▷ Hdmi cables: what types are there and which one should i choose?

But first we are going to tell you a bit of history, and that is that the arrival of high definition in homes shook the paradigm of consumer electronics, both for the industry itself and for the users who took advantage of its benefits. This change, like almost all those made in this field, was highly technology driven; especially for the appearance and extension of the use of a standard created to become the norm for multimedia reproduction: HDMI.

Index of contents

What is HDMI?

HDMI stands for High-Definition Multimedia Interface . It is a standard created by major industry brands in late 2002 to respond to the needs imposed by the new resolutions, which began to emerge in the domestic market in those years.

The concept of HDMI revolves around the use of a single connector and cable to view multimedia content on a device. In other words, high-quality audio and video are integrated, along with other functionalities, through a single connection.

Being a digital signal, the connector was compatible with DVI-D (The great digital standard before HDMI in video) in its output, one of the factors that helped its extension in monitors and projectors. While its characteristics, more advanced than those of the euroconnectors that populated at the time the rear of these devices, helped to move the French connector out of the market.

Such was the success of its implementation that the connector has been modified and updated to adapt to new technologies in the multimedia field and all kinds of scenarios. This brings us to the many types of HDMI and their quirks.

The standard version is the key

If there's one thing that completely defines what an HDMI cable is capable of, it's its version. Since its launch, the connector has gone through a series of updates that have been preparing it to face future challenges. These versions or iterations have gone from the original 1.0 to the current 2.1. However, 2.0b is still the most widespread. We highlight especially from previous versions:

HDMI 1.0.

It served as a substitute for DVI (Only Digital Standard Extended at the time) in the early 2000s; and it was capable of transmitting image and sound while supporting HD / Full HD resolutions.

HDMI 1.4.

If our devices are already a few years under their circuits, it is likely that they use a variant of HDMI 1.4, the iteration launched in 2011 that opened the doors to Ultra-HD and Micro-HDMI for the first time, as well as the then buoyant 3D. It received two iterations (a and b) given its extended support.

HDMI 2.0.

The arrival of dynamic HDR implied an increase in the bandwidth of the connector. This came through HDMI 2.0 (2013), along with support for high refresh rates in FHD resolutions. Like the previous one, it received two more iterations (a and b), the last one in 2017.

HDMI 2.1

The current version of HDMI was announced the same year that version 2.0b was released, but a few months ago it began to be seen among consumer devices, such as consoles or televisions. Add full support for high-quality, high-refresh resolutions, and important new features for audio and gaming. Between them:

Support for resolutions up to 8K (120Hz) or 10K (60Hz) Support for next-generation HDR10, Dolby Vision and Dynamic HDR. Enhancements in audio support via eARC. Improvements in refresh rates and refresh rate via VRR. band of up to 48 Gbps.

Although HDMI 2.0b and 2.1 devices can be found on the market today, it is highly likely that if our devices have been in their circuits for a few years, it is likely that they will use version 1.4b, the version released in 2011 that first opened doors to Ultra-HD and Micro-HDMI.

Connectors for all kinds of situations

And now that we talk about Micro-HDMI, it is a good time to talk about connectors. There are several types of connectors adapted to the needs of the devices in which this extended industry standard is used, some of them, such as type B (Deprecated), or type E have industrial applications, so we will only name the two most common:

Common size (Type A)

As with USB, the standard also has smaller versions. The Micro replaced the Mini as a small reference, but both types have the same functionalities as type A. Also, as in the case of the Micro-USB, this connector is beginning to be replaced by the USB-C format, since It allows the same functions and is compatible with the HDMI standard.

One cable for each version

Image: HDMI.org

But to use the connector you also need a cable. The evolution of the connector has been accompanied by the evolution of the cables that adapt to its characteristics. Although we can find oddities such as Automotive cables intended for the world of motorsports or HDMI cables with Ethernet connection, the most common are the following:

Standard HDMI. The first to be commercialized. They are in common use for equipment that uses versions lower than 1.2a, the latter inclusive. High speed HDMI. They are designed to support native Full HD to 4K resolutions. They have a higher bandwidth (10 Gbps) and support versions 1.4a and lower. High-speed Premium HDMI. This cable is an update of the previous model designed for HDMI 2.0 and its versions a and b . So it is compatible with native HDR and other technologies. Ultra high speed HDMI. Behind this friendly name is the most advanced HDMI cable to date, with support for 8K + HDR resolutions and a bandwidth of 48 Gbps. It is the only cable that takes advantage of all the functions of the HDMI 2.1 standard.

But what HDMI cable is for me?

As you can see, there are many more types of HDMI than we might think at first; but it is something perfectly normal, since it is a connector that has accompanied us for almost twenty years. Luckily for us, choosing the perfect HDMI is a very simple and logical task. For us, the keys are:

Get a cable that has the right connectors for your team. It is easy to buy adapters for these connectors, but it will always be better if the signal does not have to pass through them. Don't focus on the "special features" of the more expensive cables. All certified HDMI cables work the same with each other, so a high-performance cable of more than € 150 will not make a palpable difference from one of € 20 if both are certified. Get that cable compatible with the version of your devices. HDMI cables are backward compatible between their different versions, but the ability to enjoy or not their capabilities depends entirely on the cable used. Make sure you get the right one according to the specifications of your devices.

With this we finish our tutorial on how to choose and choose a good HDMI cable. Did it help you? We are waiting your comments.