You’ve set up your home theater, and you’re all ready to watch the game. But when you go to plug in your HDMI cable, you realize that the cord isn’t long enough, and you don’t have any idea on How Far Can HDMI Cable Run! Now what?
Don’t worry we’ve got you covered, and we’ll help you out with everything that we know about HDMI cables and how you can extend them, and which one is best for you. So sit back relax and here we go.
What is an HDMI Cable?
HDMI is a digital interface for transmitting uncompressed audio and video data. Sounds complicated; it basically means it’s a cable that’s going to give you the best picture quality possible.
HDMI cables are made of copper and are covered with metal layering and plastic covering. The cable helps to carry out the signal. from the device to your TV so you can get the best possible quality.
How Far Can HDMI Cable Run?
Now we know the inner structure of the HDMI cable but how far can HDMI cable run? Well, it depends on various things like the coiling of the cable, the speed of the cable as well as the quality of the cable.
The different types of HDMI and HDMI cables are:
HDMI Versions
HDMI 2.0 – Known for its 4K capability and can run at 60Hz at 4K output as well as 120Hz at 1080P, without any frame stutter or lags, also support backward linking and bandwidth up to 18Gbps.
Most HDMI 2.0 cables have the capacity of displaying up to 15 to 25 feet length of the cable after that they show a reduction in Quality. Whereas fiber optic HDMI cables have a significantly longer range. Fiber optic HDMI cables typically have a range of 50 to 200 feet.
HDMI 2.1 – Also known as 8K ready, or 8K capable bandwidth cable it supports bandwidth up to 48Gbps and is capable of running at 4K 120Hz as well as compaitable with an older generation of HDMI.
HDMI 2.1 cables only support lengths of up to 50 feet, after which the signals start to degrade.
HDMI Cable Types
The Standard Cable– These cables come standard with TVs and DVDs with an output range of 720p to 1080p with bandwidth upto 5 Gbps .
Premium High Speed-These cables pack some power in them as they are built to handle 4K/UHDR resolution upto 60-120 Hz and 8K 30Fps with bandwidth speeds upto 18-48 Gbps depending upon your HDMI version.
What Factors Affect the Length of an HDMI Cable Run?
When it comes to HDMI cable length and how far can you run it, there are some factors which you should check before extending the capacity.
- The first is the gauge length of the wire. The thicker the wire, the longer it can travel without losing signal .
- The second factor is the type of cable. There are two main types of HDMI cables: standard, high-speed, and ultra-high-speed. Standard cables are only meant for runs up to 15-20 feet, also it depends upon the HDMI technology whether it is HDMI 2.0 or 2.1.
- The third factor is the resolution that you’re trying to achieve. For 1080p resolutions, you can run the cable up to 20 feet without any issues. But for 4K resolutions, you should keep the length under 20 feet, reason being 4K resolution needs higher bandwidth and with higher length quality depreciates.
So, when it comes to figuring out how far your HDMI cable can run, it usually depends on a few factors. But as a general rule of thumb, you should not go beyond 20 feet for the sake of picture quality and frame rates. The shorter the cable, the better output will be produced.
How to Extend the Length of Your HDMI Cable Run?
Using an Adapter –
Adapters are the best and easiest way to extend HDMI cables. You just need to plug the end into other cable and the HDMI cable is extended, but it is best only for short distances like 1-5 feet, like using projectors or connecting your TV with your pc.
HDMI Extender –
Other way is to use HDMI over Ethernet or CAT 6. This way is used to connect devices over larger area where your internet router does all the work for you and this is done by using HDMI to Cat converter or in simpler language using HDMI Extender and all the heavy work is done by the devices itself.
And getting it running doesn’t require any rocket science degree: just connect the transmitter to your source like DVD player or game console and connect CAT 5 to the Ethernet port of the transmitter. Connect the receiver to your TV or projector and turn both of the devices on and check the connection.
Tips for Troubleshooting Your HDMI Cable Run
Here are a few troubleshooting tips if you’re having trouble with your HDMI cable run:
- First, check to make sure that your HDMI cable is plugged into both the TV and the device you’re trying to use. Sometimes, it’s easy to forget to plug one end in.
- If your HDMI cable is plugged in and you’re still not seeing a picture, try unplugging and replugging the cable. This can sometimes solve the problem.
- Check whether you extender or HDMI couplings are tightly connected and are up and running.
Here’s our list of the best soundbars which you can connect via HDMI cable.
FAQs
Which HDMI Cable should i use for gaming or streaming?
If you love to play high FPS or high intensity games and have support for HDMI 2.0/2.1 then you should switch to Premium High speed cable because they have native support for 4K-8K support up to 120Hz and with Bandwith of 18 Gbps to 48 Gbps so less latency while gaming.
Conclusion
We hope that you now understand all of the aspects of How Far Can HDMI Cable Run and what are the ways you can use to extend your HDMI output without losing any Video or Audio quality.
Happy watching!