What You Should Know About HDMI Cables
You're seeing the marvel that is High Definition TV, in a hundred different monitors at your local retail outlet. It can be very exciting, but confusing. So, you pick out your baby, buy it, and take it home. Following a storm of unwrapping, and the plugging in of cables, you have...a picture that doesn't even come close to what you saw in the store. Annoyed, you finally decide to read the manual (something most people would never think to do), see a reference to a type of High Definition connection called HDMI (High-Definition Multimedia Interface), and realize that's exactly what you need to go out and get. So back to your local Retailer you go, only to be confronted with DVD players that Upscale, HD-DVD Players, Blu-Ray Players, Video Game Consoles and dozens of other products that use this same new Interface. Just when you thought you understood your new HDTV, you are thwarted by the numerous choices available.
Older Analog style video connections did not offer nearly the connection standard of HDMI, which allows a single cable connection to pass both Audio and Video signals; this is the new High Definition age connection standard. If your TV supports Full HD, make sure you have an HDMI cable to take advantage of this. Rather than a multitude of cords and a maze of cables snaked behind your TV and entertainment system, HDMI allows the best of both worlds by combining audio and visual into one single digital cable.
To help you learn what to purchase and why, let us briefly discuss HDTV resolutions and their meanings.
HDTV Resolutions:
- 480i (480 interlaced lines of resolution) Also known as what you've watched on normal TV for years
- 480p (480 Progressive lines of resolution) Known as SDTV, progressively scanning images from a DVD player creates a nicer, smoother image on your SDTV/HDTV
- 720p (720 Progressive lines of Resolution) This is your initial step into HDTV. Allowing for 720 lines of resolution, nearly twice that of 480p, provides a much smoother image on a High Definition TV
- 1080i (1080 interlaced lines of Resolution) Currently the greatest resolution provided by Satellite and Cable operators, offering exceptional quality picture on a television capable of displaying 1080i
- 1080p (1080 Progressive lines of Resolution) Also known as Full HD, 1080p is currently "IT" in the market place in terms of best quality picture.
Now that you understand the progression of HDTV Resolutions, let's figure out what all those numbers really mean on that new HDTV you've just purchased.
When you are selecting the cables to connect your HDMI equipped devices, these are some elements to keep in mind.
As you will be spending a good bit on the cable, make sure you get one which is future proofed - even though your TV programs aren't broadcast in 1080p, the latest DVD and game consoles are, so get a cable that is 1080p certified. To ensure that it transmits video as well as lossless audio, make sure the cable is HDMI 1.3. Many cables longer than 10 feet begin to lose quality, so make sure that the cable is certified for 1080p. Lastly, pay attention to how strained the cable is, because most versions don't have any sort of locking device, and it can wiggle loose.
That's it. Now it is time to purchase a HDMI cable, so that you may enjoy that vibrant video and crisp audio that you fell in love with at the store!
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