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Do I Need New HDMI Cables for My New OLED TV?

Al Griffin  |  Apr 25, 2017

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Q The HDMI cables I’ve been using with my current TV are now eight years old. I plan to buy a new OLED TV. Will I need new HDMI cables for it? —Jim Stafford / via email

A Not necessarily, though it is possible. Any HDMI cable rated as High Speed, a category that’s been around for more than eight years, should be capable of passing 4K video signals with a frame rate up to 60 hertz. So, if you already own good-quality High Speed HDMI cables, it’s likely that you won’t encounter problems with your current setup when watching movies on Ultra HD Blu-ray or streamed in 4K resolution from Netflix, Amazon, or Vudu.

That said, HDMI 2.0a, the connectivity standard used on new UHDTVs and AV receivers, supports up to 18-Gbps signal bandwidth. Most UltraHD Blu-ray movies are encoded with a 24-Hz frame rate, 10-bit color, and 4:2:0 color subsampling, a combination that requires only 10.2 Gbps. Certain players, however, provide upsampling features to boost color bit depth and increase the color subsampling. When those factors are combined with a 60-Hz frame rate, the player’s output can easily push the limits of HDMI 2.0a’s full bandwidth.

How will you know if your current High Speed cable can handle a full 18-Gbps onslaught? You will see either sparklies (pixel dropouts), an intermittent picture, or no picture at all. And those issues are more likely to pop up with passive HDMI cables having a length greater than 16 feet. How do you deal with the situation? By replacing your cables with a new category called Premium HDMI cables, which are certified by HDMI Licensing to pass signals with full 18-Gbps bandwidth. Premium HDMI cables cost more than regular High Speed versions, but they can provide some peace of mind knowing that your installation will be compatible with all manner of Ultra HD/HDR content.

Related:

HDMI 2.1: What You Need to Know

COMMENTS
utopianemo's picture
Submitted by utopianemo on April 25, 2017 - 2:30pm

If he's streaming from within the tv, he won't need anything. However, if he's going to be purchasing any new external media, whether it be a UHD Blu Ray player, a HDR-enabled Roku, or other set top box, I can almost guarantee he'll need new cables. The A/V forums out there are filled with people having issues with new TVs, and the responses are now almost universal that the first step is to get new HDMI cables.

The transition to HDCP 2.2 and HDR has caused quite a bit of cable unrest. I recently bought a new HD Blu Ray player and a new Roku Premiere+ to accompany my new HDR capable set. I ended up having to replace every cable in the chain that was to pass HDR signals. I had fairly new HDMI cables from Blue Jeans Cable, which are some of the most reputable in the industry. However, I could not pass 4K HDR at 4:4:4 and 60FPS until I changed out every cable in the signal chain. Granted, I was trying to pass it through my AVR, which adds its own set of headaches. But the problems with HDR were all due to cable bandwidth.

utopianemo's picture
Submitted by utopianemo on April 25, 2017 - 2:30pm

If he's streaming from within the tv, he won't need anything. However, if he's going to be purchasing any new external media, whether it be a UHD Blu Ray player, a HDR-enabled Roku, or other set top box, I can almost guarantee he'll need new cables. The A/V forums out there are filled with people having issues with new TVs, and the responses are now almost universal that the first step is to get new HDMI cables.

The transition to HDCP 2.2 and HDR has caused quite a bit of cable unrest. I recently bought a new HD Blu Ray player and a new Roku Premiere+ to accompany my new HDR capable set. I ended up having to replace every cable in the chain that was to pass HDR signals. I had fairly new HDMI cables from Blue Jeans Cable, which are some of the most reputable in the industry. However, I could not pass 4K HDR at 4:4:4 and 60FPS until I changed out every cable in the signal chain. Granted, I was trying to pass it through my AVR, which adds its own set of headaches. But the problems with HDR were all due to cable bandwidth.

Mark Tiras's picture
Submitted by Mark Tiras on April 27, 2017 - 1:54pm

I think a Real Big Problem is the manufactures are NOT telling us what we are buying. They or at least most DO NOT show which edition you are getting, so you may think you are buying 2.0a & be getting 1.4... NO regulation,like electrical wire & cables show you what you are buying, including wire size & insulation.

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