Confused about my HDMI port and cable.

[Jon-Slow]

So cutting to the chase here. I have a 2.0b port on the back of my graphics card. When I connect an HDMI 2.1 cable to it, I can go 4k 60hz and turn on the windows HDR option then play a movie and it works. When I connect any of the 2 HDMI 2.0 cables that I have to it, it only does 4k 60hz and no hdmi.

 

So does this mean that my cable is not a 2.0b cable and only a 2.0? And that 2.0 can't do 4k 60fps HDR but 2.0b can? Then how can I decide which 2.0 cable to purchase if all the cables I'm looking at just say 2.0? 

 

Thanks in advance to anyone responding.

[TrigrH]

Cables don't have versions in the sense you might be thinking.

 

2.0

2.0b

2.1

 

Are all HDMI versions which apply to both the device and the display. Not to the cable. (though they can be certified to meet a spec/version level)

 

As versions of HDMI increase so does the data rate. This means two things:

 

Its harder to make a cable that meets the new spec.

Its even harder to make a cable that is longer in length.

 

A quality certified HDMI "2.1" cable is what I recommend. Up to around 10m.

 

Anything beyond this, I would consider fiber-optic cables. Which are very expensive.

https://www.club-3d.com/en/detail/2509/ultra_high_speed_hdmit_certified_aoc_cable_4k120hz-8k60hz_unidirectional_m-m_10m-32.80ft/

 

Also flat cables are never official spec.

[Jon-Slow]

 

20 minutes ago, TrigrH said:

Cables don't have versions in the sense you might be thinking.

 

2.0

2.0b

2.1

 

Are all HDMI versions which apply to both the device and the display. Not to the cable. (though they can be certified to meet a spec/version level)

 

As versions of HDMI increase so does the data rate. This means two things:

 

Its harder to make a cable that meets the new spec.

Its even harder to make a cable that is longer in length.

 

A quality certified HDMI "2.1" cable is what I recommend. Up to around 20m.

https://www.club-3d.com/en/detail/2509/ultra_high_speed_hdmit_certified_aoc_cable_4k120hz-8k60hz_unidirectional_m-m_10m-32.80ft/

 

Anything beyond this, I would consider fiber-optic cables. Which are very expensive.

 

Also flat cables are never official spec.

Thanks, that's very comprehensive. I thought I thought that if my port is 2.0b, a 2.0b cable should be able to match it but apparently that is not the case. I was eyeing a 10m 2.0 cable that looked like could do the job but now I'm doubtful that it would be a waste of money.

 

I only need for it to be 8m to 10m long, do you think buying any basic fiber optic 2.1 cable would do? I can see a 15m long fiber optic hdmi 2.1 here that is the same price as a 10m hdmi 2.1. Or are there anything I should be careful about in terms of certifications and specifications and so on?  Thanks for taking the time to respond.

[TrigrH]

2 hours ago, Jon-Slow said:

 

Thanks, that's very comprehensive. I thought I thought that if my port is 2.0b, a 2.0b cable should be able to match it but apparently that is not the case. I was eyeing a 10m 2.0 cable that looked like could do the job but now I'm doubtful that it would be a waste of money.

 

I only need for it to be 8m to 10m long, do you think buying any basic fiber optic 2.1 cable would do? I can see a 15m long fiber optic hdmi 2.1 here that is the same price as a 10m hdmi 2.1. Or are there anything I should be careful about in terms of certifications and specifications and so on?  Thanks for taking the time to respond.

I would get the Club 3D CAC-1376 cable I linked above.

 

Note fibre optic cables work in a single direction only.

[Jon-Slow]

3 hours ago, TrigrH said:

 

Note fibre optic cables work in a single direction only.

Does that mean no Gsync, freesync,...? Or what am I losing with a single direction cable?

[Jon-Slow]

@TrigrH sorry for asking again, but does the length of the fiber optic cable matter between a 10m and a 15m? I'm unable to purchase the one you've linked where I live. My only options are HDMI cables that are more expensive than a 15m fiber optic. If there is no difference between the 10m and 15m in terms of performance, I'll just go with the 15m.

[TrigrH]

16 minutes ago, Jon-Slow said:

Does that mean no Gsync, freesync,...? Or what am I losing with a single direction cable?

You lose the ability to use the cable the other way around. Thats it.

11 minutes ago, Jon-Slow said:

@TrigrH sorry for asking again, but does the length of the fiber optic cable matter between a 10m and a 15m? I'm unable to purchase the one you've linked where I live. My only options are HDMI cables that are more expensive than a 15m fiber optic. If there is no difference between the 10m and 15m in terms of performance, I'll just go with the 15m.

For fiber optic not really. Once the cable gets too long it may require external USB power.

 

[Jon-Slow]

1 minute ago, TrigrH said:

You lose the ability to use the cable the other way around. Thats it.

For fiber optic not really. Once the cable gets too long it may require external USB power.

 

wow that image looks like something I would really want. The fiber optic cable I can buy is much thicker. but if there is no difference between 10 and 15m then I'll just get the 15m

 

[TrigrH]

Just now, Jon-Slow said:

wow that image looks like something I would really want. The fiber optic cable I can buy is much thicker. but if there is no difference between 10 and 15m then I'll just get the 15m

 

Try searching for "active" hdmi, USB or external power, you might find one.

 

[sm1th5]

The difference between 10 and 15 meters is 5 meters. Trick question?

 

When it comes to hdmi cables it either works or it doesn't. It doesn't pay to get a 48gb cable if your devices and display doesn't use it.

 

You can get one that doesn't work until you try it. This is from personal experience 

[tikker]

7 hours ago, Jon-Slow said:

Or are there anything I should be careful about in terms of certifications and specifications and so on?

I'm not sure if they extend to fiber-optic cables, but yes HDMI has certifications for their cables which they bear instead of version numbers: https://www.hdmi.org/resource/cables

[Jon-Slow]

On 7/27/2022 at 4:48 PM, TrigrH said:

Try searching for "active" hdmi, USB or external power, you might find one.

 

Just got a 15m fiber optic for around 50$. It's annoying that I have to leave it on the floor but at least it's been working fine so far.

 

On 7/27/2022 at 6:21 PM, sm1th5 said:

When it comes to hdmi cables it either works or it doesn't. It doesn't pay to get a 48gb cable if your devices and display doesn't use it.

The TV uses it, but my graphics card doesn't support it. The PS5 does but there are barely any game that use it. But doesn't hurt to future proof things for when I get a compatible graphics card.

 

 

[sm1th5]

But you won't know if it works at the spec it was intended until your devices actually use it.

 

I had a 48gb cable and worked fine with hdmi 2.0 then when I got a new gpu it didn't work and was forced to return it for warranty as it didn't work as advertised.