Video
HDMI cable spec
Every HDMI version, what it carries, and where DSC takes over.
A reference table of published HDMI versions: link rate and real payload, max uncompressed format, which headline formats depend on DSC 1.2a, audio return support, and the practical max passive-copper distance. Minor revisions (2.0a/b, 2.1a/b) folded into their parent rows.
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| Version | Year | Link rate | Max uncompressed | DSC | Audio return | Max passive copper | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| HDMI 1.0 – 1.2 | 2002–05 | 4.95 Gbps | 1080p60 8-bit | — | No | ~15 m | First releases. PCM, Dolby Digital, DTS; 1.1 adds DVD-Audio, 1.2 adds PC sources and DSD. |
| HDMI 1.3 | 2006 | 10.2 Gbps | 1440p60 / 1080p120 | — | No | ~15 m | Deep Colour, xvYCC, Dolby TrueHD / DTS-HD bitstream. TMDS 340 MHz. |
| HDMI 1.4 | 2009 | 10.2 Gbps | 4K30 / 1080p120 | — | ARC | ~10 m at 4K30 | HEC, ARC, 3D, 4K added; Standard / High-Speed cable categories. |
| HDMI 2.0 / 2.0a / 2.0b | 2013–16 | 18 Gbps | 4K60 4:4:4 8-bit | — | ARC | ~5 m at 4K60 4:4:4 | TMDS 600 MHz, 4:2:0, Premium High-Speed cable. 2.0a adds HDR10 static metadata; 2.0b adds HLG. |
| HDMI 2.1 / 2.1a / 2.1b | 2017–23 | 48 Gbps | 4K120 / 8K60 4:2:0 uncompressed | DSC 1.2a — required for 8K60 4:4:4 and 4K120 10/12-bit 4:4:4 | eARC | ~3 m at 4K120 (FRL) | FRL 16b/18b up to 48G, Dynamic HDR, VRR, ALLM, QFT, QMS; Ultra High-Speed cable. 2.1a adds SBTM, 2.1b compliance clarifications. |
| HDMI 2.2 | 2025 | 96 Gbps | 8K60 4:4:4 / 4K240 uncompressed | DSC for 12K / 16K and 8K120 | eARC | TBC — very short passive runs expected; plan on active / optical | Ultra96 cable, Latency Indication Protocol. Products and independent cable test data still emerging. |
reading the table
- ▸ Link rate is the peak TMDS / FRL line rate. Payload is lower: 8b/10b coding on TMDS (18 Gbps carries 14.4 Gbps of video), 16b/18b on FRL (48 Gbps carries 42.7 Gbps).
- ▸ DSC (VESA Display Stream Compression 1.2a) is visually lossless ~3:1 compression. Headline HDMI 2.1 formats — 8K60 4:4:4, 4K120 10-bit 4:4:4 — only fit with DSC; both source and sink must support it.
- ▸ Max passive copper is the practical distance off-the-shelf cables hold the headline format reliably. Active cables, optical, or extenders push much further.
- ▸ eARC supports lossless multi-channel formats (TrueHD Atmos, DTS-HD MA); ARC tops out at compressed 5.1.
- ▸ Cable categories: Standard (1.4 SD/HD), High-Speed (1.4 up to 4K30), Premium High-Speed (2.0, 18 Gbps), Ultra High-Speed (2.1, 48 Gbps), Ultra96 (2.2, 96 Gbps).