Finding a good quality HDMI cable

PaulCa · 28 Oct 2020 at 10:40

Hi,

My living room LG 4K HDR TV is connected to a GTX1030 in a SFF PC.

However, when the fridge or other electrical device switches on or off the TV black screens for a second.

I understand this is picking up the transient spike on the HDMI cable and the TV protection circuit is kicking in. I've seen it before.

The HDMI cable I'm using is a generic one that came with some monitor.

I checked on Amazon, but... Scamazon, lots of generic brands claiming better picture quality, which is ******** snake oil.

Is it safe to go with something like Belkin?

I don't want audiophooled or glitz ware, just a well shielded HDMI cable.

Psycho Sonny · 28 Oct 2020 at 13:46

Kabeldirekt off Amazon.

There are some other makes too.

A hdmi cable should either work or not

My opinion is no hdmi cable will fix your issue so long as your current hdmi cable isn't faulty.

Sounds like you have crappy wiring in your house. Is it an old house?

PaulCa · 28 Oct 2020 at 13:57

I understand that an HDMI cable, being digital is, it either works or does not work. However, HDMI cables are meant to be shielded. This is usually the first thing to be cut back on to profit. A cheap barely or unshielded HDMI will work fine unless there is electrical noise when it will just stop working. The symptoms are often black screen for a second.

The house wiring is fine and this is the second house I have seen this happen in. Last house was built in 2004. That time it was a Acer predator monitor, I left it undone, but it was solved when I upgraded the whole PC and used a DP cable instead.

PaulCa · 28 Oct 2020 at 14:00

Just wanted to point it the shielding works both ways.
If you have been plagued by that bzzzdupdupdupdupbzzzzzzzbzbzbzzzzzdupdupdupdupdupbzbzzzzzzz background noise on your headphones which changes when you move the mouse or open/close windows... ONE of the sources of that noise can be that your audio signal wire is running beside your unshielded hdmi cable.
Note I said "ONE" of the sources of that noise, there are others.

PaulCa · 28 Oct 2020 at 14:07

Also on wiring.
A fridge or freezer has a relay contact which fires the compressor motor. Even with starter windings or caps that relay contact will arc due to the high inductive load of the compressor.
If you had a radio turned on near by, like within 100m, you will hear a POP as an arc is just an omniband radio emitter and with several kW behind it any unfiltered reciever nearby will experience a loud (in radio) wide spectrum pulse.
Most things are not bothered, but a 4k display on HDMI cable is quite sensitive.
Remember Marconi's first radio transmitter was just a switch contact that produced an arc.

Simmz · 28 Oct 2020 at 14:33

How long is the current HDMI cable ?

mmj_uk · 28 Oct 2020 at 14:45

For HDMI 2.1 certified cables the correct terminology is "Ultra High Speed" but I wouldn't put it past some cheap brands to false advertise.

https://hdmi.org/spec21sub/ultrahighspeedcable

If you are after HDMI 2.0 then it's "Premium High Speed".

https://hdmi.org/spec/premiumcable

PaulCa · 28 Oct 2020 at 15:37

I went for a KabelDireck one, just 1 meter which will just reach. So I suppose we'll see if it fixes it.

ZXSpectrum · 28 Oct 2020 at 16:02

I got a pair of fantastic quality HDMI 2.1 cables with gold connectors and shielding from Costco for about £9 a while back. I think they are 2m long and are very good.

Super-Spy · 28 Oct 2020 at 16:42

Instead of starting a new thread, any recommendations for a 3m to 4m HDMI cable ?
I understand good construction quality is required for longer lengths

meths · 28 Oct 2020 at 20:54

Amazon Basics cables work fine.

MatsyLR · 28 Oct 2020 at 22:13

I'd recommend Kabeldirekt cables, they seem really good, got a few around the house for HDMI and ethernet.

Psycho Sonny · 29 Oct 2020 at 00:18

Super-Spy said:
Instead of starting a new thread, any recommendations for a 3m to 4m HDMI cable ?
I understand good construction quality is required for longer lengths

As before kabeldirekt

Super-Spy · 29 Oct 2020 at 08:59

Thanks all. A 3m kabeldirekt is £26 compared to something like this 2.1 cable for £13 or this 2.1 cable for £14.
Is the Kabeldirekt worth double the price?

Simmz · 29 Oct 2020 at 09:59

Nope will do exactly same thing.

Only time you need to spend £££ is if you are running over distances of 10m then it's advisable to get a fibre optic hdmi cable.

Super-Spy · 29 Oct 2020 at 10:17

Simmz said:
Nope will do exactly same thing.

Only time you need to spend £££ is if you are running over distances of 10m then it's advisable to get a fibre optic hdmi cable.

Thanks @Simmz. Sounds like wise advice. I thought 3-4m would be a large length but I guess not

2004typer · 30 Oct 2020 at 14:01

PaulCa said:
Hi,

My living room LG 4K HDR TV is connected to a GTX1030 in a SFF PC.

However, when the fridge or other electrical device switches on or off the TV black screens for a second.

I understand this is picking up the transient spike on the HDMI cable and the TV protection circuit is kicking in. I've seen it before.

The HDMI cable I'm using is a generic one that came with some monitor.

I checked on Amazon, but... Scamazon, lots of generic brands claiming better picture quality, which is ******** snake oil.

Is it safe to go with something like Belkin?

I don't want audiophooled or glitz ware, just a well shielded HDMI cable.

Mine used to do this when I had an active switch adapter to put two HDMIs into a single socket - was only an Amazon cheapie so probably poorly constructed.

Don't use it anymore though!

willhub · 30 Oct 2020 at 14:53

Is 5M cable ok for full support?

Psycho Sonny · 30 Oct 2020 at 16:10

Super-Spy said:
Thanks all. A 3m kabeldirekt is £26 compared to something like this 2.1 cable for £13 or this 2.1 cable for £14.
Is the Kabeldirekt worth double the price?

Why are you looking at 8K cables?

Just get a cable that does 4k and 120hz

Super-Spy · 30 Oct 2020 at 17:45

Psycho Sonny said:
Why are you looking at 8K cables?

Just get a cable that does 4k and 120hz

It seems all the 4k@120Hz cables are also marked as 8k