HDMI Cables, Deep Colour and cable types.

[Spatial]

At the moment I'm revamping my setup and so today I braved the `delights` of Captain Acne and Mrs Over-Enthusiastic who were staffing my local GAME to get another HDMI cable for my pending set up.

I've always believed that a HDMI cable is a HDMI cable no matter how much you spend on them (especially since the first ever cable I bought was reasonably expensive and didn't work) so I was surprised to scan the back of the box and find this

Supports resolutions up to 1080p
Supports Deep Colour (12bit)
60Hz Refresh Rate
10.2Gbps Transfer rate

The deep colour bit got me wondering so I headed off to Wikipedia. According to that it's 30bit, 36bit, and 48bit for HDMI, so where are GAME getting this 12bit from?

In the end I got totally confused. Wikipedia is saying that there's different standard cable from 1.0 to 1.3b - so are all cables built equally these days?

The box is really nondescript about what type of cable it is (other than it being HDMI obviously) and I'm just really curious about it.

[kernow]

On the wiki page it tells you the differences between 1.0 and 1.1 etc, higher data bandwidth is one feature.

1.0
A single cable digital audio/video connector interface with a maximum TMDS bandwidth of 4.9 Gbit/s. Supports up to 3.96 Gbit/s of video bandwidth (1080p60 Hz or UXGA) and 8 channel LPCM/192 kHz/24-bit audio.

HDMI 1.1

Released May 20, 2004.[12]

• Added support for DVD Audio.

HDMI 1.2

Released August 8, 2005.[12]

• Added support for One Bit Audio, used on Super Audio CDs, up to 8 channels.
• Availability of HDMI Type A connector for PC sources.
• Ability for PC sources to use native sRGB color-space while retaining the option to support the YCbCr color space.
• Requirement for HDMI 1.2 and later displays to support low-voltage sources.

HDMI 1.2a

Released December 14, 2005.[12]

• Fully specifies Consumer Electronic Control (CEC) features, command sets, and CEC compliance tests.

HDMI 1.3

Released June 22, 2006.[12][13][76]

• Increases single-link bandwidth to 340 MHz (10.2 Gbit/s)
• Optionally supports Deep Color with 30-bit, 36-bit, and 48-bit xvYCC, sRGB, or YCbCr compared to 24-bit sRGB or YCbCr in previous HDMI versions.
• Incorporates automatic audio syncing (Audio video sync) capability.
• Optionally supports output of Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio streams for external decoding by AV receivers.[77] TrueHD and DTS-HD are lossless audio codec formats used on Blu-ray Discs and HD DVDs. If the disc player can decode these streams into uncompressed audio, then HDMI 1.3 is not necessary, as all versions of HDMI can transport uncompressed audio.
• Cable Categories 1 and 2 defined. Category 1 cable is tested up to 74.25 MHz while Category 2 cable is tested up to 340 MHz.
• Availability of a new Type C mini-connector for portable devices.[39][78]

HDMI 1.3a

Released November 10, 2006.[12]

• Cable and Sink modifications for Type C
• Source termination recommendation
• Removed undershoot and maximum rise/fall time limits.
• CEC capacitance limits changed
• sRGB video quantization range clarification
• CEC commands for timer control brought back in an altered form, audio control commands added.
• Concurrently released compliance test specification included.

HDMI 1.3b

Released March 26, 2007.[79][73][80]

• HDMI compliance testing revisions. Has no effect on HDMI features or functions since the testing is for products based on the HDMI 1.3a specification.

HDMI 1.3b1

Released November 9, 2007.[79][73][80]

• HDMI compliance testing revisions which added testing requirements for HDMI Type C mini-connector. Has no effect on HDMI features or functions since the testing is for products based on the HDMI 1.3a specification.

[Spatial]

Yeah that's what I'd been looking at and what totally confused me. On the basis of the bandwidth info it's saying it's a 1.3 but where have they got the 12bit from?

[kernow]

Maybe its a typo, or they just don't know what they are talking about. Wouldn't surprise me.

[Lyris]

I've always believed that a HDMI cable is a HDMI cable no matter how much you spend on them

You're 99% right, HDMI cables are just HDMI cables.

The extra 1%: some of the REALLY crap ones used to fall over when faced with bandwidth heavy video (1080p/60). But 1080p is everywhere now, so even the cheap cables will be made to stand up to it.

The stuff on the back of the box is marketing fluff. I'm not totally sure myself about the bit thing.

[Dazzyman]

a few of the really old hdmi cables couldnt carry audio very good or had abit of noise if you where using 1080p but nowadays any hdmi cable you buy should be fine. They will either work or they wont. Ive got a few Ive got a really expensive £45 1080p gold plated one (got it free with my Sony X) and stacks I bought off ebay this year for £3 each gold plated and theirs no difference in em. I dont actually use the expensive one as its 1m and pain in the arse to get to.

Funnily enough my parents new Sony W 40" 4k model arrived today and I cant see what all the fuss is about with 24p and the new improved live colour and 10bit and x.v.Colour, its zero different to mine still has abit more noise and I got medium pans slightly better on blueray but slightly worse on fast scenes at 24p

[Lyris]

Wonder when they'll start doing bronze plated

Funnily enough my parents new Sony W 40" 4k model arrived today and I cant see what all the fuss is about with 24p and the new improved live colour and 10bit and x.v.Colour, its zero different to mine still has abit more noise and I got medium pans slightly better on blueray but slightly worse on fast scenes at 24p

Live Colour is a Sony gimmick which saturates certain tones, and xvColour won't be active 99% of the time...

[Leon Retro]

The 12-bit quote - basically means you multiply the number by 3, so it supports 36-bit colour.

Nothing to worry about. Just buy one that does at leat 10-bit.

[capcom_suicide]

Somewhat OT, but can anyone point me to a UK website that sells descent, but cheap 15M HDMI 1.3 cables?

Play only has them on playtrade...

Any feedback appreciated

C_S

[Number45]

What sort of monies are you looking at? They're not going to be all that cheap at that length I wouldn't think.

[capcom_suicide]

What sort of monies are you looking at? They're not going to be all that cheap at that length I wouldn't think.

Its for the projector, and I am hoping for sub 50 quid if possible. Ebuyer has a cable for 22 quid, that's 20m, but the next down is 10m, and I need 15m.... grrrrr

It's digital 0 and 1's, so cheap is fine for my needs.

[Number45]

The 15m version of this is £55 before shipping. I can vouch for the site as well, used them many times in the past.

[Korlis]

Again this is a little off-topic, but if I've followed this right, for something like connecting a 360 to my TV, I don't need to spend a fortune on a HDMI cable, right? Any reccomendations? It wouldn't need to be a long cable, either, though if it's of any concern for picture quality, I do also watch HD-DVDs via the 360.

[Spatial]

I can vouch for the GAME own brand one which I started this thread about - no complaints at all about the picture quality on either the PS3 or the 360 it's being used on.

It was something like £9.99 in store last week when purchased with literally anything else, although I'm not sure if that offer is still on.

[Lyris]

Again this is a little off-topic, but if I've followed this right, for something like connecting a 360 to my TV, I don't need to spend a fortune on a HDMI cable, right? Any reccomendations? It wouldn't need to be a long cable, either, though if it's of any concern for picture quality, I do also watch HD-DVDs via the 360.

Right - you just need to buy a cable that works (i.e. the overwhelming majority of them )