![]() ![]() HDMI stands for “High Definition Multimedia Interface.” Just as the name suggests, HDMI functions by passing high-quality audio and video signals. HDMI is the gold standard today, but not all HDMI cables are created equal. He also thinks you should check out his best-selling sci-fi novel and its sequel.Fortunately, as we move into an increasingly digital world, options are getting simpler and more straightforward, so a little information can go a long way towards clarifying your best choice. Still have a question? Tweet at him then check out his travel photography on Instagram. Got a question for Geoff? First, check out all the other articles he's written on topics like why all HDMI cables are the same, TV resolutions explained, LED LCD vs. So while HDMI-over-optical isn't new, its continuing reduction in price and potential for an even greater size difference compared to copper could be an interesting trend to keep an eye on as HDMI 2.1 rolls out. The optical cables are available in much greater distances too, it's worth noting. That seems like a lot, until you consider the copper cables are very cheap. HDMI-over-optical cables cost about twice per-foot what the comparable active long-run copper HDMI cables do. The optical technology does seem like it will become a more viable option for long Ultra High Speed cable runs, if the prices keep dropping. It's also worth noting that in the early days of HDMI, many believed longer runs would always require super-thick cables too, and thanks to active cable tech, along with optical and other developments, reasonably thin cables are relatively inexpensive. Now that's just one company, and it's super-early in the HDMI 2.1 era. They'll pull what juice they need from the HDMI connection itself. requiring a change from electrons to photons and back again, they likely wouldn't need any external power. Jackson has said new chip design allows his company to be similar in price, and possibly cheaper, than copper cables. The price of optical HDMI cables has dropped significantly in recent years. However, this potential limitation might not be an issue. Fine for some situations, certainly, but if you're trying to run it around corners or tight spaces, it's going to be a hassle. Looking at some of the cable prototypes at the show, the longer ones were exceptionally thick. In talking with HDMI Licensing, and Ian Jackson from Silicon Line, there's an expectation that it won't be practical to do 48Gbps using traditional copper wires over longer lengths, even just a few meters. A copper cable this length, with similar bandwidth potential, would be several times thicker, likely as wide as one of your fingers. I couldn't have had my shadow in the shot more if I'd tried, and I was trying not to. Go the other way, and make all the parts thick, and it would be like trying to connect your TV and cable box with a garden hose, and not one of those fancy flexible ones either.Ī prototype Ultra High Speed HDMI-over-optical cable from Silicon Line. Too thin, and you won't get anything, or the cable won't be able to transfer really high resolutions. The thinner these strands of copper are, the more signal gets lost over the length of the wire. Other parts, like shielding, can shrink too, but all only to an extent. To keep the overall cable diameter small, so it's bendable and not impossible to use in your house, each of the strands inside has to be kept as small as possible. A handful of spaghetti, if you will, all mashed together with rubber. HDMI cables are actually multiple smaller wires all bundled together. I often use the analogy that bandwidth is like a pipe: big pipe, lots of water, small pipe, less water. But I'd be surprised if we even get a glimpse of something like that before the end of this year. However, the Olympics are in Japan next year, and China in 2022, so it's a safe bet we'll see a way to get 8K to the TV via something external and box-shaped to coincide with those events. Note the increasing thickness on the longer cables. More prototype Ultra High Speed HDMI cables. ![]()
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