The Man Cave Guide: Best HDMI Cables for 4K TVs

Almost every big screen enthusiast is excited about upgrading to a 4K HDR (High Dynamic Range) TV. While many people think that it is all about buying a HDMI cables for 4K TVs screen for their man cave, the truth is that there is a lot more that goes into successfully upgrading from your typical 1080p HD TV to the desired 4K HDR.

To get the most out of the transformation, every component within that video chain should be built to handle and deliver 4K content at an optimum level. Anything less would be like buying a fast car and then forgetting to get the gas (you will be going nowhere fast!)

Of HDMI Cables and 4K HDR TVs

While you would be forgiven for only thinking of the hugeTV you are going to get for your man cave, forgetting to get the right HDMI cable is just the kind of oversight that will result in your expected picture being way under par.

The right HDMI (High-Definition Multimedia Interface) cable effectively connects your video source to your 4K HDR TV. Whether you intend to watch the football match or play a little bit of Xbox, you need the right HDMI to transmit the high-quality 4K picture being sent from your device to the huge screen you just bought.

Unfortunately, earlier cables do not have the right bandwidth to support this kind of data transmission.

That’s why you need to look around and buy the new one for your man cave.

HDMI Standards

The very first thing you need to familiarize yourself with is HDMI standards. So far, there are several certification standards when it comes to HDMI home use:

• Standard HDMI Cable: This cable is designed to handle almost every home application you can throw at it. It has been tested and certified to reliably transmit 720p or 1080i video. These are the HD resolutions that you will typically find in satellite TVs, cable, digital broadcast HD and DVD players.

• Standard HDMI Cable with Ethernet: This offers you the same service as the ‘Standard HDMI Cable’ but with an additional data channel that allows for device networking. You will only get Ethernet Channel functionality is you link devices that are HDMI Ethernet enabled.

• Standard Automotive HDMI Cable: This can transmit 720p or 1080i video but is a bit more studier and can transmit stronger signals than most. This is mainly because this type of HDMI is built with one or more internal relays.

• High-Speed HDMI Cable: Now this is the certification standard you want to focus on if you are going to view 4K picture quality. These cables are built, tested and certified to handle resolutions of 1080p and above. This encompasses advanced display requirements such as 3D, Deep Color,and It is the recommended HDMI Cables for 4K TVs for those connecting to a content source offering you anything above 1080p, including Blu-rays and Netflix. There is also a ‘High-Speed HDMI Cable with Ethernet’ that does the same thing as its ‘Standard HDMI Cable with Ethernet’ counterpart but in 4K.

While it is true that a ‘High-Speed HDMI Cable’ is what you will need to run your 4K TV adequately, there are HDMI cables that have even higher certification standards which offer you more advanced features.

‘Premium High-Speed HDMI Cables’ for example, are not only designed and certified to reliably support 4K resolutions, but they can also support:

• Advanced features like higher frame rates
• HDR
• Expanded color spaces like BT.2020 colorimetry as well as 4:4:4 chroma sampling.

This certification standard also comes with a ‘Premium High-Speed HDMI Cable with Ethernet.’

The next level up is the ‘Ultra High-Speed HDMI Cable’ is the mother of them all. This HDMI Cable delivers high-bandwidth features including things like uncompressed 8K video with HDR. This cable has incredibly low electromagnetic interference (EMI) and can support up to 48Gbps bandwidth.

How to Choose the Right HDMI Cables for 4K TVs

To be safe, there are two main factors that you must consider when choosing an HDMI Cable for your 4K TV:

• Check the certification standard: Anything above High-Speed HDMI Cable should be good enough but consider getting the premium versions for a wider range of features.
• Check the year of manufacture: HDMI’s have been around since 2009,but it was only until 2013 that manufacturers started testing them for increased bandwidth as well as wider color variety capabilities. These cables were rated as being reliably capable of handling bandwidths of 18Gbps which is excellently sufficient for 4K resolutions transmitted at 60 frames per second (60fps).

While most 4K videos can easily and adequately run on anything between 24 – 30 fps, it is the 60-fps range that is becoming more popular and soon to be the standard. It is also particularly important for those who want to play video games from their consoles to their 4K TVs.

Which HDMI Cable Should You Choose for Your 4K HDR?

As we have already mentioned here, any HDMI Cables for 4K TVs that is rated as High-Speed HDMI should adequately transmit the right kind of picture to your 4K TV. But just because the cable is labeled High-Speed HDMI does not mean that it will do the job properly. There are several hindrances of which you must be aware:

• Not all High-Speed HDMI Cables are created equal: Manufacturing standards differ greatly,and you need to buy your cables from a trusted dealer. Cables such as the ones sold at Buyers Point are extremely reliable and built to the highest possible standard.
• Old cables may become faulty: You need to find newer cables. Cables manufactured after 2013 would be good enough, but as the years go by, these cables may develop faults that may affect their delivery quality. Get newer versions.

We have an excellent and reliable selection of HDMI Cables for your 4K TV. If you are in the process of revamping or remodeling your man cave and think that a 4K TV is the way to go, do not risk not receiving exactly what you pay for; give us a call and let us get you the right HDMI Cables for 4K TVs.