HDMI Archive

The shift from old-school SD displays to HD didn’t just involve a change in display technology. It also required new cable technology. Traditional composite cables just don’t have the bandwidth to handle a high-definition signal, so HDMI was invented. For a while, TVs would have both types of inputs. But if you’re using a TV that was made in the last several years, it probably …

Whether you’re enjoying the latest Blu-Ray or a gaming session on your PS4, an HDMI cable is one of the core components in your multimedia system. HDMI cables are all virtually universal, with a single cord supplying both video and audio for a large variety of formats. Unfortunately, the one downside to universal cable is that they have universal problems. No matter how you’re enjoying …

Like most types of cable, HDMI has a limited range. Unlike most varieties commonly in use, it’s fairly short. The theoretical range of an ordinary HDMI cable is 50 feet, but that’s only theoretical. For one thing, the range for a 4K, 60Hz signal is much shorter. Not only that, but HDMI cables are finicky. They’re highly sensitive to interference, so their range is easily …

HDMI cables are a near-universal standard for home video. Whether you’re watching cable TV or Blu-Ray or playing your game console, you’re using HDMI. For the most part, HDMI cables do a great job. Today’s cables are capable of transmitting 4K video. You can use an Audio Return Channel (ARC) to use a single cable to send audio in both directions. This allows for seamless …

So, you’ve just bought a new A/V receiver or soundbar. Congratulations! But now it’s time to make all the connections, and you’ve got some decisions to make. Life wasn’t always this complicated. In the olden days, when dinosaurs ruled the earth, a simple coaxial cable got the job done for all connections. But we’re no longer technological cave men. Instead, we have a ton of …