Which Type of HDMI Cable is Right for You?

HDMI has revolutionized the way in which we transfer video and audio files. A totally uncompressed data transferred at the rate of 10.2 gigabits per second means ultra high quality video without a single frame loss. HDMI de-clutters your life by allowing the use of only one HDMI cable for your home theatre and an integrated remote control. A singular, miniature but potentially nuclear HDMI cable simplifies and exemplifies your life in many ways. However there are many variants of the HDMI cable. These have their own specifications and capabilities. The HDMI cable best suited for you depends on the activities you need to accomplish with your HDMI device. Here we will discuss in details the various types of HDMI cables that are available to you. This will help you in determining the HDMI cable that best suits your need. Thus you will not face the trouble of settling for a high priced alternative which will not incur any kind of additional feature for you. A major point of note in the very beginning is that all the HDMI cables are backward compatible. This means that a new HDMI cable will have all the functions and capabilities of the older HDMI cables that were out there in the market. It is just like the way in which you can play your PSP games on the PS Vita. This is important to those who are seeking to upgrade their equipment. It was basically done because of the fast evolution of HDMI devices since its establishment in 2002, particularly in terms of increased bandwidth.

The most recent announcement by the HDMI organization is that of the 1.4 version. With the new player in the market, there are 5 different types of HDMI cables to choose from with each of them having their own perks and specifications. They have been described below. To make it easier for consumers to recognize and identify the correct type of HDMI cable the HDMI organization has launched specific logos that are attached to their generic HDMI cables.

The Standard HDMI cable is the most basic of the five different HDMI cables. It is primarily manufactured for the purpose of serving the home based applications. The product has been tested and proved to reliably transmit high definition (HD) video resolutions primarily 720p and 1080i. These video resolutions are associated with the Cable and Satellite Television, Digital Broadcast HD and DVD players.

This HDMI cable type offers similar video performance as that of the Standard HDMI Cable, including 720p or 1080i video resolutions. It also carries a dedicated data channel, known as the HDMI Ethernet Channel (HEC), for device networking. HDMI Ethernet Channel functionality is only available if both the source and sink devices are equipped with HEC functionality.

The next step in HDMI cable technology is the High Speed HDMI Cable. It has been tested and proved to reliably handle higher resolution video in the league of 1080p and beyond. In addition, the High Speed HDMI Cables can support advanced display technologies such as 4K, 3D, and Deep Color. This type of HDMI cable is primarily meant for higher technologies and also as the peripheral connecter in 1080p compatible devices like BluRay players.

This HDMI cable type offers the same performance (1080p and greater resolutions) as the High Speed HDMI Cable, plus an additional, dedicated data channel, known as the HDMI Ethernet Channel (HEC), for device networking. Again, HEC functionality is only available if both the source and sink devices are equipped with HEC functionality. HEC connected devices that are equipped with this feature can send and receive data at the rates of 100 MB/Sec via Ethernet, making them instantly ready for any IP-based application. The HDMI Ethernet Channel allows internet-enabled HDMI devices share an internet connection via the HDMI link, with no need for a distinguished Ethernet cable. It also provides the connection stage that will allow HDMI-enabled components to share content between various devices.

This type of HDMI cable is only meant for the purpose of outdoor use. The Automotive HDMI cable is used for supporting the internal wiring of cars and automotive that sport high definition audio and video devices. These HDMI cables can endure the unique stresses (vibration and temperature extremes) present in motoring environments. These types of HDMI cables increase the versatility of HDMI application as the car manufacturers have an option of diffusing Automotives with HDMI technology.