Hdmi cable: types, cheap or expensive and which is the best

HDMI Cable: Types, Cheap or Expensive? Differences?

With the rapid evolution that electronic devices have undergone in recent years, it is natural for new standards to emerge for audio and video transmission, such as HDMI. Acronym for High-Definition Multimedia Interface, this high-tech connection system is capable of transmitting video and audio using a single cable, very different from component video cables, for example.

In addition to all the innovation in transmission quality, HDMI cables also allow data exchange at a higher speed than those that existed when it was launched in 2003. The first version of HDMI, 1.1, allowed the transmission of data at a rate of 4.95 Gbps (Gigabit per second).

This speed has been improved just two years later, when HDMI 1.4 cables emerged, with an amazing 10.2 Gbps of speed for image transmission. And in the current HDMI 2.0 it has a bandwidth of 18 Gbps that is much higher than the previous HDMI 1.4 commented.

Choosing an HDMI cable

The different brands of HDMI cables on the market leave users in doubt about which one to buy. Normally, it is said that the most expensive are better and that sometimes the cheap can be expensive.

Expensive and cheap HDMI cables

When buying an HDMI cable, many users doubt whether it is better to buy the cheapest one or if it is more worth investing and buying at a higher price and thus obtaining better quality.

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Thinking about how HDMI cables work, quality is an extremely important point, although we will see if there really are quality differences between expensive and cheap cables. This type of cable has been designed for the transmission of the digital signal, that is, the data that passes through them is binary (values 0 and 1).

Is the purchase of expensive HDMI cables justified?

Not only is there no difference, but the price variation, instead of depending on the quality of the cable manufacturing, is related to the profit margin that the manufacturer wants to obtain due to the lack of knowledge of customers about the operation of technology, or the so-called "tax on ignorance".

The highest value cables are mostly made of the highest quality material and this ensures that their lifespan is longer than that of cheaper conductors. In addition, the superior quality of the material also helps to reduce interference on the cable, increasing the probability that all bits will be transmitted and, consequently, no image loss. However, one point to keep in mind is distance.

At the end of the article you have our selection of recommended cables.

The distance problem

The number of defenders of the cheapest HDMI cables falls considerably when the issue is the transmission of data over distances of more than fifteen or twenty meters. The longer the cable, the greater the interference suffered and this is the characteristic in which many brands end up falling behind.

The occurrence of signal loss is greatest on long cables, and the greater the length, the greater the chances that the signal will not reach the other end. For ordinary users this is not a big problem as most electronic devices are installed within a short distance.

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Various analyzes have been carried out by the most varied companies, in an attempt to discover what is, in fact, the best HDMI cable on the market. If not all, in the vast majority of the results presented, the conclusion is the same: for small distances, from two to ten meters , there are no notable differences between cheaper and more expensive cables.

Actually, the problems are for those who work at events and often need to pull cables over long distances in order to connect various devices together. In the case of HDMI, this can be a major quality loss problem.

Network cables are a solution to consider

The solution found for this problem in HDMI cables with distance was to use network cables. Network cables began to be used to transmit data from an HDMI connection.

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This was only possible with the emergence of HDMI / CAT5 converters, which make it possible to transmit data from HDMI cables via network cables (CAT5). The procedure is very simple.

The first step is to connect the HDMI device (DVD player, Blu-Ray, a computer) to an HDMI / CAT5 type converter, by using a cable with no more than two meters, which guarantees the quality of the signal that reaches the conversion apparatus. The same must be done with the device that will be on the other end. To connect the two converters, just use a common network cable, one of those blue ones that you can find in any computer store.

With this, data transmission over long distances is possible without the loss of so many bits, as would be the case if it were done only using an HDMI cable.

Our recommended HDMI Cables

Below we detail the best HDMI cables for your monitors, televisions or consoles.

1.8 meter HDMI cable.

3 meter HDMI cable.

5 meter HDMI cable.

10 meter HDMI cable.

Displayport to HDMI converter. Ideal for HTC Vive virtual glasses.

DVI to HDMI converter (no audio output).

Conclusion about expensive and cheap HDMI cables

After all that has been stated above, the conclusion that can be reached is: it is not worth investing in more expensive HDMI cables in cases where the distance between the devices is between two and ten meters. For longer distances, it is best to use the network cable, as described above, as the interference begins to increase and the chances that the signal will not reach the other end of the cable is greater.

In summary, the decision to use a cheaper or more expensive HDMI cable depends not only on the purchasing power of the person purchasing it, but also on the conditions in which the electronic devices are arranged.

Do you have doubts? Do not hesitate to ask that we will try to help you solve them. Do not forget to share our article if you liked it or it has been useful.