Belkin Ultra Highspeed cable for ATV4K?

[LevMac]

Hi guys, currently am using the 4th generation Apple TV and will be purchasing the Apple TV 4K.
The Belkin cable which Apple sells as the Belkin Ultra High Speed cable is rated at HDMI 2.1 and supports Dolby Vision.

Does this cable actually make quite a difference to picture/sound quality?

Thanks for your feedback

 

[400]

Expensive and over specced for 4k ATV. No difference to picture quality over a cheaper cable that will work.

Cheaper will do exactly the same thing, mine cost £5-£8 for correctly certified (Amazon for me), whatever that is in Australian loot. To be clear there is no rating on cables for "2.1" "supports Dolby" etc. It is "high speed" or "premium" for the correct certification. See link below.

There is a lot of confusion in the labelling and a lot of snake oil. Sometimes hard to tell.
https://www.hdmi.org/consumer/finding_right_cable.aspx

There is nothing the cable can do to improve the picture once the TV input is happy and stable. It can be my £5 cable or a £300 pure unobtanium cable. The only difference is your wallet is raided.

If you already have a "high speed", try it and see if it works, if it does, that will be good enough. Try what you have anyway.

If I needed one now, I would get "Premium" for the sake of the price difference to "High Speed"

Make sure wherever you buy from has a faulty refund policy.

 

[BODYBUILDERPAUL]

The cable is not expensive if you have quality products such as a TV. It's £30, it's top quality, beautifully designed and it's something that you buy once and once only. Why is that expensive? An OLED TV is £2000, £4000, £7000. That top quality £30 lead is not so expensive is it?

I've experienced cheaper leads in the past and it's not something that i'd ever do again. It's like buying cheap tyres for a Ferrari.

I don't know why there's even a discussion about this. Surely, if you are buying the best streamer - an Apple TV 4k, then buying the lead which Apple carries on its site and which is probably the one that Apple uses for its own testing makes sense.

It's not really a discussion.

As with everything in life - you get what you pay for. Is that £5 lead 'really' made using quality components? No, it's a 50p lead when distribution, mark up, manufactures make up is taken into full consideration.

 

[400]

The cable is not expensive if you have quality products such as a TV. It's £30, it's top quality, beautifully designed and it's something that you buy once and once only. Why is that expensive? An OLED TV is £2000, £4000, £7000. That top quality £30 lead is not so expensive is it?

I've experienced cheaper leads in the past and it's not something that i'd ever do again. It's like buying cheap tyres for a Ferrari.

I don't know why there's even a discussion about this. Surely, if you are buying the best streamer - an Apple TV 4k, then buying the lead which Apple carries on its site and which is probably the one that Apple uses for its own testing makes sense.

It's not really a discussion.

As with everything in life - you get what you pay for. Is that £5 lead 'really' made using quality components? No, it's a 50p lead when distribution, mark up, manufactures make up is taken into full consideration.

This is not the same as tyres when you are in the digital domain.

It works this way.

The signal needs to get to the receiver at a certain level. Once that level is reached, and the receiver is happy and stable then no amount of expensive or better this that and the other will make that signal better. It will not improve on it as a passive cable.

A correctly certified cable, whether it costs £5 or £30, will make absolutely no difference as far as the TV is concerned. There is no benefit to extra cost apart from the people taking your money.

The problem is there are many firms marketing incorrectly and many a sales person at the shops mis selling.

Whilst we are about it, the Belkin cable mentioned seemed to claim a certification that is not out yet. Or have I missed it? Either way it is over priced. If you want to spend on it then carry on but at least give others the flip side of the coin. That is they do NOT need to spend as much and get the same result.

My 4K TV runs absolutely fine with them. Three 4K sources on cheap reliable cables and picture is fine. If I bought the £30 Belkin, would I see an improvement? No. £75 saved.

I expect the Belkin cable has a markup as well, especially if Apple are flogging it.

Edit.

 

[Audit13]

I use a cheap Dollar store cable between my receiver and ATV 4K with no problems. I have tried more expensive Redmere cables and can see no difference in picture quality between the two cables; however, it could be that my equipment is not as picky when it comes to interconnects or my vision is not as good as others.

 

[400]

When digital fails it is usually breakup, sparkles etc. I tried a standard HDMI and I got no picture, whilst another standard HDMI blocked a lot, you could find a good un lower than you need that works but usually no.

Thing is, if the TV can make out a signal from a gammy bit of mouldy damp string, it will be happy. It does not know what is plugged into it ,as long as certain requirements are met, it will display the information correctly every time.

You will not see any difference apart from it not working or working.

 

[Donfor39]

I didn’t get 4K from standard hdmi cable
Only went slightly more expensive cable with decent user review via Amazon
Gong to maybe get more if required the standard wasn’t high speed

 

[400]

If you try an older version (Standard) and it works, you have not lost anything. I would not buy one for 4k. I already had the standard cables knocking around.

If I had to buy again, I would now get the correctly certified "Premium High Speed", why for? At £3 or so more than the "High speed", a no brainer. Not because I need it. Other peoples needs may find the Premium is required. I get 4k at 50fps and 4k in HDR at 60fps down high speed. My set cannot do Dolby Vision so cannot comment on that.

Omars I think, is the one Premium I already have. The rest are Amazon Basics. If you buy from Amazon, if it is a secondary seller make sure the returns policy is good. Amazon are usually pretty good.

Premium cables also have a q code on that you can scan to check they are not knock offs.

 

[Beelzbub]

I am using an older HDMI cable, Best Buy brand that I purchased about 8 years ago. Works just fine with my Apple TV 4K with HDR and Chroma 4:2:2.

 

[Andrewtst]

If you set only Chroma 4.2.2, normal quality HDMI not high speed cable should do it fine.

This is not the case if you set the highest quality at RGB High. Normal no high speed HDMI cable will not working correctly and fail with image keep blinking.

That Belkin cable work perfectly for me, rather than keep buying and buying until you get a working perfectly cable in RGB High. The total money you spend may already can direct buy the Belkin cable.

 

[400]

Don't doubt it works. Mine also work at top of the shop settings. I have saved a lot of money.

It really is up to you if you want to spend a lot more than required, if you are happy doing so, crack on.


TL;DR version below.

Spoiler: TL;DR

There is no technical reason to for anyone to spend that much for this particular cable to connect a TV to the ATV when another will do the same job. Computer gaming I understand can run at crazy high bit rates but not watching TV.

A correctly certified for the requirements passive cable should work if the devices hardware HDMI are compatible and software settings correct. The not working is more likely a faulty cable or a cheap knock off and a claiming it is certified when it is not. Then return it.

Buy Premium High speed that are certified and from a reliable vendor with a good returns policy. More than enough for the HDMI hardware in the ATV and your TV. All the rest is a rip off. Its your wallet.

Specs for ATV HDMI hardware are 2.0a (b??). Specs for HDMI 2.1 (meant for 8K tv) have only just been released for adoption and testing. A certain expensive cable released in advance of the testing and hope it will pass is a long shot. It may well pass, or not, but the 2.1 spec that cables will be tested for and called "Ultra High Speed" has only just started?
https://www.hdmi.org/news_events/index.aspx#CTS2018
https://www.hdmi.org/manufacturer/hdmi_2_1/index.aspx


It would not surprise me that there will be a lot cheaper set of "Ultra" certified cables available when the correct testing process is up and running. I am going to laugh my socks off if the combined cost of "Premium" and future certified "Ultra" is still less than this cable in the Apple shop. Of course I will need an 8K TV to need to buy one.

The HDMI spec is a minefield for the unwary. They really need to tighten up on it and better inform the consumer so they can make a better informed decision when they go to certain stores stocking certain products to fleece the customers.


PS. I have some prime land for sale, come see me at low tide 6pm.

Edit. Don't take my word for it.
https://www.avsforum.com/forum/168-hdmi-q-one-connector-world/

 

[Andrewtst]

Don't doubt it works. Mine also work at top of the shop settings. I have saved a lot of money.

It really is up to you if you want to spend a lot more than required, if you are happy doing so, crack on.


TL;DR version below.

Spoiler: TL;DR

There is no technical reason to for anyone to spend that much for this particular cable to connect a TV to the ATV when another will do the same job. Computer gaming I understand can run at crazy high bit rates but not watching TV.

A correctly certified for the requirements passive cable should work if the devices hardware HDMI are compatible and software settings correct. The not working is more likely a faulty cable or a cheap knock off and a claiming it is certified when it is not. Then return it.

Buy Premium High speed that are certified and from a reliable vendor with a good returns policy. More than enough for the HDMI hardware in the ATV and your TV. All the rest is a rip off. Its your wallet.

Specs for ATV HDMI hardware are 2.0a (b??). Specs for HDMI 2.1 (meant for 8K tv) have only just been released for adoption and testing. A certain expensive cable released in advance of the testing and hope it will pass is a long shot. It may well pass, or not, but the 2.1 spec that cables will be tested for and called "Ultra High Speed" has only just started?
https://www.hdmi.org/news_events/index.aspx#CTS2018
https://www.hdmi.org/manufacturer/hdmi_2_1/index.aspx


It would not surprise me that there will be a lot cheaper set of "Ultra" certified cables available when the correct testing process is up and running. I am going to laugh my socks off if the combined cost of "Premium" and future certified "Ultra" is still less than this cable in the Apple shop. Of course I will need an 8K TV to need to buy one.

The HDMI spec is a minefield for the unwary. They really need to tighten up on it and better inform the consumer so they can make a better informed decision when they go to certain stores stocking certain products to fleece the customers.


PS. I have some prime land for sale, come see me at low tide 6pm.

Edit. Don't take my word for it.
https://www.avsforum.com/forum/168-hdmi-q-one-connector-world/

Not a doubt. I have many HDMI cable that is not high speed and during try 3 of it and none is able to function in proper and keep flickering and hissing sound once I set to RGB High. No issue if not set RGB High.

That the reason I buy the Belkin High speed HDMI cable (not the one advertise at Apple website which is Ultra High Speed but another lower a bit model which is High Speed HDMI cable). All problem solved and no single issue set at RGB High.

That why I said High Speed HDMI cable is required, Ultra High Speed HDMI cable is unnecessary but not the normal speed HDMI cable.

 

[400]

Apologies, thought you meant the expensive Ultra one.

 

[Andrewtst]

Apologies, thought you meant the expensive Ultra one.

Hi. Nope and is ok.