Why You Should Use HDMI Cables

If you ask anyone, who has experimented with DVI, Component Video, and HDMI to compare the three, most would declare the HDMI technology the winner. There is no reason why you would not use the other two with great success, but the HDMI cables come with many advantages that are likely to help you get the best audio and video quality out of your equipment. For starters, the HDMI cables transmit digital data, much like the computers do and this results in virtually no loss or distortion of the signal. It is true that for short distances, the Component Video cables will perform just as well - after all, most people would only need a cable, no longer than a few meters for their home there setups.

When HDMI is compared to DVI (Digital Visual Interface), then the main difference between the two is the fact that HDMI carries both video and audio signal, while DVI carries video only. Both technologies use the same encoding schema, the quality of the video signal is the same, and this is the main reason why they can be used interchangeably between devices, without the need for converters. The DVI cables come in three different connectors: DVI -D, which uses digital signal only, DVI-A, which uses analog signal only, and DVI-I, which uses analog and digital signal. The HDMI cables, in turn, come in their own versions, starting from 1.0 to 1.4, where the latest, 1.4 version, comes with extended functionality and support for higher maximum resolutions over single link at 30, 36, and 48 30-bit/px. The 1.4 version also has higher maximum clock rate than the 1.0-1.2a HDMI, higher maximum TMDS throughput per channel, and higher maximum total TMDS throughput.

Keep in mind that no matter how good the HDMI cables are, the quality of the audio and video would depend on the quality of the HDMI cable itself as well, especially if you are using a longer cable. The HDMI cables do not perform well over very long distances, and if you need a longer cable, you should purchase a boosted or amplified one, which has built-in amplifiers, or connect a few normal HDMI cables with repeaters, amplifiers, or equalizers. This is necessary to prevent instability of the signal, which is normally seen as blinking on the screen. However, for most home theaters, the HDMI cables will perform beautifully and give you the highest quality signal possible.