How to identify and select HDMI 2.1 cable?
Let's first understand what HDMI 2.1 is.
On November 30, 2017, following HDMI 2.0b, the HDMI Forum, a management organization that specializes in developing standards for HDMI cables, officially announced the HDMI 2.1 technical standard. The new standard points to the future direction of video output, which can support higher refresh rates and resolutions.
HDMI 2.0 is the current connection used by modern home entertainment devices, and the DMI 2.1 standard is faster than HDMI 2.0. It nearly triples the bandwidth of HDMI 2.0, with a top speed of 48Gbps versus 18GBps. For a 4K TV, that means an HDMI 2.1 connection can handle 4K video at up to 120 frames per second or 8K video at 60 frames per second. This is natively streamed video, rather than motion processing, that can display interpolated 24, 30 and 60fps video current TVs with 120Hz refresh rates. This means smoother movements look more natural.
These faster speeds mean wider support for dynamic high dynamic range (HDR) video. Yes, it's two dynamics at one time, but there's a reason. HDR expands the dynamic range of video, it determines how dark, bright and colorful each pixel can get. Most current HDR content is static, using HDR10 to define set ranges or adjust levels based on individual TVs with profile metadata. These levels remain the same in the movie or show what you're watching.
Dynamic HDR makes dynamic range variable instead of static. Additional metadata for each scene or frame adjusts the dynamic range of the picture to best fit the content. These adjustments make dark scenes show more shadow detail, and bright scenes show more highlight detail by giving the video more flexibility and control within each scene's light and color range.
HDR10+ is the best-known dynamic HDR standard, first driven by Amazon and Samsung, and increasingly adopted by other manufacturers and studios. HDR10+ is currently available via HDMI 2.0 connections and is available on Samsung's 2017 and 2018 flagship TVs, but the increased bandwidth of HDMI 2.1 ensures future compatibility with any other dynamic HDR standard or extended HDR10+ content.
In addition to these new features, HDMI 2.1 also adds a number of enhanced refresh rate technologies for videos, movies, and games to ensure that users can use high resolutions smoothly without stuttering, such as:
- The "Variable Refresh Rate (VRR)" used in games can reduce the delay, freeze, and tear of the screen, allowing players to play the game more smoothly.
- There's also "Quick Media Switching (QMS)" for video and movies, which eliminates delays that can cause black screens before displaying content.
The "Quick Frame Transfer (QFT)" is aimed at VR virtual reality, which greatly reduces the delay, making the game and the implementation of interactive virtual reality lag-free and smoother.
- There is also "Auto Low Latency Mode (ALLM)", which automatically sets the ideal delay for smooth, lag-free and uninterrupted viewing and interaction.
- Enhanced Audio Return Channel (eARC): Allow the TV to transmit high-bit rate Dolby Atmos, DTS:X and other 3D surround sound audio directly to the A/V amplifier receiver or sound bar through the HDMI cable superior.
How can you tell what is true HDMI 2.1?
HDMI 2.1 will require a new HDMI cable, which will be labeled SuperSpeed HDMI Cable. They look and function similarly to HDMI 2.0 or earlier HDMI cables and use HDMI A, C and D connectors (standard HDMI, mini HDMI and micro HDMI respectively). As with HDMI 2.0 and HDMI 1.4, the cables will be backward compatible, so HDMI 2.1 devices can be used with HDMI 2.0 cables to display 4K60 content.
HDMI 2.1 has powerful performance and many new features. Some TVs and monitors cannot fully support all HDMI 2.1 standards. In this case, some equipment manufacturers will also claim that their products support HDMI 2.1. For example, some products support HDMI 2.1. eARC and VRR, but the bandwidth cannot reach 48Gbps at all, and cannot support 4K/120Hz or 8K/Hz frame video. In this case, some manufacturers will also advertise it as a device supporting HDMI2.1. So pay attention when buying products in the future. If you don't need that much bandwidth at all, you only need eARC, then maybe you will still accept such products. If you require lossless video quality, then you must pay attention to this.
How do you choose a reliable fiber optic HDMI 2.1 cable?
When using a high-definition playback platform or even a 4K high-resolution playback platform, we cannot avoid the situation of choosing and purchasing HDMI cables. At this time, some small partners will ask, how to choose HDMI cables to look like an old driver?
When HDMI 2.0 and HDMI 2.1 and earlier versions co-existed in the market, as mentioned earlier, their appearance was the same, so how do you choose a real fiber optic HDMI 2.1 cable.
- Connector: In addition to being more beautiful, the connector of the HDMI cable will theoretically have better corrosion resistance, electrical conductivity and high temperature resistance, and it is also easy to solder. The final connection to the HDMI interface is the PIN pin in the HDMI connector, so this part of the HDMI cable connector is the most important.
- Look at the manufacturing material and process of the wire: There are several materials for the inner core of the traditional HDMI wire. Generally, the best is pure copper, or pure copper silver-plated. Pure copper can ensure the quality of signal transmission and reduce signal interference and signal. Losses, the second most important is the use of alloys and iron as the inner core. How to tell? Of course, taking it apart is the best way to distinguish it, and it is also the most impossible. We can bend the wire properly. The copper core wire is soft and easy to bend. Otherwise, it may not be a copper core wire, and it is easy to break after repeated bending.
- Optical fiber core: Now there are new changes in the inner core of HDMI cables. I believe that many consumers have heard of HDMI cables with optical fibers as the inner core. Optical fiber HDMI cable uses optical fiber as the transmission material. Compared with the electrical signal transmission of copper wire, the use of optical signal transmission can achieve faster speed, longer transmission and more complete signal transmission. In the past, the longer the transmission distance of the copper core HDMI cable, the faster the transmission signal attenuation, but the optical fiber HDMI cable breaks through this limitation, easily achieves the transmission signal to more than 300m, supports 4K60hz, and effectively transmits 4K audio and video signals. Preferred.
There are also two types of optical HDMI, optical copper hybrid HDMI and pure optical HDMI. For example, our pure optical HDMI 2.1 MPO cable, the bandwidth required by HDMI 2.1 is 48Gbps, which can fully meet the HDMI2.1 standard.
Our 8K HDMI MPO Fiber optic cable provides the highest speed and bandwidth needed for the best video and/ or audio quality for high definition at lengths up to 303 meters (1000ft), which supporting the long distances required in commercial video solutions.
The detachable HDMI (TX+RX ) to MPO ends can be replaced at any time without replacing the entire cable. You can change and connect with DisplayPort, USB, DVI or other type connectors anytime. And you can pre-wire the MPO fiber optic cables in wall without directional concern as you can change the "Source" and "Display" anytime, which makes the solution ideal for Home, Residential or Commercial integration.
