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You might have one of the best Blu-ray players that promises stunning visuals and audio, but that’s only true if you’re also using the right HDMI cable. With the wrong cord, you could end up losing HDR and Dolby Vision support. Most people blame these types of quality issues on the TV or the player when actually, the cable is at fault. And it can be surprisingly easy to use the wrong HDMI cable since many Blu-ray players don’t ship with one, leaving you to find the right cord yourself.
The best HDMI cables on Amazon and other online retailers range from as cost-effective as $10 to as expensive as $3,000. In terms of functionality and reliability, even the lower-priced options usually work well, but it all comes down to the setup, i.e., the Blu-ray player and TV you have. Ultimately, the HDMI cable shouldn’t limit the transmission bandwidth, something that often happens with older HDMI versions, especially if your Blu-ray player supports HDR, Dolby Vision, or Dolby TrueHD.
Not all HDMI cables are the same
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If the HDMI cable you are using is a few years old, there’s a good chance that it wasn’t designed for modern 4K Blu-ray players. The simplest trick is to check what’s written on the cable. If the cable reads just “Standard Speed,” it might be the bottleneck in your setup. It’s recommended to get an HDMI cable labeled “High Speed” or “Ultra High Speed” for the best visuals and audio, given your TV and Blu-ray player are capable.
Apart from the visual cues, you can check the cable’s specifications, either on the manufacturer’s website or its packaging. The cable should support 4K@60Hz and a transmission bandwidth of 18 Gbps. That’s more than enough. Anything beyond this is overkill. For instance, a 48 Gbps Ultra High Speed HDMI cable is better suited for 4K at 120Hz or advanced HDMI 2.1 features, not your B