Are All HDMI leads The Same?

[freddiemercurystwin]

So trying to get 4k from a PS4/Pro (which is capable of outputting 4K 60fps) to my TV, after faffing about for a few hours last night and watching numerous guides or YouTube videos I finally got it working, why they hide the specific settings in such obscure places in the menus is beyond me. Anyway it also seems that only one of my 4 HDMI cables will allow 4k from the PS4, a little googling suggests that actually not all HDMI cables are the same and if you want 4k 60fps then an HDMI 2.0 is essential? Anyone care to share some insight or further info?

 

[RandomGrinch]

Are all HDMI cables the same:
Well, yes and no!

The pinout of the connectors and the pathways between them is the same in all versions (for, say a type A connector).

What has changed is the construction methods employed to manufacture the cable; better quality materials, thicker conductors, better shielding and better technical designs are now used.

The newer versions allow higher bandwidth, higher definition, greater colour gamuts (As in HDR), ethernet, have 3D capability and support newer, multi-channel audio formats.

The cables are tested, and certified when they pass the minimum standards, for a given version.

If you have an old cable that is very good quality, it may be possible that it supports a higher version of HDMI than it was certified for.

For some technical detail, see:

 

[Lucid]

...not all HDMI cables are the same and if you want 4k 60fps then an HDMI 2.0 is essential

HDMI 2.0 is a standard for the sockets on gear. Cables aren't rated by that. God knows why they couldn't unify cables and sockets on a common standard, but that's just one of those things.

HDMI has been with us for almost 20 years. The first generation of cables were just 'HDMI', but when 1080p arrived then something faster (higher bandwidth) was required. That's when we got Standard-Speed for 1st gen stuff and High-Speed for stuff that could do 1080p.

Things stayed this way for quite a while until 4K UHD came along. Early 4K could be handled by High Speed cables as long as the cable length was fairly short.... if you could find a 4K source. The TVs were out for ages, but it took a while for 4K UHD Blu-ray to hit the market. When they did, the signal was just 24Hz UHD, and so that is within the spec for High Speed HDMI. Then we got HDR and Wide Colour Gamut and ATMOS audio. That was the point when ' we got a fairly rapid evolution of HDMI connector standards and the cables to go with them.

For those who need 4K UHD at 60Hz then the cable required is a Premium High-Speed cable. This will handle 18Gbps of data. By comparison, a normal High Speed cable handles 10.2Gbps.

In order for you to get 4K 60Hz from your Sony console then one of your cables had more than 10.2Gbps. The others didn't.

The next step up is where the signal is either 4K 120Hz or 8K 60Hz. For this, the connector standard is HDMI 2.1, and the cable is Ultra High Speed Certified. It can carry up to 48Gbps.

Heres a useful list of the cable speeds: https://www.hdmi.org/resource/cables

Cable certification, or more specifically, the lack of it, is a bit of a headache for cable buyers. There's a lot of stuff sold by discounters that never gets tested and Certified. Some stuff even carries fake certification stickers.

Here is a primer on HDMI standards including Certified and uncertified cable
https://www.howtogeek.com/703147/how-to-avoid-buying-a-fake-hdmi-2.1-cable/

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

OK thanks, so if I understand the gist, ideally I just need a certified cable eg https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B08SLR3HW9/ref=cm_sw_r_apan_glt_fabc_CPZ2SZ4SWJSM3WX7WNM7 but that cable will only be genuine if it carries the
“Ultra Certified Cable” hologram on it's packaging and that can be authenticated with the HDMI Cable Certification app.

A 'non-certified' cable may or it may not work.

 

[RandomGrinch]

Due to the resolution and frequency limits of the PS4 Pro, you only need a 'Premium High Speed' cable to support 4K @ 60Hz.
Though an 'Ultra High Speed' cable probably wouldn't hurt!
...as long as it's certified of course!

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

Yes I understand the one I linked to goes above and beyond my requirements, the one I linked to was the merely the first certified one in the list on Amazon that I came across that wasn't silly money, upon further looking I see their basics one is a certified Premium one which would also do. https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B08224HT83/ref=cm_sw_r_apan_glt_fabc_ECDGKX1MZ3AE3G3DA1FT

 

[Sureitsoff?]

and the shorter cable is dearer than the next size up ?

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

Well, Amazon pricing is a mystery at times for sure, perhaps the 1.8m is the most popular size.

 

[Lucid]

Maybe I'm missing something here, but the two cables linked are just 50p different in price. £7.49 vs £7.99. I had a single portion of cod and chips last week that cost more. Are you really debating the prices?

 

[RandomGrinch]

For completeness, here's an interesting new video about HDMI cables:

 

[Sureitsoff?]

When I, briefly!, worked for a local electrical retailer in Norwich, (rhymes with shoes!). A customer had bought a nice new expensive tv and dvd player and the salesman had managed to convince the customer that the £120 hdmi lead!! was the best available. When I and a colleague delivered the tv etc and set it up the hdmi lead didnt work but the old sky one the customer had did!