MojoLists

The HDMI confusion is exasperating for everyone. How did something designed to make things easier become a simmering caldron of confusion? Lets try to sort out the facts from the myths.

As I look behind my component stand, I slowly lower my head in shame. The rat’s nest of cables is beyond comprehension and the worst thing is that I did my 6 month rewire just a week ago. I dream of the day I finally step up to a complete HDMI system that uses a single cable between every component, a magic cable that send both the video and audio. I could go from what looks like hundreds of cables down to less than 10. That my friends, would be a miracle.

Every time I step into an electronics store, I am confronted with $60, $70, even $150 HDMI cables, and that is for a 2-meter one. How is it that the HDMI cables I use and cherish are less than half that and the fact is you can get them much, much cheaper… Like for under $15 and it will work just as well as the marketing marvel from Monster Cable that sells for well over $100.

Part of the problem comes from the early versions of HDMI, version 1.0, 1.1 and 1.2 are all capable of transmitting 1080p video at the same time as the lossless DTS and Dolby formats. This is more than enough for 95% of the people, in fact is well beyond their systems capability.  That brings us to version 1.3.

HDMI version 1.3 comes in 3 flavors, 1.3a, 1.3b, and the top of the line 1.3c. They all do the same great job of handling HDCP, 1080p and lossless audio, not a bit better than the previous versions however. Where you do want to consider the 1.3c cables is if you wish to pass a DVD-A, SACD or uncompressed audio signal to your receiver. Keep in mind that both the source and the receiver must meet 1.3c requirements, if anything in the system is less than 1.3c, you lose all benefits of having that cable version.

In addition to the audio formats I mentioned, 1.3c is also capable of passing the new extended color formats, Deep Color and x.v.YCC. Currently neither of these is built into the Blu-Ray spec. and although a number of players claim to have the capability, it is wasted since the discs don’t carry the additional color signals. Several HD camcorders do record in this format however so the capability may be useful if you have one of these and a TV that is capable.

 The bottom line is that getting a higher version cable won’t hurt you, it just won’t help you except in a very small number of circumstances, if you have the equipment that matches from source to Receiver and TV, or you just want to pay more for a cable.

Don’t fall for the Monster marketing system that grades each cable based on bandwidth. Every one of their cables does a great job of passing every possible format, their grading system is an all out lie and one you will pay for if you purchase the more expensive cables. An HDMI cable can’t change the quality of the image like a processor in a receiver or TV, it just passes along a digital signal. Do your wallet a favor and find the less expensive cables and spend the rest on a few new movies.