HDMI 1.4 to 2.2 — what each version carries and which cable you need
There is officially no such thing as an ‘HDMI 2.1 cable’. The version applies to devices; the cable is chosen by its bandwidth certification. And the picture will only show what the source and the display agree on anyway.
What HDMI carries
HDMI is a digital interface that carries uncompressed video (in newer versions also compressed video where the bandwidth requires it), multichannel audio and control data over a single cable: EDID (what the display supports), CEC (controlling devices with one remote), HDCP (content protection) and, in newer versions, ARC / eARC (audio from the TV back to the amplifier).
The HDMI version is a property of the devices. You only get a feature if both the source and the display support it (and everything in between — switchers, amplifiers, extenders) and the cable can handle the bandwidth required.
DIAGRAM · MAXIMUM BANDWIDTH
The versions in brief
| Version | Bandwidth | Key formats and features | Cable |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.4b | 10.2 Gb/s | 4096 × 2160 at 24 Hz, 3840 × 2160 at 24/25/30 Hz, 1080p at 120 Hz; HDMI Ethernet Channel, ARC, 3D | High Speed |
| 2.0 (2013) | 18 Gb/s | 4K at 50/60 Hz, up to 32 audio channels, audio sample rates up to 1,536 kHz, the 21:9 aspect ratio, dynamic audio/video synchronisation. No new cables or connectors. | High Speed; Premium High Speed (18 Gb/s, 4K60, HDR certification) |
| 2.1 (2017) | 48 Gb/s | 8K60 and 4K120, resolutions up to 10K, dynamic HDR, eARC, VRR, QMS, QFT, ALLM | Ultra High Speed |
| 2.2 (2025) | 96 Gb/s | Next-generation Fixed Rate Link; uncompressed 4K240 and 8K60 at 4:4:4 and 10/12 bits; with compression up to 12K120 and 16K60; Latency Indication Protocol (LIP) | Ultra96 (new); Ultra High Speed remains for systems up to 48 Gb/s |
HDMI 2.0a and 2.0b are minor updates to HDMI 2.0 — 2.0a added signalling for static HDR metadata. HDMI 2.1a and 2.1b are fixes and clarifications to 2.1; 2.1a introduced Source-Based Tone Mapping (SBTM), for example.
Cables: the names to trust
HDMI LA certifies cables by bandwidth, not by ‘version’:
- High Speed HDMI Cable — for HDMI 1.4b and 2.0 formats (including 18 Gb/s with 2.0, according to the HDMI Forum).
- Premium High Speed HDMI Cable — a certification since 2015: tested at the full 18 Gb/s and for low interference (EMI), for 4K60, BT.2020 and HDR. The packaging carries an anti-counterfeiting label with a QR code.
- Ultra High Speed HDMI Cable — introduced with HDMI 2.1, on the market since 2020, up to 48 Gb/s.
- Ultra96 HDMI Cable — for HDMI 2.2, up to 96 Gb/s; the only cable that supports all HDMI 2.2 applications.
‘Ultra96’ is also a label that devices supporting 64, 80 or 96 Gb/s under HDMI 2.2 may use. If a device carries it, it needs an Ultra96 cable.
An ‘HDMI 2.1 cable’ or an ‘8K cable’ without an official certification label is not a verified claim. For 4K120, 8K or VRR, look for the Ultra High Speed (or Ultra96) label and check it with the QR code.
Why there’s ‘no picture’ — a practical procedure for AV installations
- EDID. The display tells the source what it supports. If there is a switcher, matrix or extender in between, it often announces its own (limited) list. The source then sends a format the display can’t show, or drops the resolution. Many AV devices let you set the EDID manually.
- HDCP. Protected content requires the whole chain to support the same or a higher HDCP version. An older switcher or capture card breaks the chain and the picture stays black.
- Bandwidth and length. Long passive cables fail at high data rates: the picture flickers, freezes or only works in a lower format. Long runs use certified active / optical cables or extenders (over HDBaseT or IP, for example).
- Chroma subsampling and bit depth. 4K60 HDR at 4:4:4 and 10 bits exceeds 18 Gb/s, so with HDMI 2.0 the device switches to 4:2:2 or 4:2:0. With text and graphics from a computer this shows as blurred colour edges.
- The port on the display. Many TVs have the full HDMI 2.1 features (4K120, VRR) or eARC on certain ports only.