HDMI stands for High Definition Multimedia Interface, which stands for High Definition Multimedia Interface. HDMI transmits high definition digital audio and video data. Simply put, this is a combination of a cable and connectors suitable for it, through which not only video, but also sound, as well as signals from the remote control are transmitted simultaneously. The cable allows you to broadcast HDTV video even higher than this format (one billion colors, image bit rate - 48, resolution up to 2560x1440), eight-channel audio signal 24 bit (frequency up to 192 kHz). Another distinctive feature of HDMI is that it provides copy protection using HDCP technology. The new standard HDMI connector is actively used by manufacturers in most multimedia devices and allows you to replace a whole bundle of wires with one single one.

How is HDMI technically implemented?

An HDMI cable contains three shielded channels (pairs of wires) that carry audio, video, and control signals. The control channel is needed, in particular, in order to be able to control several devices connected to each other at once. The bandwidth of each channel in version 1.3 is limited to 10.2 Gbps (both directions). The carrier frequency is 340 MHz, while in version 1.0 it was only 140 MHz. It is also worth noting that a new, more compact HDMI connector (type C or mini-HDMI) has been developed for the new version.

What is the maximum cable length?

The HDMI specification itself does not define a limit on the maximum cable length. In each case, it will depend on the quality of workmanship and the materials used. If the cable is copper, then its maximum possible length will be 15 meters, but if you use optical fiber, this parameter increases significantly. Most likely, in the near future, video and audio wires will no longer be used for transferring video and audio. The HDMI connector already supports wireless adapters, but so far they are too expensive.

What does HDCP stand for?

HDCP stands for High Bandwidth Digital Copy Protection, which translates as digital broadband data protection. This is a technology that protects against illegal copying of media content transmitted over HDMI and some other interfaces. The essence lies in the special encryption of the signal on the transmitting side and decryption by the receiving device. Simple recording devices (such as a DVD recorder) cannot decode and record this signal during transmission.

Can DVI device accept HDCP signal?

HDCP technology may well be used in the DVI interface, so the answer is yes, they can. An example of such integration is video cards or certain monitor models.

What devices have HDMI support?

As mentioned above about HDMI, the connector can be integrated into a wide variety of multimedia devices: DVD players, audio and video receivers, HDTV TVs, home theaters, monitors, game consoles and personal computer video cards. The HDMI standard is used by more than four hundred global manufacturers of digital equipment. If suitable adapters are available, HDMI can be connected to DVI devices as well. By the way, DVI is capable of transmitting video of the maximum quality of 1920 x 1080 pixels at a frequency of up to 60 frames per second (FullHD 1080p60), while the channel speed is up to 5 Gbps.

The modern world cannot be imagined without high technologies. And every year they only improve. An excellent example of improved transmission quality is the HDMI cable.

Its use is becoming more widespread today, because the possibilities of this type of connection are very extensive. Next, we will consider the design features of the HDMI cable and the subtleties of its choice. If you forget to change the keyboard layout, your question may turn into "rfr ds hfnm hdmi cable", but the essence remains the same.

Purpose and characteristics of the cable

From the abbreviation HDMI (High-Definition Multimedia Interface) it is clear that the cable is designed to transfer digital video data in high definition and multi-channel audio data. It went on sale back in 2002 and to this day has already undergone several changes, or rather, additions, which ultimately led to the creation of a highly efficient means for connecting a signal source to a receiver, even over long distances. Also, the HDMI cable is equipped with HDCP copy protection technology, which gives you the confidence that your information is protected from intruders.

Modern HDMI cable specifications:

• bandwidth is in the range from 4.9 to 15.8 Gbps, which is quite enough for watching movies in high definition and 3D modeling;
• the difference in cable lengths - at home up to 15 meters, when using amplifiers - up to 35 meters;
• support of control protocols CEC and AV.link.

How to Choose an HDMI Cable for Home? In order to answer this question, you need to decide on its length. If it is necessary to connect the receiver and the source at distances of more than 1.5 meters, an intermediate amplifier is provided, which will be built into the cable. But then its cost will be quite high. An alternative option is to purchase an external equalizer, which, however, will also incur costs. It all depends on the final cost of the components and your financial capabilities.

Cable construction

Choosing an HDMI cable always starts with quality, so in order not to be mistaken, you need to know the information about its device.

By design, HDMI cables may differ in the presence or absence of ferrite beads. They are installed at both ends to suppress interference. This technology is used by many manufacturers on all products over 1.5 meters in length. This is due to the fact that with an increase in the length of the connections, the characteristic impedance also increases, which also increases with an increase in the frequency of transmitted data. Plus, long cable length and passing it near other sources of electromagnetic radiation will also cause interference in it. The ferrite's magnetic properties provide effective suppression of unwanted signals when transmitting data using an HDMI cable.

Cable length up to 1.5 meters consists of:

• external insulation;
• aluminum foil screen;
• shielding braid made of copper wire, which is then sealed;
• intermediate polypropylene shell;
• separately shielded twisted pairs of the fifth category for video signals (synchronization and 3 primary colors), and all screens have a copper wire for soldering;
• twisted pair without shield for SDA and SCL signals;
• separate lines for power supply and control;
• two connectors.

Based on the above, you can answer the question of how to choose an HDMI cable:

• firstly, it is necessary that it has ferrite rings;
• secondly, its diameter should be quite large, this indicates the presence of all the necessary screens;
• thirdly, with a long cable length, the amplifier must either be built into it or installed at the input of the receiver.

Types of cables

Since 2002, 8 varieties of HDMI cables have been released, ranging from version 1.0 to 1.4. Each version was supplemented with new supported standards and functions. Today, 4 types are in greatest demand, which are marked with capital Latin letters A, B, C, D.

The main ones are types A and B. C and D represent the addition and modification of the first type. The changes consist in minimizing the plug and connector, which are respectively named mini and micro.

To answer the question of how to choose an HDMI cable to connect a monitor, it is enough to clarify the brand of the connector on the monitor itself and on the video card. If the types of connectors do not match, various adapters and extension cords are available on the market.

Application area

The scope of HDMI cable is very wide, it is associated with the mass production of equipment with appropriate connectors and data transmission standards. HDMI connection technology is widely used both in home systems, for example, to improve the level of video quality transmitted to a monitor or large TV, and in cars - for transferring data from rear and front view cameras, as well as for connecting multimedia systems and displays. mounted in the backrests of the front seats.

The question of how to choose an HDMI cable can be answered by determining the place of its application. If it is to be used in security systems and the laying will run along the street, then the cable should be used as thick as possible. An increase in the cross-section of the wire, even with an increase in its length, will not change the wave impedance, which should be no more than 100 ohms.

Home multimedia applications

How to Choose an HDMI Cable for 3D Viewing? It all depends on its technical capabilities, which should allow data transmission at high frequencies with a low noise coefficient, as well as support 4K UltraHD and 3D technology.

These cables are labeled "HIGHT SPEED". These include devices version 1.4 and higher. After the release of this standard, another version appeared, which is distinguished by the additional ability to connect to the network, for example, to connect equipment to a router with Wi-Fi. Such cables are also marked as "ETHERNET".

Using HDMI Cables in Automotive Data Systems

In cars, STANDART AUTOMOTIVE cables are used to transfer images from the multimedia system to the auxiliary displays. They are specially designed for applications with extreme temperature changes and high vibrations. They also differ in the type of connector, which has additional mechanisms and latches that help to securely fix it in the socket.

The choice of HDMI cables for the car is simplified thanks to one standard and unified marking "STANDART AUTOMOTIVE". Most manufacturers of multimedia systems use this standard, but sometimes there are other types of connectors.

Benefits of HDMI Data Transfer

The indisputable advantages of data transmission over HDMI is the speed, which is achieved through the use of digital coding of video and audio signals. And this has become a huge plus over composite, component and S-Video. In addition, most modern HDMI cables support audio signals, which are also digital.

Choosing the type of cable: summing up

So how do you choose the right HDMI cable? In order to answer this question, you must perform the following steps:

• find out the type of connector and its form factor on your device;
• determine the required cable length as accurately as possible, because its cost depends on it;
• identify the conditions for its operation: for example, if it is subject to vibrations, then thicker options should be chosen. This is due to the design features of the cable.

Buying new modern technology, many more and more often ask themselves the question: how to choose an HDMI cable for a monitor or for a TV? The answer is extremely simple, because nowadays quite a lot of devices with such an interface are being produced. In monitors and TVs, it is of the same standard. Most often, type A "HIGHT SPEED" is used, and the rest are used in mobile devices: laptops, routers, etc. Before buying a cable, you must definitely determine the standard of the connector in your device and its length.

We know firsthand that this HDMI cable is for high definition multimedia, capable of transmitting high definition digital video data and multichannel digital audio signals.

We know that HDMI cables are very different in price. Let's try to figure out what we need and how much to buy.

We are interested in two HDMI cable standards ... 1.3 old and 1.4 new.

The main difference between HDMI 1.4 and HDMI 1.3 is its support for 3D images. So if there is a prospect of buying a 3D projector, TV, receiver, then HDMI 1.4 is necessary.

I must say right away that even on 1.3 HDMI you will see an HD picture, but the developers say that the 1.4 HDMI standard is more reliable.

And so about the HDMI cable itself.

A cross-sectional HDMI cable looks quite intimidating, but do not forget that, in addition to the video signal, there is also sound, plus it has now become fashionable to pass it through HDMI Ethernet (up to 100 Mbps in version 1.4).

Most users of modern multimedia equipment associate this standard (1.4) only with 3D support.

And this is understandable:

The current generation of the HDMI standard requires all cables meeting version 1.4 specifications to be capable of 10.2 gigabits per second of bandwidth.

The reality of the current market is that when choosing cables (buying) you simply cannot find one that does not support HDMI 1.4.

In other words, if the cable is compatible with the HDMI 1.4 standard, then it is assumed that it passes through all the signal necessary for full and high-quality playback of video and audio content.

Important…

For the vast majority of consumer electronics configurations capable of high-definition video, it makes absolutely no difference whether you use a $ 3 noname HDMI cable purchased from eBay or a $ 120 one purchased from a high-end electronics store to connect the components. ...

For all the most rigorous tests did not reveal absolutely no difference in the image quality produced by the cheapest and most expensive cables ...

The most important feature of a twisted pair HDMI cable is that it is simply not designed to carry wideband signals over long distances ( according to specifications - no more than 10 meters without repeater amplifiers).

Do not confuse... any packet that does not reach the recipient can be resent on the computer network. And the video signal in an HDMI cable (as in DVI) ... is a unidirectional stream that flows continuously, without any pauses to check and correct transmission errors.

The stream just flows to the receiver, and it flows very quickly, regardless of what comes out there at the end.

Speaking of DVI ... An adapter is required to connect a DVI device to HDMI. DVI, by the way, can also transmit HD video of the maximum quality (1080p60 - 1920 × 1080 pixels at 60 full frames per second), the channel speed is 5 Gbps.

We came across (DVI) in, and nothing, the picture is excellent.

In addition, HDMI cables do not run signals in series, but in parallel. Three color signals travel along three pairs of wires, and a sync clock is sent along the fourth pair.

For high-quality image transmission, these signals should in no case fall out of sync with each other and with the clock frequency.

With short transmission lengths, this is relatively easy to achieve, but with an increase in cable length and very high signal frequencies, it becomes extremely difficult to achieve such synchronization.

In other words, here, too, inevitable hindrances and failures appear. However, an important circumstance that should be noted is that interference in digital and analog cables ... these are essentially different things in terms of their external result.

A damaged digital signal can be easily identified at first glance even by the most inexperienced viewer ... by the appearance of characteristic artifacts (stripes, squares) on the screen, or simply by the scattering of the picture.

We can say that here it is not at all about whether the picture is better or worse, and the cable works as it should, or not.

It should also be noted that there are only four types of HDMI cables, if you do not take into account the special designs and different types of connectors.

• Standard cable (category 1)
• High speed (category 2)
• Standard cable (category 1) with Ethernet link
• High speed (category 2) with Ethernet link

Standard cables are designed to carry high definition 1080i TV signals, although they usually support 1080p, but they do not guarantee this.

Standard- Supports video resolutions 1080i or 720p and is designed to connect any home devices with undemanding parameters (DVD players, satellite TV receivers, plasma and LCD panels ...).

A budget option for conventional signal sources and receivers. Suitable for those who do not need high quality picture and sound.

Maximum throughput: 4.9 Gbps
Maximum bandwidth: 165 Mpixels (video streaming)
Maximum color depth: 24 bits

High Speed- Supports almost all video formats, including Deep Color and 3D (read here about how 3D technology works in TVs).

Supports Audio Return Channel technology, which makes it possible to transfer audio data without using any S / PDIF audio connection (no additional cable).

Unconditionally connected devices (TV, home theater) must support this technology. These devices are sometimes abbreviated as ARC so that they can be easily identified.

Designed to connect high quality devices (Blu-ray and HDD players, plasma and LCD panels, satellite TV receivers). Capable of transmitting image signals with a resolution of 1080p and higher (4K x 2K - 4096 × 2160).

Maximum throughput: 10.2 Gbps
Maximum bandwidth: 1080 Mpixels
Maximum color depth: 48 bit

Standard with Ethernet- Has all the listed advantages of a Standard HDMI cable and has an additional Ethernet HDMI data transmission channel.

Provides bi-directional data transfer at speeds up to 100 Mbps. This cable function will be available provided the linked devices support Ethernet HDMI.

This connection allows the device to receive a high-speed Internet connection and at the same time distribute the received content from the network to other devices connected via HDMI. It should be noted that, unlike the Standard cable, it supports the Audio Return Channel technology.

High Speed ​​with Ethernet- Backward compatible cable with all types considered, has all the capabilities of a High Speed ​​cable and has an Ethernet HDMI data link at speeds up to 100 Mbps.

This is the ultimate versatile cable that is introduced by the HDMI 1.4 specification.

There is also a very interesting cable:

Automotive Standard (Stansart Automotive) is a special type of cable that allows you to connect external HDMI devices to your car media system. Mostly used by car audio installers.

We found out that the High Speed ​​with Ethernet type in specification 1.4 is more technologically advanced in all respects, and now let's talk a little about the existing HDMI cable connectors.

According to the specification, the types of HDMI connectors are indicated by Latin letters (A, B, C, D, E) or by the words mini and micro.

Type A (standart HDMI)- a standard connector that is most often found in digital technology.
Type C (micro HDMI) and Type D (mini HDMI)- smaller types are commonly found on tablets, cameras, laptops, camcorders and various mobile and portable devices.
Type B- has an extended video channel for transmitting images with a resolution above 1080p (less popular than previous types).
Type E- the connector has a lock that ensures reliable fixation of the connector to the socket at the time of device operation (used in cars to connect multimedia devices).

As you understand, the characteristics of the cable directly depend on the material from which it is made, but it is almost impossible to check its physical properties.

It turns out that when buying an HDMI cable you have to rely on the manufacturer's conscience, and then test it yourself and make a conclusion about the quality of playback from personal feelings.

And all this, regardless of the cost, if the cable is high-speed, he must do it.

Otherwise, it is defective or manufactured in violation of production requirements.

Long HDMI cables are not always advisable. The specification usually does not specify the maximum connection length for HDMI, however, signal attenuation (depending, among other things, on the material of the conductor and the quality of the cable) is often the result of using a cable that is too long.

Let's start by looking at two categories of HDMI 1.4 cables.

1. "Standart" - represented by cables tested at 74.5 MHz, working with 720p and 1080p images.
2. "High Speed" are cables tested at 340 MHz, operating at 1080p and 2160 p.

In our catalog you can buy a VCon HDMI-HDMI cable; to transmit a signal over a long length, you can use a cable and that have built-in signal amplifiers.

Various categories of cables are characterized by certain indicators, including attenuation, noise immunity, differential impedance. Therefore, the "Standart" cable with a length of 5 m can be made without special costs from a conductor with a thickness of 28 AWG or 0.081 mm2. If you use more expensive materials and an improved design, with a 24 AWG or 0.205 mm2 conductor, the cable length for the most efficient signal transmission can be equal to 12-15 meters. HDMI cable 15 meters.

In the event that the cable length is more than 15 m and there is no sound or image when connecting HDMI, it is worth using additional technologies and devices. The most common ones when there is no signal when working with HDMI are signal restorers, equalizers, amplifiers, fiber optic cables.

A signal restorer synchronizes the signal from the device to the original HDMI specification. To work, you need to connect the restorer at the end of the HDMI cable (directly at the display). The device is small, but provides 1080p signal recovery (the signal improves even if the HDMI cable does not support this transmission rate) and can be used with conductors up to 40 m in length.

Signal amplifiers (signal extender and signal booster) - in the event that when HDMI is connected there is no signal or it is not strong enough, the devices allow you to increase its power, which makes it possible to transmit information via HDMI cable up to 30 m in length. Often, amplifiers are built into long cables by the manufacturer. HDMI cable 30 meters.

Equalizers can also be used for high-quality signal transmission over a distance of several tens of meters. The device not only amplifies the incoming signal, but also removes unwanted noise, while maintaining vibrant colors and without distorting the dynamic characteristics of HD technologies. If there is a need to transmit an HDMI signal over very long distances (100-500 m), it is advisable to use a fiber-optic cable.

We can conclude that HDMI technology is either all or nothing. With a sufficiently strong signal, a high-quality image is guaranteed, but if there is no signal or it is very weak when HDMI is connected, the image, respectively, will either not be at all, or there will be noticeable distortions. To solve the problem of insufficient quality image, the above methods can be used or the replacement of a cable with an inappropriate length and characteristics can be used. You can purchase all types of HDMI cables in our company, which represents products from trusted manufacturers.

HDMI is a technology for wired transmission of a digital signal that is subsequently converted into images, video and audio. Today it is the most common transmission option and is used in almost all computer technology, where video information is provided - from smartphones to personal computers.

The port has 19 pins in all variations. The connector is also divided into several types, based on which you need to buy the required cable or adapter for it. The following types are available:

The types of ports can be distinguished from each other by their appearance or by special marking in the form of one Latin letter (not available on all ports).

Cable length information

For general consumption, HDMI cables are sold up to 10 meters in length, but they can also be found up to 20 meters, which is quite enough for the average user. Various enterprises, data centers, IT companies can purchase cables of 20, 50, 80 and even more than 100 meters for their needs. For home use, you should not take a cable "with a margin", the option for 5 or 7.5 m will be quite enough.

Household cables are mainly made of special copper, which carries the signal over short distances without any problems. However, there is a dependence of the quality of reproduction on the type of copper from which the cable is made and its thickness.

For example, models made of specially treated copper, marked "Standard", with a thickness of about 24 AWG (this is a cross-section area of ​​approximately 0.204 mm 2) can transmit a signal up to 10 meters at a resolution of 720 × 1080 pixels with a screen refresh rate of 75 MHz ... A similar cable, but made using the "High Speed" technology (you can find the designation High Speed) with a thickness of 28 AWG (an area in diameter of 0.08 mm 2) is already capable of transmitting a signal as 1080 × 2160 points with a frequency of 340 MHz.

Pay attention to the refresh rate of the cable screen (it is indicated in the technical documentation or written on the packaging). For comfortable viewing of video and games, the human eye needs about 60-70 MHz. Therefore, you need to chase the numbers and the quality of the output signal only in cases where:

• Your monitor and video card support 4K resolution and you would like to use their capabilities 100%;
• If you are a professional video editing and / or 3D rendering.

The speed and quality of signal transmission depends on the length, so it is best to buy a cable with a short length. If, for some reason, you need a longer model, then it is better to pay attention to the options with the following markings:

HDMI versions

Thanks to the joint efforts of six large IT companies, HDMI 1.0 was released in 2002. Today, the American company Silicon Image is engaged in almost all further improvements and promotion of this connector. In 2013, the most modern version was released - 2.0, which is not compatible with other versions, so it is better to buy an HDMI cable of this version only if you are sure that the port on the computer / TV / monitor / other equipment also has this version.

The recommended version for purchase is 1.4, which was released in 2009, as it is compatible with versions 1.3 and 1.3b, which were released in 2006 and 2007 and are the most common. Version 1.4 has certain modifications - 1.4a, 1.4b, which are also compatible with 1.4 without modifications, 1.3, 1.3b versions.

Cable types version 1.4

Since this is the recommended version for purchase, we will consider it in more detail. There are five varieties in total: Standard, High Speed, Standard with Ethernet, High Speed ​​with Ethernet, and Standard Automotive. Let's consider each of them in more detail.

Standard - suitable for connecting undemanding home devices. Supports 720p resolution. Has the following characteristics:

Standard with Ethernet - has identical characteristics with a standard analogue, the only difference is that there is support for an Internet connection, capable of transferring data at a speed of no more than 100 Mbps in two directions.

High Speed ​​or Speed ​​High. Has support for Deep Color, 3D and ARC technologies. The latter needs to be considered in more detail. Audio Return Channel - allows you to transfer sound along with video in full. Previously, in order to achieve excellent sound quality, for example, on a TV connected to a laptop, it was required to use an additional headset. The maximum working resolution is 4096 × 2160 (4K). The following specifications are available:

• 5 Gbps - maximum bandwidth threshold;
• 24 bits - maximum color depth;
• 165 MP is the maximum allowable frequency band.

There is a high-speed version with internet support. The internet data transfer rate is also 100 Mbps.
Standard Automotive - used in cars and can only be connected to E-type HDMI. The specifications for this variant are the same as for the standard variant. The only exception is the increased degree of protection and the built-in ARC-system, which is not in the standard wire.

The operation of a cable is influenced not only by its characteristics, material of manufacture, but also by the quality of the assembly, which is not written anywhere and is difficult to determine at first glance. Use these tips to save some money and choose the best option. List of recommendations:

• There is a common misconception that gold-plated cables carry signals better. This is not the case, gilding is applied in order to protect the contacts from moisture and mechanical stress. Therefore, it is better to choose conductors with nickel, chrome or titanium plating, as they provide better protection and are cheaper (except for titanium plating). If you will be using the cable at home, then there is no point in buying a cable with additional contact protection;
• Those who need to transmit a signal over a distance of over 10 meters are advised to pay attention to the presence of a built-in repeater to amplify the signal, or to buy a special amplifier. Pay attention to the cross-sectional area (measured in AWG) - the smaller its value, the better the signal will be transmitted over long distances;
• Try to buy cables with shielding or special protection in the form of cylindrical bulges. It is designed to maintain optimal transmission quality (prevents interference) even on very thin cables.

To make the right choice, you need to consider all the characteristics of the cable and the built-in HDMI port. If the cable and port do not match, you will either need to buy a special adapter or completely replace the cable.