What is the main difference between HDMI cable types, and are they backward compatible? - StarTech.com IT Pro Community
<main> <article class="userContent"> <p><em>This article was created from a </em><a href="https://community.startech.com/discussion/37/what-is-the-main-difference-between-hdmi-2-1-and-2-0a-and-2-0b-is-hdmi-2-1-backwards-compatible-wit" rel="nofollow noreferrer ugc"><em>community discussion</em></a><em> by </em><a href="https://community.startech.com/profile/luil" rel="nofollow noreferrer ugc"><em>luil</em></a><em>.</em></p><h2 data-id="hdmi-2.1-certified-ultra-high-speed-hdmi-cable">HDMI 2.1 - Certified Ultra High Speed HDMI Cable</h2><p>Ultra High Speed HDMI 2.1 Certification ensures that cables like our <a href="https://community.startech.com/home/leaving?allowTrusted=1&target=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.startech.com%2Fhdmm21v2m" rel="nofollow noreferrer ugc">HDMM21V2M </a>will deliver full 8K performance & beyond. This line of cables are also encased in die-cast aluminium shielding to improve signal integrity & prevent signal degradation due to EMI Interference.</p><p>These high performance 8K cables support resolutions of up to 8K at 60Hz (7680x4620p), 5K at 60Hz, 4K at 120Hz and <strong>bandwidths of up to 48Gbps</strong>. They also support HDR10+ (High Dynamic Range) and Dolby Vision for higher contrast ratio and vivid colors.</p><p>Certified Ultra High Speed HDMI Cables work with all 8K ready devices and are also backward compatible with previous HDMI specifications.</p><h2 data-id="hdmi-2.0-premium-certified-high-speed-hdmi-cable">HDMI 2.0 - Premium Certified High Speed HDMI Cable</h2><p>Premium Certified High Speed HDMI Cables like our <a href="https://community.startech.com/home/leaving?allowTrusted=1&target=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.startech.com%2Fhdmmv2m" rel="nofollow noreferrer ugc">HDMMV2M </a>support resolutions of up to 4K at 60Hz (3840x2160p) and <strong>bandwidths of up to 18Gbps</strong>. It also supports HDR10 (High Dynamic Range) and Dolby Vision for higher contrast ratio and vivid colors.</p><p>These cables work with all 4K ready devices and are also backward compatible with previous HDMI specifications.</p><h2 data-id="hdmi-1.4-high-speed-hdmi-cable">HDMI 1.4 - High Speed HDMI Cable</h2><p>High Speed HDMI Cables like our <a href="https://community.startech.com/home/leaving?allowTrusted=1&target=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.startech.com%2Fhdmimm6hs" rel="nofollow noreferrer ugc">HDMIMM6HS </a>fully support 1080p+ resolutions at up to 120Hz refresh rate, with life-like color. To accommodate the demands of future high definition devices, such as increased resolutions and higher frame rates, this Ultra HD cable supports resolutions up to 4k x 2k and <strong>bandwidths of up to 10.2 Gbps</strong>. These cables are fully backward compatible with older HDMI-capable devices.</p><p><br></p><p><br></p><div class="blockquote"><div class="blockquote-content"><p class="blockquote-line">This FAQ applies to these products: <a href="https://community.startech.com/home/leaving?allowTrusted=1&target=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.startech.com%2Fen-us%2Fcables%2Fhdadmm3m" rel="nofollow noreferrer ugc">HDADMM3M</a> <a href="https://community.startech.com/home/leaving?allowTrusted=1&target=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.startech.com%2Fen-us%2Fcables%2Fhdadmm5ma" rel="nofollow noreferrer ugc">HDADMM5MA</a> <a href="https://community.startech.com/home/leaving?allowTrusted=1&target=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.startech.com%2Fen-us%2Fcables%2Fhdadret4" rel="nofollow noreferrer ugc">HDADRET4</a> <a href="https://community.startech.com/home/leaving?allowTrusted=1&target=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.startech.com%2Fen-us%2Fcables%2Fhdext2m" rel="nofollow noreferrer ugc">HDEXT2M</a> <a 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