FAQ
Got a question about a Vivolink product? You’re in the right place.
Here you’ll find answers to the most common questions about our products, standards, and compatibility – from understanding HDMI and USB specifications to choosing the right cable for your installation.
If you can’t find what you’re looking for, don’t hesitate to reach out to our support team – we’re always happy to help.
Frequently asked questions
FAQ
Are all HDMI 2.1 cables the same?
First, there is no such category of HDMI 2.1 cable, since HDMI 2.1 is a protocol in the HDMI standard for the devices in their High-Definition Multimedia communication. If your hardware, such as Blu-ray player, smart TV, or game console, is HDMI 2.1 compatible, all available HDMI cables can do the job and the differences lie on the experience. That is to say, the Ultra High Speed HDMI Cable can provide smoother experience than the Premium High Speed, High Speed and Standard HDMI cables due to its high bandwidth and hertz rate. According to HDMI.org, only the Ultra High Speed HDMI Cable supports all HDMI 2.1a features, so this may be the type of HDMI cable many people call as the “HDMI 2.1 cable”.
Do all HDMI cables support 4k 120Hz?
No. Only the Ultra High Speed HDMI cable support 120Hz. According to the HDMI.org, Premium High Speed HDMI cable support 4K@60Hz, and High Speed HDMI cable support 4K@30Hz, and Standard HDMI cable may only support 4K@24Hz.
Do HDMI extenders cause lag?
It depends on the type of HDMI extenders you’re talking about. Usually, there is latency for the HDMI over IP solution, but an exception is the product with SDVoE video compression codec, which is usually applied to the 4K 60Hz image. Besides, bandwidth, LED display, and video compression codec also have influence on the latency in the setups.
Can using multiple HDMI extenders and switches cause latency?
It depends. Since you didn’t specify the type of the HDMI extenders, let’s begin with each of them in general.
There is no latency for the HDMI switches. As for the HDMI extenders, there is latency for the HDMI over IP solution while none for the other way around generally. To be specific, there are several factors contributing to the extent of latency for the HDMI over IP extenders, which include bandwidth, LED display, and the encoding solution. If the HDMI extenders have latency, then the answer is yes, otherwise no.
What is the difference between HDMI, HDMI ARC, and HDMI eARC?
HDMI is short for High Definition Multimedia Interface, which is the technology, or a standard for digital video, audio and data interface.
HDMI ARC and HDMI eARC are two protocols sets in the standard. ARC means Audio Return Channel, allowing an HDMI-connected TV to send audio data “upstream” to an AVR or soundbar with an HDMI cable.
Since the high bitrate formats of Dolby Atmos, DTS-HD Master Audio, DTS:X and Dolby TrueHD are not supported in HDMI ARC protocol due to the limited bandwidth transmission, and the needs of using Blu-rays and 4K Blu-rays in the home theater systems are not satisfied. In this case, HDMI eARC is imported in HDMI 2.1a version, which is Enhanced Audio Return Channel supporting larger bandwidth.
What is HDMI ARC and eARC
To put it simple, ARC and eARC are two protocols of the HDMI standard, which take effect in different versions of HDMI, to be exact, V1.4 and V2.1 respectively. ARC is short for Audio Return Channel, and eARC is the abbr. of Enhanced Audio Return Channel, which means that eARC enables better performance, including larger bandwidth, higher speed and higher quality of audio.
The benefit of HDMI ARC is to simplify the setup of TV and AV devices without the need of an optical cable, and any HDMI cable works. On the other hand, high bitrate & object-based formats up to 192kHz, 24-bit, e.g., Dolby Atmos, DTS-HD Master Audio or DTS:X and Dolby TrueHD are not supported, which are common on Blu-ray discs and 4K Blu-rays. This is how eARC comes in. Compared with HDMI ARC, eARC ensures smoother handshake between devices without extra setups to operate CEC (Consumer Electronics Control, such as a remote to control TV).
To make the eARC work, your devices need to be compatible (note that HDMI 2.1 certification is not a must), and a HDMI cable with Ethernet is required, no matter it is a standard one or (Ultra) High-Speed one. One thing needs to be note is that eARC is not backwards compatible with ARC. That is, when your TV is eARC compatible and your soundbar is not, you get a sound restricted by the ARC bandwidth instead of the higher-quality audio provided by eARC. Some soundbars without HDMI V2.1 chipsets can support eARC after a firmware upgrade, so you can consult the manufacturer before investing in the devices.
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