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High Speed HDMI cables

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  • 29-12-2016 7:25pm
    #1
    creedp
    Registered Users Posts: 5,701 ✭✭✭


    I bought 2 HDMI cables for a 4k TV. One is 1.8m and labelled 'HDMI HIGH SPEED' but on blurb it says connects DVD or set top box to a HD ready TV - for resolutions up to 1080p. The 2nd cable is 3m and labelled 'HDMI HIGH SPEED with ETHERNET' In this case the blurb says it connects your Blu-ray, DVD ... for full HD resolutions up to 1080p, Audio Return Channel, 3D TV and 7.1 digital audio ready.

    My question is, other than marketing speak, is there any difference between these 2 cables and are they both suitable for a 4k dvd player and TV?


Comments

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    #2
    JoeA3
    Registered Users Posts: 7,430 ✭✭✭JoeA3


    Personal opinion - and from experience:

    It's all marketing crap. If you spend more than 15-20 euro on a hdmi cable you're crazy. I have a 4K tv, a 4K receiver and a bunch of devices interconnected. About 4 or 5 different hdmi cables in total and none of them were the pricey variety. All work 100% fine.


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    #3
    SVI40
    Registered Users Posts: 604 ✭✭✭SVI40


    They are both the same cable with one difference. The ethernet one is capable of carrying ethernet traffic, if your device can send it.

    Not sure if there are devices out there that require ethernet capability.

    There are basically 5 types of HDMI cable:

    Standard speed.
    Standard speed with ethernet.
    High speed.
    High speed with ethernet.
    Automotive.

    The various versions such as 1.0, 1.1, 1.3 etc. refer to the device, such as your blueray player, TV etc. and not the cable.


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    #4
    creedp
    Registered Users Posts: 5,701 ✭✭✭creedp


    Thanks for information particularly the heads up on avoiding unnecessarily expensive cables. Wasn't sure if better to take the 'lower spec' one back but as you both say they are basically the same cable.


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    #5
    fryup
    Registered Users Posts: 18,067 ✭✭✭✭fryup


    go down to your discount store, they work just as fine


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    #6
    coylemj
    Registered Users Posts: 25,396 ✭✭✭✭coylemj


    This article on CNET helped to put an end to the ridiculous claims made for expensive HDMI cables, it also brought to an end the ludicrous practice of magazines like What Hi-Fi reviewing HDMI cables and making claims about picture quality etc. and giving each cable a 1-5 star rating when every one of the cables did exactly the same thing - transport a series of zeros and ones from one device to the other. The last HDMI cable review on the What Hi-Fi website is dated June 2011 and they no longer list cables as a product category on their home page.

    https://www.cnet.com/uk/news/why-all-hdmi-cables-are-the-same/


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    #7
    JoeA3
    Registered Users Posts: 7,430 ✭✭✭JoeA3


    Another related example...

    Last year I was redecorating and I needed a much longer subwoofer cable than normal - 10-15 metres or so. These are pretty hard to find and are really stupid money. So after a bit of research I realised it's really easy to make your own. All you need is a length of decent coaxial cable and the correct ends to screw on... a good quality 100% working cable made for about a tenner!


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