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HDMI 1.3’s Two Categories: Standard and High-Speed
Standard (Cat 1): Supporting 480p, 720p, and 1080i or a frequency response up to 74 MHz.
High-Speed (Cat 2): Supporting 480p, 720p 1080i, 1080p/60, and 1080p/120 "Deep Color" or a frequency response up to 340 MHz.
What these specs say is that a standard HDMI cable product supports up to 1080i and doesn't have to support 1080p.
However, high-speed HDMI cable products do support 1080p/60 and support 1080p/120 Deep Color.
There is just one little quark to all of this: in order to pass an HDMI compliance test for high speed, products must pass 1080p/60/120 and Deep Color. So, it basically covers it all.
Due to the increase in bandwidth demand for 1080p/120 Deep Color, any Rev 1.3 display or receiver automatically has a built-in cable equalizer to compensate for any cable loss.
Does this mean that you can only get 1080p/60 with high-speed cable products? Well, yes and no. You can get 1080p/60 with high-speed, but you may also get 1080p/60 on standard.
As long as a standard cable can pass 1080i, it has met the basic requirements. If it is not identified as passing 1080p/60, call the maker, but do not buy it.
For a more in-depth look, download The Installer's Guide to HDMI.
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7 Comments (displayed in order by date/time)
Nice article. Short but useful information.
I do agree that CAT1 must be a concession to all the cables made before these standards where put in place.
I wonder if this guy works for company that tries to sell overpriced HDMI cables (e.g. Monster).
This is total bs.
No Jeff does not work for Monster (or any mfgr).
Whta Jeff did not have the space to tell you is that the original HDMI (1.0, 1.1 & 1.2) spec of 5g (1.65g per ch) did support 1080P/60. When HDMI upped the ante with 1.3 many cable mfgr’s felt that they could not meet the new spec. Thus was created Cat/1 & Cat/2. Cat/1 cables are realy just for CATV & Sat STB’s as their out is 1080i max. Cat/2 cables will support any HDMI source.
Note 1.3a & 1.3b ratings are not an indication of speed/performance only which procedure was used for testing.
A better way to judge the quality of an HDMI product would be to check the DPL rating http://www.dplrating.org .
By purchasing Hi Speed all the time may put you into other problems with distance. Again, for the product to pass HDMI compliance it MUST pass both 165 Mhz and 340 Mhz. Even with built in Eq on display device does mean that you can get 5,7,10, or 15 meters out. 1080P is thrown into a void between the two standards. Since passing 1080I is a walk in the park, some firms can in fact provide 1080P as a benny while passing HDMI compliance spec for 1080I and go as long as 10 to 15 meters. That was my point. Just make sure the product does in fact support 1080P (165 Mhz). If it does not state 1080P on the package, spec, or manuals, call the maker and be sure it can in fact handle these resolutions. I just had a call today with a person that thought he was fine until the customer purchased a blue ray. Bang, 1080P nail him! We see this all the time while at the same time I talk to people in the field and find that they don’t even know about all this.That is why we developed the column!!
Just noticed an error in the text on my last note.
Correction:Even with built in Eq on the display device does NOT mean that you get….........
Sorry for the error
I agree with the last comment, there’s no logic to have 2 speeds of cable. The end result is the consumer buying the wrong cable and not getting full resolution from their new 1080p television.
Jamaicans say One Love. “We need One Standard!”
(at least for a few years??)
It’s just common sense.
Seth Diggs
http://www.SeePHT.com
Why would there be a catagory for “standard” speed 1080i maximum? To me there is nooooo logic in this. What CI guy in their right mind is going to use a 1080i max cable in an installation? Yet more HDMI non-logic cr_p.