Expert Guide to HDMI Cables

HDMI cables are becoming much more common in our living rooms as the number of HDTVs, set-top boxes and other home theaterequipment which uses HDMI increases.

An HDMI cable carries both digital video and disgital audio signals in one cable, making it a convenient way to connect equipment. The HDMI specification supports up to 12-bit Y-Pr-Pb video as well as RGB signals. It also supports up to eight audio channels at 192kHz. By comparison, the more common DVI interface supports 8-bit RGB video and no audio. Also, HDMI has better potential for supporting longer cable lengths than DVI.On the down side, the cables don't have a locking connector, meaning the cable can be pulled out more easily than most AV cables.

Another important feature, and one of the main reasons HDMI is set to become the de facto standard for AV equipment is its support for HDCP (High Bandwidth Copy Protection). This means that HDMI cables can carry an HDCP signal from, for example, a Blu-ray or HDCP player, to the connected device and afford the content owner control over how the content os viewed and whetehr it can be copied. This can be viewed two ways: on the plus side any HDMI-connected device will be able to play HDCP protected content at full resolution without a problem. On the minus side, HDMI-connected devices are at the mercy of the digital rights management restrictions created by the owners of the content.

You can connect HDMI equipment to DVI kit by using a DVI HDMI adapter cable.

HDMI cables typically come in lengths from three feet to 50 feet and cost from around $20 to over $200, depending on the quality and length of the cable. If you want a good quality cable, you should go for one with gold-plated conectors and which is made by a reputable manufacturer.