Updated September 24, 2019: The acronym HDMI stands for High Definition Multimedia Interface. When HDMI cables first came on the market in 2002, they left early adopters elated, frustrated, and sticker-shocked. Elated because this one cable eliminated wiring nests and kept both audio and video in the digital realm, uncompressed. Frustrated because the cables were stiff, tended to be difficult to plug in, and would inexplicably pop back out. And sticker-shocked because a 6 ft. HDMI cable could easily cost $50.00 or more.
To add another wrinkle, installers couldn’t make their own HDMI cables like they could with many other kinds of audio, video, and coax cables. The wiring and pins associated with HDMI were simply too complex. So, customizing the length or making cables onsite to save money were no longer options.
Flash forward to today.
HDMI cables are a bit more flexible. Connections are more secure. And prices range tremendously, providing more affordable options. Plus, there are now many HDMI standards, suitable to the different kinds of HD standards. But installers still can’t make their own HDMI cables.
So, what is HDMI? Simply the most indispensable cabling used in home theater systems today.
HDMI standards have evolved to match the ongoing revolution in HD standards, as well as its use in automotive applications and network connectivity. This has created confusion among consumers and retailers alike. Some may not even realize that there are different types of HDMI cables. Plus, there’s the misconception that cables should be constantly upgraded, even if the equipment has not.
When you, as a retailer, see a customer browsing HDMI cables, or if they are purchasing several A/V components to make up an entertainment system, you need to step in to ensure they buy the right standard of HDMI cabling. Plus, you should take advantage of the opportunity to explain why picking the right cable is so important.
Let’s establish three basic HDMI principles right away:
The HDMI founding consortium in charge of creating and overseeing standards is made up of seven electronics giants including Maxell, Panasonic, Sony, and Toshiba.
Over the years, a few updates to the HDMI specifications standards have been made. The current standard is 2.1. The most significant previous standard was 1.4. These two standards encompass most of the electronic devices on the market today.
Equipment specification standards also form the underlying basis on how the cables themselves are labeled for resale—more or less. In 2012, the HDMI standards organization moved away from specification numbers on packaging and product labels. They changed to more general terms relating to supported features. This applies to both cables and products.
This means that the cable label/name, found in the first bullet of each Specification listed below, is an approximate match to the entire specification parameters. They’ve been placed there to help you more easily decide which HDMI cables are most appropriate for your customers’ needs.
HDMI cables are also available with Ethernet, in each of the specifications listed above. These support Internet connectivity. Automotive HDMI cables are available in Standard and High Speed. They also have a different type of connector end to better withstand jostling and sudden shocks, have a stronger signal, and are tested to higher performance standards.
As specifications evolved so did connector ends. A is the standard, full-size end most consumers are familiar with. B is also an early design but has not yet made its way into products. C is Mini and is used for portable devices like laptops and digital cameras. D is Micro, which brings HDMI to mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets. And as mentioned above, there’s an automotive connection system. It’s called E.
There is debate whether gold-plated ends are important. Technical opinion has been mixed. However, the feeling is that if cabling will be in a sheltered environment where the chance of oxidation is reduced, gold plating is not necessary. This may help if a customer balks at paying a higher price for gold yet worries about the consequence.
As long as an HDMI cable is less than 25 ft. and is properly certified by the HDMI organization a less expensive cable should perform equally as well as a pricier one within the same performance parameters. There may be other factors that might influence a decision like cable flexibility, molded strain relief, color, etc. But performance should be identical.
The HDMI revolution has also led to work-around devices that enable it to be used with other kinds of connectors.
As wonderful as HDMI is as a technology, serious problems occur if the cable length gets too long. The common consensus for HDMI is 50 ft. However, even 25 ft. cables can have issues. Only short cable lengths of 1 ft. to 12 ft. seem immune from signal degradation.
Plus, the reliability of longer lengths can vary by manufacturer. All quality cables are HDMI certified, but length is not a part of the certification process. A 25 footer from one company may perform just fine, while another company’s 25 ft. cable suffers performance issues. For installers, this means it’s best to test longer cable runs that don’t use boosters, to ensure that the company’s cables provide good results.
HDMI is king when it comes to the transmission of uncompressed audio and video digital data. USB-C might eventually vie for that position. However, HDMI has been around a lot longer. And it is present in far more devices, especially home entertainment components.
So, let’s revisit the earlier scenario of a customer on your sales floor looking for HDMI cables for their current or brand-new entertainment system. You need to ask questions to determine the lowest resolution device in their hookup mix. Remember, system performance is only as good as its weakest link. Then you should explain that HDMI cables should match the lowest-common-denominator capability. This will save them some money.
By purchasing what they need vs. what the future might hold, you can encourage your customers to spend those saved dollars on other add-ons in your store.
Better yet, once they understand the big picture, hopefully, a customer will choose to replace that older-spec device with a higher-end one from your floor. And, they’ll purchase the correlating higher-specification HDMI cables. That way, their system operates in harmony. And you have satisfied, informed customers—plus more sales.
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