Do long HDMI cables lag?
But, you may start to wonder if the length of HDMI cables is going to have an effect on the quality. Does the length of HDMI cables matter? The length of an HDMI cable does have a negative effect on signal quality, with manufacturers generally not recommending cables over 20 feet.
Since HDMI is a fully digital signal, there is no way to signal to be of lesser quality than any other cable. The only thing that happens is signal drop-off when sending high bandwidth signals over a too-long cable or a cable that isn't rated for the specific HDMI standard.
Standard HDMI cables differ from just a few feet to up to 25 meters in length. This length allows for high-quality video and sound that doesn't lag in sound or compromise visuals, so it's pretty good for simple to moderately sophisticated AV projects.
And yes, an Ethernet cable that's longer than that will start experiencing an increased latency, although almost unnoticeable at the beginning, but it can get really bad as the length increases.
Like many audio, video, and data cables, HDMI cords can suffer from signal degradation at longer lengths—50 feet is generally considered the maximum reliable length. And it's rare to see an HDMI cable longer than 25 feet in a store.
HDMI Category 1 - also referred to as Standard HDMI cables will easily reach up to 5 metres without any problems and in ideal conditions will transmit over distances of up to 20 metres. But remember! - before running any longer cable distances through walls or ceilings, etc - test your system first!
It's best to utilize an HDMI cord no more than 10 ft in length for resolutions approaching 4K. The signal may begin to deteriorate after that distance. The effective distance for lesser resolutions is substantially longer, with 50 ft being the most typical. Generally speaking, the shorter the cable, the better.
The rule here is that the shorter your HDMI cable is, the better the sound and video quality.
In theory, there is no real maximum length to how long an HDMI cable can be. But the longer your cable is, the more the type of HDMI cable you buy can have a real impact on the eventual quality of audio and video you hear and see at the other end. How long can an HDMI cable be?
Currently, passive HDMI 2.1 cables go up to three meters. During the UHS Cable program testing phase, HDMI Forum expected passive cables to max out at five meters. HDMI Cable Power will open the doors to longer passive cables without the need for external power.
How do I reduce input lag?
- Limit the frame rate. First, try limiting the frame rate to just under your display's refresh rate.
- Attempt a higher frame rate. Second, try pushing the game to a much higher frame rate—double the monitor's refresh rate or more.
If you are looking for an extra-long cable, we love the Cable Matters HDMI 2.1 cable. As the best HDMI cable for length, you can buy a cord almost ten feet long, far exceeding the length of most HDMI cables. This cable supports up to 8K displays with 48 Gbps bandwidth for incredible performance.
The length of HDMI cables (less than about 10 feet) will not affect the quality of your connection. It is simply a matter of signal loss.
A 4k HDMI cable can be up to 3 meters long. Since 4K resolution needs a lot of bandwidth, it should only run in short lengths. Some devices best work over a range of only 1 to 2 meters.
As the sound passes through conductors, there's an inevitable loss in the sound quality. So, the shorter the cable is, the better your output will be. However, some people need to have longer headphone cables.
An expensive HDMI doesn't produce richer colors or crisper sound than cheaper versions. However, an HDMI cable made with better materials can be more durable, and support higher bandwidth at longer distances, but it won't offer any difference with the picture quality.
Contrary to popular belief (and misinformation) HDMI cables don't actually make all that much difference in overall picture quality. Sadly, people are still buying overpriced HDMI cables in droves, spending far too much money than necessary, believing they'll get far better quality video.
A 2.1 HDMI cable can be as long as 50 feet or over. As a cable with a higher frame rate, the greater the distance the signal has to travel, the more quality loss there will be. For the best length and definition balance, we wouldn't recommend going over 20 feet.
To sum up, we find that HDMI cables don't need a booster unless the distance between your TV and source is at least 50-feet apart. However, a 50-feet HDMI cable won't give maximum performance because it becomes harder to send all audio and video.
HDMI 2.1 represents a huge leap over HDMI 2.0, with 48Gbps in bandwidth compared to 18Gbps. Also, HDMI 2.1 introduced standardized variable refresh rate (VRR) support, auto low latency mode (ALLM) to ensure the lowest possible input lag in gaming, and eARC (enhanced audio return channel).
Does HDMI 2.1 reduce input lag?
Low Input Lag
HDMI 2.1 comes with quick frame transport or QFT technology. It allows sources to deliver active video signals over the HDMI cable. As a result, gamers can experience a reduction in input lag.
Read on for details, but short answer is HDMI 2.1 is becoming increasingly relevant if you're pushing 4K @120Hz or 2K faster than 165Hz. For lower refresh rates at lower resolutions, you can still get by just fine with HDMI 2.0 connections.
- Turn on Game Mode. Designed specifically for use with video games, "Game Mode" is a setting that optimizes a TV's performance for gaming. ...
- Turn off any reduction features. New TVs come with at least a few reduction settings. ...
- Turn off motion enhancement modes.
Professional competitive gamers try to keep input lag under 15 milliseconds. Casual gamers and enthusiasts are usually comfortable with latency under 40 milliseconds. Beyond 50 milliseconds, the delay becomes more noticeable.
Any 144Hz monitor has a minimum input lag of 3.47 ms, so even if we measure an input lag of 4 ms, it's only 0.53 ms higher than the minimum, which is fantastic. Below is a table of the minimum input lag for the common refresh rates on monitors.
They say that round cables are preferable because those cables use twisted pairs of conductors to inhibit interference, while flat HDMI cables have their conductors placed side-by-side leaving signals more open to outside interference.
Most certainly, and that applies whether you're on a monitor, projector, portable projector, or your trusty TV. While up until HDMI 1.3 the saying “all HDMI cables are made equal” was more or less correct, since HDMI 1.4 and the advent of 4K the various data bandwidth of each cable makes a huge difference.
The length of HDMI cables (less than about 10 feet) will not affect the quality of your connection. It is simply a matter of signal loss.
HDMI versions
Supports 3840x2160 (4K UHD) with a refresh rate of 120Hz, or 120 frames per second. Supports 7680x4320 (8K) with a 60Hz refresh rate, or 60 frames per second.
Use this powered Cable Matters HDMI 2.1 cable to reach up to 25 ft without signal loss, complete with a port for external power if your source device can't keep up. Optical cables, on the other hand, use light instead of electricity to move the signal from one end to the other.
How long can HDMI cable be for 1080p?
Slim HDMI cables, premium HDMI cables, HDMI cables with 90-degree headers, and even retractable ones for making sure you only let loose as much cable as you absolutely need. Whichever one you opt for though, 25ft is about the maximum length you can use without seeing a degradation in signal quality due to attenuation.
A 4k HDMI cable can be up to 3 meters long. Since 4K resolution needs a lot of bandwidth, it should only run in short lengths. Some devices best work over a range of only 1 to 2 meters.
To be able to read the signal from either the PS5 or Xbox Series X/S, you need at least HDMI 2.0 connectivity (for 1080p at 120fps). Whereas, HDMI 2.1 is mandatory for 4K at 120fps. As we've said above, the consoles won't be pushing 120fps at maximum resolutions that often - not initially anyway.
Does HDMI support 144Hz? Depending on the HDMI version, resolution, and bandwidth. All versions of HDMI from HDMI 1.3 onward right through to HDMI 2.1 provide enough raw bandwidth for 144Hz, provided sacrifices are made in color, chroma, compression, or resolution.
HDMI 2.0 also supports 4K at 24, 25, 30, and 50 frames per second, in 8, 10, 12, and 16-bit color modes.
If you want to make sure that your HDMI cable supports Ultra HD 4K resolution, you have to look for the HDMI High Speed logo on the cable's packaging. This is what a typical High Speed label looks like. Some cables may have the High Speed label on them.