Does it make sense to overpay for high-quality HDMI cables? Let's check it out for ourselves!

For many people, cable is cable. If it fits, it must be suitable, right? Unfortunately, this is not the case with modern computers and displays. HDMI has swooped in and standardized the vast majority of TV and monitor connections, but not without confusion. If you need the right HDMI cable for the right application, it's important to know the four most common specifications you may encounter:

This is something to keep in mind, so let's make it simple: If you're connecting a new PS5 or Xbox Series X and want the highest available output, choose an Ultra High Speed ​​HDMI cable, specifically one that says it's designed. for HDMI 2.1 and/or supports 48 Gbps bandwidth. If you just want to connect a standard 1080p monitor, then High Speed ​​HDMI will be enough for you. See below which cables are suitable for your specific application. As a side note, we'll list each cable's bandwidth in the title to make it easier for you to narrow down which one is right for you.

Anker A8743011 (48 Gbps)

Image courtesy of Anker
Anker has been a major player in the portable battery and power adapter market for some time now, and their products almost always work well and last a long time. This HDMI cable from them is certified to Ultra High Speed ​​by the HDMI Forum and supports 8K@60Hz or 4K@120Hz. So this should be enough for your fancy new 8K monitor or the latest gaming consoles running on an HDMI 2.1 compatible TV. As a bonus, this cable has a double-braided nylon sheath to keep it tangle-free, and Anker claims it can be "plugged in and out 10,000 times." While this is a pretty big claim, Anker backs it up with an 18-month warranty if the cable wears out prematurely.

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Optical cable

Optical cable in home audio systems is used exclusively to transmit high-resolution multi-channel audio. Thanks to this, it can be used to connect powerful stereo systems.

In addition, the optical cable supports audio transmission with Digital Theater Systems (DTS) or Dolby Audio surround playback technologies. They are perfectly compatible with multi-channel audio systems (types 2.1, 5.1 and 7.1), and also provide realistic reproduction with the correct construction of the scene. DTS and Dolby Audio work best when watching movies and listening to music.

An optical cable has another important advantage - the “light signal” is completely “indifferent” to the action of external electromagnetic fields. Therefore, interference is not induced in such wires. It is recommended to use optical cables for connections in rooms where there is already a huge amount of equipment, and not limited to just routers and TVs.

An optical cable has only one drawback (well, besides the fact that it is used only for sound transmission) - the wire itself is quite rigid and not flexible. But only in this case is it capable of conducting light. When installing, it is worth taking into account these features of the wire - most likely, it will not be possible to quickly hide it in a cable channel or behind some decorative plug.

Advantages

• Suitable for transmitting multi-channel audio up to 7.1 with support for Digital Theater Systems (DTS) and Dolby Audio surround sound technologies;
• Resistant to external electromagnetic interference, including those generated by devices with electric motors.

Flaws

• This is only an audio interface, that is, it cannot transmit other signals;
• The wire itself is rigid and not flexible, making installation difficult.

It is worth noting that the optical cable comes in three versions. The most popular is coaxial. This is what is used in the vast majority of devices with an S/PDIF connector.

S/PDIF TTL is similar in principle to coaxial, but uses a slightly different interface for the transmitted signal. The wire type is no different. S/PDIF TTL is used in high-end sound cards - for example, professional ones - but in home audio equipment it is a “rare guest”.

TOSLINK is an extremely unusual standard. It is used in laptops and is often combined with a 3.5 mm headphone jack.

Amazon Basics HDMI Cable (18 Gbps)

Image via Amazon

Sometimes you just need a regular old HDMI cable because you're just trying to connect a 1080p source to a regular 1080p TV. If you don't need 4K or any of the Ultra High Speed ​​HDMI bells and whistles this spec offers (perhaps for an older computer or gaming console), then the standard Amazon Basics cable will do the trick. They are almost always in stock and are also available in different packages and lengths.

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Device HDMI cables

It is useful to know what is hidden under the braiding, since choosing a good, reliable HDMI cable is not an easy task. The HDMI connector provides signal transfer through 19 wires. They are partially grouped: 4-5 twisted pairs, protected by screens. Under the common braid there are also separate conductors for powering and transmitting control signals.

When choosing a cable, you should consider:

• Wire material

Aluminum and steel are weak options. Choosing silver means overpaying. Copper is the optimal solution taking into account the balance of price and quality.

• The unit of measurement for cable thickness is AWG, simply called gauge

The smaller the caliber, the thicker the signal conductor and the more reliable the transmission. For a distance of 6-8 meters, a product with 24 AWG is suitable. If the distance is 1-1.5 m, 32 AWG is enough.

• Shielding

Thick foil is a definite plus; thin foil can significantly spoil the picture.

An HDMI cable can be configured to carry Internet traffic or not.

Interesting article: How to connect Apple TV to a TV - setting up the set-top box in 4 points

Amazon Basics Premium (48 Gbps)

Image via Amazon

Amazon is the king of online retail, and for good reason: they offer just about everything, and their own brands rarely run out of stock. Similar to the Amazon Basics cable we listed earlier, this one offers performance and reliability at an affordable price and with cables of varying lengths. Although unlike what we listed previously, this one will bring 4K 120Hz performance to PS5 and Xbox Series X owners along with a nice nylon cable sheath. Sometimes it makes sense to choose a brand that has a proven track record and easy customer support in case something goes wrong.

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Monoprice 8K certified (48 Gbps)

Image via Monoprice

Monoprice is a legendary company in the cable market. They have been offering affordable, high quality products from a huge range for many years. Their Ultra High Speed ​​8K rated cable offers full HDMI 2.1 compatibility, comes with a braided nylon sheath, and comes in several different sizes. In fact, Monoprice offers HDMI cables in virtually every specification, size, and material suitable for solar use. So even if this cable isn't the one you need, it's probably there.

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Introduction

Recently, when connecting a satellite receiver at home, I was surprised to find that I had run out of HDMI cables.
Yes, somehow imperceptibly all audio/video connections of equipment switched to a convenient and simple type of cable, HDMI. Even if you want to connect a monitor at a considerable distance from the computer, HDMI remains the most profitable option. A quick study of the offers in stores showed that marketing has reached cables, and manufacturers are vying with each other that 3D is supported only by their products, that the gold plating on the contacts is the most gold-plated, and the shielding is the most powerful. Initially, I did not consider Hi-End cables costing more than 1000 rubles, because already at that moment I had a barbaric plan - to arrange an opening test and see how a cable for 100 rubles differs from a cable for 500 rubles.

The issue with branded cables was resolved very quickly - the IconBIT company offered us its products, positioned as high-quality accessories for players. It's no secret that IconBIT does not have its own cable factory, but the company's managers select high-quality suppliers so that the label will not be ashamed. By the way, I was a little disappointed that in the IconBIT model range there are no wires shorter than 3 meters and there are no outright crap, thin, almost rag wires.

In general, problems arose with outright crap. I was never able to buy a cheap Chinese HDMI cable. And at the supermarket where I usually bought them, the cheapest thing they had was a product under the Mystery brand in a pretty good blister-type packaging. Plus, a very old, nameless cable was removed from my home collection (as it turned out later, it was an Arbacom product), which I bought based on simple logic: “the thicker the better.” In general, the company assembled for our mini-test was the most successful: two 3-meter branded IconBIT cables, one 2-meter Mystery cable and one thick unnamed cable 2 meters long.

But before we move on to reviewing the test subjects, let's dot the i's - about 3D support and cables. 3D television does impose more stringent requirements for signal transmission, since now the amount of graphic information transmitted from the player to the TV doubles for each final frame that the user sees. This requires increased interface throughput, realized through algorithm optimization.

There is another reason for buying good cables - some TVs are very demanding on the quality of the received signal, or more precisely, on the voltage. A high resistivity cable can jam the signal so much that the TV cannot see the connected device. Even a slight deviation is enough for the user to begin to puzzle over why the TV does not see the player. Fortunately, all modern media players have a slightly higher output voltage, which avoids the problem with cheap cables, but you never know...

To transmit data, an HDMI cable uses 6 cores (3 pairs of primary colors). In total, taking into account the sync contacts, grounding and neutral conductors, the HDMI connector has 19 contacts. The number of cores affects the cable capacity, but from version 1.0 to 1.3 (with 3D support), the internal structure of HDMI wires is the same.

Another thing is the 1.4 standard, which introduced the ability to connect devices via an Ethernet network. Yes, yes, now from a smart TV that can connect to the Internet, it will be possible to transfer the connection to the network with one single HDMI cable. True, with small reservations. First of all, all devices in the chain must support the HDMI 1.4 standard, that is, they must be able to transmit the network via HMDI independently (we are not aware of any adapters). Well, then, the speed of such a network is limited to 100 megabits per second, which today already looks like an anachronism. But we have no doubt that equipment manufacturers will still play this card, advertising to us “one-cable connections” from our TV screens.

So, HDMI wires with Ethernet support received 2 new cores for data transmission. Typically labeled as HDMI with Ethernet or HDMI 1.4, they truly represent a new generation of backwards compatible connectors.

HDMI URGREEN Right Angle Cable (18Gbps)

Image courtesy of URGREEN

This may seem like a very strange, specific use case to many, but if you need a 90 degree HDMI cable, then this one from URGREEN will be very interesting. Too often, cables are pinned to walls and entertainment centers or equipped with wonky, cheap 90-degree angled adapters. This 4K capable HDMI 2.0 cable from URGREEN eliminates those headaches and has a decent selection of lengths. So if your TV is flush to the wall, URGREEN has you covered.

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AudioQuest Pearl

Pros: LGC conductors Cons: High price Is it possible to get the same picture and sound quality with a cheaper cable? Undoubtedly. If you plan to run the cable among other wires or near powerful devices, keep in mind that there is a high probability that the signal quality will drop and interruptions will occur. This same type uses long grain copper, which preserves the signal.

Price: 1400 rub.

Omnihill 50ft HDMI Cable (18Gbps)

Image via Omnihill

Sometimes you just need a lot of HDMI cable, adapters and extenders just won't cut it. In fact, wherever possible, it's best to try to use as few adapters as possible. This 50ft cable will work for your long distance applications and provide 1080p 60Hz or 4k 60Hz compatibility. So go ahead and install that TV on your back porch!

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