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Best HDMI 2.1 cable for the new Apple TV 4K?
- Thread starter harrypham
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I was a little surprised that there isn't one actually in the box this time (as there was with the last version).
I'd wait for retail unboxing videos - Apple shipped the Belkin cable to reviewers - can't help but wonder if they aren't also doing that to retail purchases. (most people won't already have an HDMI 2.1 cable at home).
There are a LOT of 8k HDMI 2.1 cables on Amazon.
I buried two of these in the wall to be able to put in HDMI face plates and not have cables hanging down to the ATV in the cabinet below.
(Eventually, I'll get a Mac mini again and do the HTPC thing - but waiting for one with HDMI 2.1).
I'd wait for retail unboxing videos - Apple shipped the Belkin cable to reviewers - can't help but wonder if they aren't also doing that to retail purchases. (most people won't already have an HDMI 2.1 cable at home).
There are a LOT of 8k HDMI 2.1 cables on Amazon.
I buried two of these in the wall to be able to put in HDMI face plates and not have cables hanging down to the ATV in the cabinet below.
8K HDMI 2.1 Cable 5ft, Compatible with All 4K 2K, High Speed 48Gbps HDMI 2.1 Cable Compatible with Apple TV Roku PS5/PS4/PS3 Xbox One X/Series X Samsung QLED 8K Q8/Q9 Sony Z8H/Z9G LG OLED ZX/99/Z9
This 8K HDMI 2.1 Cable supports 8K@60Hz, 4K@120Hz, Dynamic HDR,Dynamic HDR Enhanced Audio Return Channel (eARC),Auto Low Latency Mode (ALLM),Variable Refresh Rate (VRR),Quick Media Switching (QMS),Quick Frame Transport (QFT),HDR10, Dolby Vision,DTS-HD Master Audio, DTS:X, Dolby TrueHD, Dolby Atmo...
www.amazon.ca
(Eventually, I'll get a Mac mini again and do the HTPC thing - but waiting for one with HDMI 2.1).
As an Amazon Associate, MacRumors earns a commission from qualifying purchases made through links in this post.
I've never seen any Apple tv include an HDMI cable in the box. I have 3 first gen 4k boxes that I bought direct from Apple. Which Apple tv did you buy that had an HDMI cable in the box?I was a little surprised that there isn't one actually in the box this time (as there was with the last version).
I'd wait for retail unboxing videos - Apple shipped the Belkin cable to reviewers - can't help but wonder if they aren't also doing that to retail purchases. (most people won't already have an HDMI 2.1 cable at home).
There are a LOT of 8k HDMI 2.1 cables on Amazon.
I buried two of these in the wall to be able to put in HDMI face plates and not have cables hanging down to the ATV in the cabinet below.
8K HDMI 2.1 Cable 5ft, Compatible with All 4K 2K, High Speed 48Gbps HDMI 2.1 Cable Compatible with Apple TV Roku PS5/PS4/PS3 Xbox One X/Series X Samsung QLED 8K Q8/Q9 Sony Z8H/Z9G LG OLED ZX/99/Z9
This 8K HDMI 2.1 Cable supports 8K@60Hz, 4K@120Hz, Dynamic HDR,Dynamic HDR Enhanced Audio Return Channel (eARC),Auto Low Latency Mode (ALLM),Variable Refresh Rate (VRR),Quick Media Switching (QMS),Quick Frame Transport (QFT),HDR10, Dolby Vision,DTS-HD Master Audio, DTS:X, Dolby TrueHD, Dolby Atmo...www.amazon.ca
(Eventually, I'll get a Mac mini again and do the HTPC thing - but waiting for one with HDMI 2.1).
As an Amazon Associate, MacRumors earns a commission from qualifying purchases made through links in this post.
Hmm. Maybe I'm misremembering, but I thought both the ATV2 and ATV4k came with HDMI cables.
Cheesy, cheap HDMI cables, but HDMI cables nonetheless.Yep, I stand corrected - neither of the current iterations with Apple come with an HDMI cable.
Stick with the Belkin one. For my ATV4K I just got a cheap 4K cable from Amazon initially and while it worked fine, it wasn't as smooth and I was seeing jitters when moving across the menu's. Got the Belkin one last year and it works brilliantly. I'll stick with the Belkin one's now from the Apple Store for my ATV's.
I have always used Amazon HDMI Basics 2.0 cables with no issues. When and if I get a new Apple TV 4k, I'm going to look for Amazon Basics 2.1 cables.Hmm. Maybe I'm misremembering, but I thought both the ATV2 and ATV4k came with HDMI cables.
I ordered this Anker one from Amazon:
Anker 8K@60Hz HDMI Cable, Ultra High Speed 4K@120Hz 48Gbps 6.6 ft Ultra HD HDMI to HDMI Cord, Support Dynamic HDR, eARC, Dolby Atmos, Compatible with PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, and More
Model Number: A8743 Ultra High Speed HDMI Cable Officially Certified
www.amazon.co.uk
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Zeskit 8k Cable from Amazon. They’re certified by the HDMI board. I’ve tested these cables to pass 4K/120/HDR from Xbox Series X and PS5. Great quality and pricing. I’m running these cables in multiple lengths in a few different setups throughout my home.
Doesn't make sense to include HDMI cables. Everyone's needs are different -- different lengths, different applications (in-wall, etc.), some people need 2.1 while many don't, some have plenty of HDMI cables already and extras would just be wasteful.Hmm. Maybe I'm misremembering, but I thought both the ATV2 and ATV4k came with HDMI cables.
Yep, I stand corrected - neither of the current iterations with Apple come with an HDMI cable.
View attachment 1777773
There is no indication that I have seen that the new ATV4K will support 4K120 output which could require new HDMI cables.
The current ATV4K can already send 4K60 4:2:2 12-bit for Dolby Vision LLDV (player-led). That is a 17.8 Gbps signal that maxes out HDMI 2.0. If your current cable works with that you don't need a new cable; not unless the new version has the ability to output 4K120.
The current ATV4K can already send 4K60 4:2:2 12-bit for Dolby Vision LLDV (player-led). That is a 17.8 Gbps signal that maxes out HDMI 2.0. If your current cable works with that you don't need a new cable; not unless the new version has the ability to output 4K120.
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I got the same one, it was delivered today. Ran the HDMI app to double check the certification (I mean it was Amazon after all) and sure enough its legit.
Indeed. Existing "High Speed" (18 Gbps) cables will work just fine.
If you absolutely have to have a 48 Gbps cable, Monoprice has no-nonsense certified cables for a good price with free shipping:
Monoprice 8K Certified Ultra High Speed HDMI Cable - HDMI 2.1, 8K@60Hz, 48Gbps, CL2 In-Wall Rated, 30AWG, 6ft, Black - Monoprice.com
The Monoprice™ 8K Certified Ultra High Speed HDMI® Cable is the next generation of HDMI cable. Certified by an HDMI authorized testing center, these cables support up to 8K@60Hz/4K@120Hz res
www.monoprice.com
If you have the previous ATV4K and an HDMI cable that works with it, the cable will work with the new ATV4K as well. There are no new HDMI 2.1 signal formats supported yet in the new ATV4K that exceed HDMI 2.0 limits.
Only if you want to use the new eARC feature to send audio to a HomePod from a TV, and your current HDMI cable does not support eARC might you need a new HDMI 2.1 cable.
Only if you want to use the new eARC feature to send audio to a HomePod from a TV, and your current HDMI cable does not support eARC might you need a new HDMI 2.1 cable.
Existing "HDMI 2.0" cables are fine even for the use with an "HDMI 2.1" eARC Apple TV 4K 2021 since as already mentioned the bandwith the cables can reliably establish is the thing that makes a cable "HDMI 2.0", "HDMI 2.1" etc. and currently the Apple TV 4K 2021 does not really use HDMI 2.1 but a subset of HDMI 2.1 (eARC) put on an HDMI 2.0 interface.
The pins in the HDMI plugs are still arranged in the same way, theoretically you could have bought a regarding its electric properties rediculously over-built HDMI cable ten years ago that works today completely with HDMI 2.1 with full 48 Gbit/s bandwith.
The pins in the HDMI plugs are still arranged in the same way, theoretically you could have bought a regarding its electric properties rediculously over-built HDMI cable ten years ago that works today completely with HDMI 2.1 with full 48 Gbit/s bandwith.
eARC is downward compatible to ARC (for the most part). As Apple has stated in support docs, they need considerable bandwidth for the Dolby Atmos signal that they're putting out, so regular ARC connections may not cut it.
Your TV should actually say eARC on the port / HDMI 2.1 - check the specs for your TV.
And, for those needing to buy new cables, get the HDMI 2.1 ones. You'll likely need that bandwidth after WWDC.
I have the 2021 tv 4K and a 4K Samsung tv with eARC and HDR. Are the old Apple High Speed HDMI cables able to handle everything or do I need to get the Belkin cables from the Apple Store?
HDMI ARC and HDMI eARC: everything you need to know
It's not sexy, but HDMI ARC is one of the best things to ever happen to AV
and there are plenty more articles on eARC & Arc on the web. only you know if you need or want eArc.
HDMI ARC vs eARC: enhanced audio return channel explained
What do HDMI ARC and eARC actually do?
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The HDMI "High Speed" spec guarantees only up to 4K @ 30Hz. 60 Hz may or may not work with such a cable, so you'd potentially miss out on 60 Hz for games and the Apple TV UI.
The suitable cable class for the ATV4K is "premium high speed". I think the Belkin cable is way overpriced. I would recommend a standard premium certified cable like these:
Monoprice Certified Premium HDMI Cable - 4K@60Hz, HDR, 18Gbps, YUV 4:4:4, Dual Video Stream, Compatible with DVD Player, 28AWG, 6 Feet, Black
Monoprice Certified premium high Speed HDMI cable is designed to meet and exceed the highest standards of HDMI performance. Capable of delivering 18Gbps bandwidth, these are the only cables to be tested and certified by HDMI authorized test centers to ensure they support all features in the lates...
www.amazon.com
Amazon Basics Premium-Certified Braided HDMI Cable (18Gpbs, 4K/60Hz) - 6 Feet
Amazon Basics Premium-Certified Braided HDMI Cable (18Gpbs, 4K/60Hz) - 6 Feet
www.amazon.com
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I use Rocketfish 2' HDMI that supports 4K at 120 Hz
www.bestbuy.com
Rocketfish™ 2' 8K Ultra High Speed HDMI® 2.1 Certified Cable Black RF-HG02N19 - Best Buy
Shop Rocketfish™ 2' 8K Ultra High Speed HDMI® 2.1 Certified Cable Black at Best Buy. Find low everyday prices and buy online for delivery or in-store pick-up. Price Match Guarantee.
The ATV4K hardware does not support 120Hz (or 8K), so an "ultra high speed" cable is unnecessary.I use Rocketfish 2' HDMI that supports 4K at 120 Hz
Rocketfish™ 2' 8K Ultra High Speed HDMI® 2.1 Certified Cable Black RF-HG02N19 - Best Buy
Shop Rocketfish™ 2' 8K Ultra High Speed HDMI® 2.1 Certified Cable Black at Best Buy. Find low everyday prices and buy online for delivery or in-store pick-up. Price Match Guarantee.
It may be overkill but it is HDMI 2.1 certified cable and I plan to keep it for since it is only $10 more than the Belkin cable
Apple TV 4K - Technical Specifications
View the tech specs for Apple TV 4K and the Siri Remote — including size, weight, capacity, ports, and more.
www.apple.com
The thing is that the 2nd gen ATV4K is not capable of any video modes that require HDMI 2.1. We know this because they used the same DP to HDMI 2.0 converter as in the 1st gen model. See step 7 in this teardown:It may be overkill but it is HDMI 2.1 certified cable and I plan to keep it for since it is only $10 more than the Belkin cable
Apple TV 4K - Technical Specifications
View the tech specs for Apple TV 4K and the Siri Remote — including size, weight, capacity, ports, and more.www.apple.com
Apple TV 4K 2021 Teardown
It’s been almost four years since we had a new Apple TV to tear down—an eternity in tech time, and even longer if you remember to be a goldfish....
www.ifixit.com
And step 6 here (teardown of the 1st gen):
Apple TV 4K Teardown
Two long years have passed since our last encounter with an Apple TV. Today on our teardown table, we have a shiny new Apple TV 4K plucked straight...
www.ifixit.com
The only thing Apple changed on the HDMI port is that they added an extra chip for the eARC audio return channel (see again step 7 of the first link).