Nine months after launching Digital Performance Level ratings for HDMI cables, DPL Labs announces results of first batch of products.
06.14.2008 — The HDMI testing organization DPL Labs has certified its first batch of HDMI cables.
Eight cables, submitted by DirectConnect, were given "Digital Performance Level" ratings on a scale 1-5 (good to best).
Most of the cables—tested in the 1080p/60Hz/165MHz category--earned a ranking of 3 or 4, which is considered very good.
One model, the HDMI-A-0.5MB, earned DPL’s highest performance rating of 5.
The brainchild of CE Pro contributor Jeff Boccaccio,
DPL Labs was established in August 2007 to determine the true performance capabilities of HDMI cables, helping consumers and retailers select the best products for the money.
Michael F. Jorewicz, product manager at DirectConnect, says the company "firmly believes that the industry needs this type of performance-based system to ‘level the playing field’ and provide assurance to consumers and installers that the products they purchase meet significant standards.”
DirectConnect is a Houston-based manufacturer of cables, cameras, wall plates, splitters, distribution panels and the like.
Other manufacturers that are said to be participating in the DPL program include
SR Components, Signature Wire, Rodin Audio (Phoenix Gold brand),
Vizionware,
Honeywell, Ethereal, and
Audiovox (Acoustic Research brand)
Distributor ADI is also supporting the DPL program.
Results of all eight DirectConnect cables rated by DPL Labs
What the Ratings Mean
Level 1
- Minimum Standard
- Limited conformity to other peripherals without electronic correction
- Not recommended for extreme environmental variations
- Single cable applications
- Non-permanent applications recommended unless used with electronic correction
Level 2
- Standard
- Improved conformity to other peripherals without electronic correction
- Not recommended for extreme environmental variations
- Single cable applications
- Non-permanent applications recommended unless used with electronic correction
Level 3
- High performance
- Good conformity to other peripherals
- Recommended for normal environmental variations
- Multi-cable applications
- Can be used with permanent applications without electronic correction
Level 4
- Extended performance
- Extreme conformity to other peripherals
- Recommended for extreme environmental variations
- Multi-cable applications
- Recommended for permanent applications without electronic correction
Level 5
- Maximum throughput
- Best conformity to other peripherals
- Recommended for long-term environmental variations
- Multi-cable applications
- Highly recommended for permanent applications without electronic correction
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Looking at the results, the shorter cables did better (no surprise there). I’m interested to see how other long cables fare - there are times I need to put in 25’ or longer cables due to equipment configuration (fireplace mounts, ceiling projectors, etc.). For now, I try to use mini-RGB unless the source equipment won’t allow it. But if the manufacturers can come up with longer cables that meet the higher specs of Level 4 and 5 (and some of the other HDMI issues go away), I might be convinced to start using HDMI on those more complex installs.