HDMI vs Optical Cables: Which one to Consider

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HDMI vs Optical Cables Which One to Consider?
Its about connecting your shiny new soundbar or
AV receiver and having to decide between HDMI
cables and Fiber Optic Cables. As home theater
systems get more and more complex (Including
wiring). Back in the good old days, all that you
need was a coaxial cable to get the audio and
video signals to your television set. Unlike
today, to align your system with sound, Blu-ray
players, and high-definition programming, you
will have to go through a tedious set-up
procedure. One major decision includes choosing
the right cables HDMI or Optical. So, to help
you make an informed decision, here are their
pros and cons. Going To The Basics Both HDMI and
optical cables pass the digital audio from one
device to another. There is no difference when
it comes to passing multi-channel audio like
Dolby Digital. The significant difference is
that HDMI cables can pass higher resolution audio
which includes formats found on Blu-ray like
Dolby TrueHD and DTS HD Master audio. Fiber optic
cables wont be able to transmit these high-res
sound formats. HDMI can also pass video signals.
So, if you dont want the hassle of managing
multiple cables between two devices, HDMI should
be your pick. But it would all come down to the
devices that you want to connect. You might not
have an option for HDMI altogether. Or maybe you
have an older receiver. Or you have everything in
place connected to your TV and just want to get
the audio to a soundbar. Here, optical cables
will be the perfect fit. You will get quality
sound only as you get with an HDMI cable. Lets
say you possess a soundbar, which benefits from a
surround sound signal and you connect it to one
of the many TVs which cannot pass such signals
via its optical outputs. Such soundbars may not
have HDMI inputs anyway. Hence, the best way to
use them is to connect their source to the bar
via optical, skipping the TV.
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Here Is The Comparison Construction Copper is
the main component of HDMI cables. Its a cheap
material and there are chances of interference.
Whereas in Optical cables, fiber optics is the
main component. A bundle of tiny glass strands.
They are expensive and transmit light signals and
not electricity. And they are less susceptible
to interference. The dark sheath wrapped around
it prevents other light sources from entering
the cable. Length The length limit may not be
important for everyone. A different segment of
owners with custom-designed media rooms
requiring extended lengths of cable might need
it. But you always end up losing signal quality
over longer cables. So, when you select between
fiber optic cable HDMI, choose the shortest
one. The recommended length for the optical
cables is 10 meters. Although some people still
use it with a length of 30 meters. For HDMI,
there are no such recommendations. But we would
recommend HDMI for covering 5 meters or less for
best quality sound. For longer distances, the
optical cables are a good choice.
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Audio Fiber optical cables support surround sound
with up to 5.1 channels. At the same time, HDMI
supports Dolby Digital Plus, TrueHD formats, and
DTS HD. Almost all the television programming
gets broadcast in surround sound but there are
many Blu-ray discs offering enhanced sound
quality. So, if you love watching your content on
Blu-ray, HDMI is the one you should be
choosing. Video HDMI cables can carry both
audio and video. It eliminates the need for
another cable. On the contrary, when you opt for
an optical cable, you will need a second type of
cable to transmit your video signal. The total
cost of the two cables may end up being more than
one HDMI cable. Hence, make sure to research
pricing before deciding. Bottom Line HDMI can
serve your purpose. They are cost-effective and
simplify the setup. But if your gear does not
have HDMI, you wont be able to take advantage of
the high-resolution audio formats from Blu-ray.
On the other side, Dolby Digital is suitable for
which you need to have decent gear. Otherwise,
it wont be delivering quality sound even with
Dolby TrueHD and DTS HD MA. In the end, it
depends on ones individual needs. Even optical
cables give decent audio results. But we live in
a space of convenience. And HDMI has become a
go-to cable for all things. And it might become
hard to argue against if your system itself
supports it. With HDMIs feature set,
upgradability, and the fact that it can handle
both formats, you dont need to worry about the
wire jungle. Plus, you will have great results
too. Read More https//www.sfcable.com/blog/hdm
i-vs-optical-cables-which-consider
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