoprice are currently the top two) can be tempting, but some budget cables have weak electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding, which can disrupt your Wi-Fi network, and they might cause visual artifacts and signal drop-outs. If you see a two-pack of High Speed HDMI cables for the same price as a single Monoprice or AmazonBasics option, proceed with caution.
On the flip side, bandwidth rating and price can also help you discover cables that punch above their weight, such as the AmazonBasics High Speed HDMI cable. It’s not certified, but it promises to support the bandwidth throughput of that type (18Gbps). Unsurprisingly, it’s also priced higher than a typical 6-foot High Speed HDMI cable ($7).
Active HDMI cables should not cost exorbitantly more than their passive counterparts. While prices do go up, you can find them for well below the usurious rates of highly marketed cables at Best Buy and similar stores. On Monoprice, for example, a 10-foot Select Series High Speed HDMI cable costs $6; its active counterpart is priced at $15.
Purchase only as much cable length as you need. The longer the distance that a signal needs to go, the more likely that parts of that signal won’t reach the end destination without amplification (i.e., active cables).
The general rule of thumb is that for lengths of six feet or less, a passive cable is more than adequate. Between six and about 25 feet is negotiable, and above that, most people will opt for an active cable.
The receiving chip in your TV can also influence whether or not a passive cable will work over long distances—if it’s better at adjusting for a weaker signal, you won’t need the signal boost.
Ignore nonsense features like gold plating. Gold-plated connectors make a marginal difference with analog signals, because the connections don’t oxidize, but they don’t matter at all with the digital signals an HDMI cable carries. If you care about a solid picture, you only need to pay attention to a cable’s speed rating and length, and whether it’s passive or active. That’s it.
HDMI cables vs. HDMI specifications
If you’ve heard of HDMI specifications (e.g., HDMI 1.3, HDMI 1.4, HDMI 2.0, and HDMI 2.1), you might wonder how HDMI cables relate to them.
As mentioned above, an HDMI cable is just a conduit for data to travel along. You can think of it like a pathway: You can choose a wider one (i.e., higher bandwidth) if you have more data that must march along it at the same time.
HDMI specifications outline what kinds of features are allowed to travel along that path: resolution, color depth, types of chroma subsampling, and more. With each new specification, each new feature has increased HDMI’s bandwidth requirement.
We go into more detail on the latest HDMI specifications in our HDMI 2.0 and HDMI 2.1 primers, but all you really need to know which features your hardware supports and which features you intend to take advantage of. Once you’ve narrowed that down, you’ll know which type of HDMI cable you need.
With a recent tear-down by ArsTechnica on the new Thunderbolt cableApple is selling for $50, we're starting to wonder if active cabling isthe future of all A/V electronics. With a desire by content providers to keepeverything digital and protected in the realm of high definitiontelevision, and A/V manufacturers scrambling to provide features thatwill generate more 'oohs' and 'awes', it's a wonder if we aren'tdigging a hole.
A great big hole.
It all started with HDMI. When it began, it was buggy. but sending 1080p over multiple copper wires was still feasible. As the HDMI Licensing Group began to feel pressure from organizations and formats such as VESA's DisplayPort, however, the race began. New features, like Ethernet support and Audio Return Channel (ARC) began to emerge, as did support for uncompressed multi-channel audio in multiple native formats and, most devestatingly in our opinion, ultra-high video resolutions.
Now, I'm all for high resolution, but is the consumer market really in need of 4K × 2K (3840×2160p24/25/30Hz and 4096×2160p/24Hz) resolutions? Can't digital theaters use something more demanding and consumers be left with something that's actually manageable?
This week, ArsTechnica's tear down revealed that the new Thunderbolt cable form Apple costs $50 largely because it is active. There are two Gennum GN2033 Thunderbolt Transceivers embedded within the cable at both ends. And this isn't the first time we've seen active cabling. When DVIGear began to make its 22 gauge Blue Super High Resolution HDMI cables we immediately wondered how many consumers would want to deal with cables that looked like they were meant to be used as towing harnesses rather than A/V interconnects. But that's the problem with ultra high resolution, and now HDMI 1.4a and Category 2 specifications.. you need to support an inordinate amount of bandwidth over long distances.
We've espoused What's Wrong with HDMI before, but we're now wondering if we've just hit a wall. If, from here on out, even shorter runs of HDMI are going to more or less have the requirements of being active in order to support the bandwidth needed for future technology and throughput.
That certainly seems to be the writing on the wall. And it's going to add costs to cables that are already expensive if you don't know where to shop. If Big Box stores can charge monstrous prices on passive cables, can you imagine what will happen when they all go active?
In order to avoid cables that are ridiculously thick and heavy, manufacturers are more consistently turning to active HDMI cable technology. But it has to be done correctly. Even HDMI argues that it's a recommendation (that's an understatement!) for longer runs and that relying on the built-in 5V line isn't the most reliable way to do it (again, yet another short-sighted failing of the HDMI spec). The trouble is, many of these solutions require an external device or at least a power source - that's another black box you need to add to your install JUST TO RUN A CABLE FROM ONE PLACE TO ANOTHER. In their own words:
Using active electronics to boost and clean up the signal caneffectively double the range of a standard twisted-copper HDMI cable.Cable runs of up to 30 meters are the norm for this type of solution,which may be deployed as either a standalone signal management device,i.e., a repeater or booster box, or incorporated into the manufactureof the cable itself. Boxes are available in many configurations,usually incorporating both booster and equalization functions, and mayalso serve as repeaters or switchers. Active cables, on the other hand,embed the signal-enhancement electronics in the cable itself, withchips embedded in the connector housings. They are unidirectional,using different modules at the transmit and receive ends of the cable.All the technologies in this category require external power.
Beware products that draw power from the +5V power line. Althoughthese may work in certain applications, different components drawvarying amount of power from that line to communicate with each other.A cable that draws power from the HDMI cable may fail when componentsand the active components in the cable or external booster are alldrawing from the same source.
So what can we expect? A switch to all-active is the spec keeps changing to accommodate more and more things most people don't use in their home theaters. If HDMI continues to increase resolution capabilities and adding features - and electronics manufacturers keep supporting them - then those copper cables you have simply aren't going to cut it in future products.
Fortunately, electronics keep shrinking. That means more and more electronics can fit into smaller spaces. One of the things we hate about embedded electronics is that it often makes the connector heavier, longer, and more difficult to manage. Since HDMI doesn't inherently have a locking mechanism, connectors are already prone to fail. Adding more weight certainly doesn't improve things. Smaller chips will yield smaller connectors - and this is a good thing.
The problem of power is also still an issue. Since the 5V available over HDMI is often not enough to power the active electronics - especially over longer distances, external power seems to be a constant requirement. We're not sure how this will be improved over time, but that's the current elephant in the living room, and it's a big one. Nobody wants to plug HDMI into their receiver and then supply it power just to get to the projector.
It would also be great for the industry to realize that there is a lot of work left to do in terms of 1080p, and that expanding to higher resolutions is inappropriate for the consumer market. Separating the commercial and consumer markets might actually make a lot of sense and keep needless advances from trickling into the spec and applications where it's just not needed.
What do you think? Are you pleased with the current state of A/V and HDMI cabling? Do you want to see more active electronics coming to the consumer market? Or do you think that the added expense in cables is going to make it harder for consumers to get what they need and wire up their rooms - especially over longer distances.
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When it comes time to connect your shiny new sound bar or AV receiver, your two main choices are HDMI or optical digital audio.
The simplest advice is to go with HDMI when you can. But if you can't it's not the end of the world.
Here are the pros and cons of each.
The basics Both HDMI and optical pass digital audio from one device to another. Both are better than analog (the red and white cables). Both can pass multi-channel audio, like Dolby Digital. Both cables can be had pretty cheap.
The biggest difference is that HDMI can pass higher-resolution audio, including the formats found on Blu-ray: Dolby TrueHD and DTS HD Master Audio. These formats can't get transmitted across optical.
In terms of simplicity, HDMI also passes video signals. So if you want just a single cable between two devices, HDMI is your pick.
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However.. Depending on your gear, you might not have the option for HDMI. Maybe you have an older receiver. Maybe you have everything connected to your TV, and you just want to get the audio out to a sound bar (and the only option is optical).
In that case, optical is fine. Don't sweat not being able to connect with HDMI. For most setups, the sound will be just as good with optical as with HDMI.
Optical Vs Hdmi
One complication is if you have a sound bar, like the Sonos Playbar or Vizio S4251w-B4, that benefits from a surround sound signal and you connect it to one of the many TVs that can't pass such a signal via its optical outputs. Neither of those sound bars have HDMI inputs anyway, so the best way to connect them is directly from the source to the bar via optical, skipping the TV. That, or get a new TV.
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Better, a little.. Regardless of the gear you use, as mentioned there's also no way to get Dolby TrueHD or DTS HD Master Audio with an optical connection. However, that's not a huge deal.
While there is a difference between Dolby Digital and those high-res lossless formats, the difference isn't as pronounced as you might expect. On a decent system, with decent speakers, you might notice that the high-res formats are a little more open, a little smoother sounding.
On lesser gear, it's a lot less likely you'll hear a difference. Most sound bars, for example, lack the fidelity to do anything with the additional resolution. Many don't accept those formats at all.
Bottom Line Use HDMI when you can. The cables are cheap, and having just one wire simplifies setup. If you can't, optical is fine. If your gear doesn't have HDMI, it can't take advantage of the high-resolution audio formats from Blu-ray anyway (unless you connect with analog, and decode from your Blu-ray player). On the other hand Dolby Digital is surprisingly good, and unless you have decent gear, you probably won't hear much (if any) improvement with Dolby TrueHD and DTS HD MA.
Got a question for Geoff? First, check out all the other articles he's written on topics such as why all HDMI cables are the same, LED LCD vs. OLED, why 4K TVs aren't worth it and more. Still have a question? Tweet at him@TechWriterGeoff then check out his travel photography on Instagram. He also thinks you should check out his sci-fi novel and its sequel.
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