HDMI Cables In Brief
A High-Definition Multimedia Interface cable to give it its full name is currently the most up-to-date way to get video and audio to your TV screen from a range of devices such as blu-ray, SkyHD, computers, games consoles and more. Since its release in 2003 it has been replacing outdated cables like s-video, scart and component, there are now over a billion HDMI devices in the market. It offers the benefits of being able to carry high definition picture and audio along the same wire with perfect digital clarity, doing away with the need for additional audio cables.
 Now that we live in the digital age the image and sound we see and hear on our TV are sent as digital data in a stream of 0's and 1's these are known as bits. When sent down a cable these 1's and 0's are represented by sending different voltages, higher for a 1, lower for a 0. The nature of today's HD sound and pictures means a whole lot of 0's and 1's have to be signalled very quickly; in fact a high speed HDMI cable is required to be rated to carry 10.2 Gigabits per second. That's over 10 billion 1's and 0's each second so it`s simple to see just how important a well engineered cable design is to successfully transmit all this data.
This year has seen the release of an update for HDMI, adding new features and enabling the transfer of even higher resolution video than current HD offers. HDMI has gone through a few changes over the years but we`re going to go through the most recent additions to explain what it all means.
HDMI 1.4 adds two very convenient features in the form of the Ethernet Channel and Audio Return Channel meaning you may be able to do away with some network cables and the digital audio cable from your TV. The key change is the increase in bandwidth, allowing for much higher resolutions and enabling 3D technology. To take advantage of these features you will need a display and source device which is HDMI 1.4 compliant
Cable Names & Version Numbers
The latest version of the HDMI specification is 1.4a and the official standard for naming cables lists five categories of cable with different features. For best image quality and to be prepared for the future we recommend the use of High Speed cables, especially if you intend on installing them in-wall
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Cable Type:
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Supports:
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1080i or 720p video
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1080i or 720p video
Network connection
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1080p video and higher resolutions
3D technology
Deep colour
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1080p video and higher resolutions
3D technology
Deep colour
Network connection
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A different plug design tested to a more robust performance standard, and capable of withstanding more stress of the motoring environment such as vibration and temperature extremes
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New Features
Ethernet Channel (HEC)
What it means: Previously every device you want to have internet access had to be connected individually with a network cable for each. The Ethernet channel allows network data to pass through the HDMI cable, meaning you only need connect one device to your network for all to have access. Your AV devices must support this and you`ll need an HDMI cable labelled as “with Ethernet”
Audio Return Channel
What it means: A very welcome new feature if you watch Freeview or Freesat directly through your TV. When connecting a TV this allows the sound from the channel you`re watching to be sent back down the cable to your AV receiver, negating the need for an additional audio cable from the TV
3D
What it means: The increased bandwidth of high speed cables means 3D pictures up to 1080p in resolution can now be sent to your TV. You will need a 3D capable display and blu-ray or games console to take advantage of this but as it becomes more popular we\'ll also see it get more affordable to have the full 3D cinema experience in your own home.
4K Resolution
What it means: Displays capable of almost 4 times the resolution of current high-definition may be a little way from being common place now, but we've no doubt that just as we've moved from standard definition to HD over the past few years these super-high resolutions will become adopted as standard.
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