HDMI 2.1 Everything you Need to Know for Future Proofing Your System

[diskreet]

Posting here for some visibility. I recently went down the rabbit hole of looking for a reliable, somewhat inexpensive 48Gbps cable for connecting my XBox Series X to my LG CX tv. Luckily the xbox tests the video signial immediately, so you know right away if the cable supports at least 40Gbps or not.

My run was about 11 feet in length, so I needed something longer than the Monoprice that did work. The other cables I either returned or used elsewhere to replace old junk cables.


Cables capable of true HDMI 2.1 speeds:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07S1BNM7K/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

^Using this one. At 16' it seems to work well even without being a powered cable.

Monoprice 8K Ultra High Speed HDMI Cable 8ft - 48Gbps Black - Monoprice.com

DynamicView™ 8K Ultra High Speed HDMI® Cables are the next generation of HDMI cables. Supporting resolutions up to 8K@60Hz and 48Gbps bandwidth, this future proofed cable just might be the l

www.monoprice.com

^used this temporarily, I couldn't run it through the wall and still reach

Cables to AVOID
BIFALE, CAIVOV, and other off-brand names on Amazon.

 

[Otto Pylot]

Posting here for some visibility. I recently went down the rabbit hole of looking for a reliable, somewhat inexpensive 48Gbps cable for connecting my XBox Series X to my LG CX tv. Luckily the xbox tests the video signial immediately, so you know right away if the cable supports at least 40Gbps or not.

My run was about 11 feet in length, so I needed something longer than the Monoprice that did work. The other cables I either returned or used elsewhere to replace old junk cables.


Cables capable of true HDMI 2.1 speeds:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07S1BNM7K/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

^Using this one. At 16' it seems to work well even without being a powered cable.

Monoprice 8K Ultra High Speed HDMI Cable 8ft - 48Gbps Black - Monoprice.com

DynamicView™ 8K Ultra High Speed HDMI® Cables are the next generation of HDMI cables. Supporting resolutions up to 8K@60Hz and 48Gbps bandwidth, this future proofed cable just might be the l

www.monoprice.com

^used this temporarily, I couldn't run it through the wall and still reach

Cables to AVOID
BIFALE, CAIVOV, and other off-brand names on Amazon.

The cable you link to is the Zeskit passive Ultra High Speed HDMI cables. They are apparently certified for the HDMI 2.1 option sets but some do not have the QR label of authenticity, yet. Zeskit has finally received the labels from HDMI LA and is affixing them to the packaging. But Amazon controls the inventory and will randomly ship the cables with or without the labels until the "unlabeled" stock is depleted. 16' (5m) is the absolute maximum length for certified UHS HDMI cables. Active cables, like the hybrid fiber cables, can and do work for the HDMI 2.1 option sets but they introduce another layer of complexity because of the "power stealing" that is the basis for active cables of any kind. If you can keep your cable run under 16' without sharp bends in your cabling or placing undue strain on the HDMI port that would be the best solution.

Monoprice is just a reseller. They do offer very good cables but they do not mfr their own cables so any product descriptions or marketing claims are from whomever makes the cables, and that can be just about anybody.

 

[diskreet]

16' (5m) is the absolute maximum length for certified UHS HDMI cables. Active cables, like the hybrid fiber cables, can and do work for the HDMI 2.1 option sets but they introduce another layer of complexity because of the "power stealing" that is the basis for active cables of any kind. If you can keep your cable run under 16' without sharp bends in your cabling or placing undue strain on the HDMI port that would be the best solution.

Agreed on all points. I wanted to share because it's not easy to find anyone with a 10'+ cable that will actually work yet. Lots of conflicting reviews, and like you said, not even all certified cables are labeled at this point.
On the length front, I chose the longer cable specifically because I could run it with very gradual bends. I had a 10' cable stretched to the point where I did a max-180-degree-bend to get it in the port and had zero slack for the same run.

 

[Otto Pylot]

Cable installation is becoming more and more critical with the higher video standards. A single cable, source to sink, with no wall plates, adapters, extenders, etc in-between is almost the requirement now. That sounds simple enough but with a lot of folks already having existing cable runs, most in-wall without the use of a conduit, they are looking at some serious re-engineering of their cable runs. The use of a conduit is the ONLY way to future proof your cabling if you don't have easy access because you need to be able to control bend radius, even with the very flexible hybrid fiber cables, for a successful cable run.

One of the big disadvantages of the UHS HDMI cables is that they are copper only, so they have a thicker wire gauge to be able to handle the bandwidth of HDMI 2.1. That thicker wire gauge translates to a reduced bend radius, so again, cable installation becomes critical because you not only have to be concerned with bend radius, its the added strain on the HDMI port that you need to be careful of.