HDMI cable is one of the most common cables for interfacing multimedia devices.
You will probably use an HDMI cable to connect your PC to your monitor or your gaming console to your TV.
While HDMI is not the only interface for connecting multimedia devices to displays and audio systems, other VGA, DVI, and DP interfaces are the most popular.
Almost all multimedia devices, from TVs to PCs and DSLR cameras, use the HDMI interface in one form or another. Hence, for the uninitiated, it is worthwhile to understand what an HDMI cable looks like.
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So What Does an HDMI Cable Look Like?
A picture is the best way to understand what an HDMI cable looks like.
This is What a Typical HDMI Cable Looks Like
The cable above is a typical HDMI cable, also known as Type-A that we use to connect PCs, gaming consoles, set-top boxes, Blu-Ray players, etc., to display devices like monitors, monitors, and TVs.
Pay close attention to the connectors.
A typical Type-A HDMI cable has 19-pin connectors on each end—male connectors on both ends.
A typical HDMI cable connector is a trapezium in shape, measuring about 13.9 mm x 4.5 mm. This is almost the size of a USB port but a bit larger.
The HDMI cables go into HDMI ports on both the source device, such as the PC, laptop, or gaming console, and the display device, such as TVs or monitors.
Since a typical HDMI cable has male-to-male connectors on both ends, the input and output on the source and display device are female receptacles.
The following image shows one end of an HDMI cable connected to a laptop. This cable is connected to an external display.
Image: The following image shows the relative size of standard display input ports.
You can see that the HDMI port is much smaller compared to ports of other video interfaces such as VGA, DVI, and even DisplayPort.
HDMI Cable Pinout Diagram
The following image shows the pin arrangement on the HDMI Type-A port.
Each of the pins carries a different purpose. This is summarized in the table below:
| Pin# | Function | Pin# | Function |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pin 1 | TMDS Data2+ | Pin 11 | TMDS Clock Shield |
| Pin 2 | TMDS Data2 Shield | Pin 12 | TMDS Clock− |
| Pin 3 | TMDS Data2− | Pin 13 | CEC |
| Pin 4 | TMDS Data1+ | Pin 14 | Not Connected |
| Pin 5 | TMDS Data1 Shield | Pin 15 | SCL (DDC) |
| Pin 6 | TMDS Data1− | Pin 16 | SDA (DDC) |
| Pin 7 | TMDS Data0+ | Pin 17 | Ground |
| Pin 8 | TMDS Data0 Shield | Pin 18 | +5 V (50 mA max) |
| Pin 9 | TMDS Data0− | Pin 19 | Hot Plug Detect |
| Pin 10 | TMDS Clock+ |
Also Read: Does HDMI Carry Power?
There Are Also Other Less Common Types of HDMI Cables
There are HDMI cables with more miniature connectors as well.
However, these are rarer and often serve a specialized purpose. They include:
- Mini HDMI Cable
- Micro HDMI Cable
These HDMI cable types are intended for smaller, portable devices such as Cameras and Tablets.
The good news is that the different HDMI connectors are all compatible.
For example, if you have a DSLR camera with a Mini HDMI port and a PC with a Standard HDMI port, then you can use a Standard HDMI-to-Mini HDMI cable to interface them, such as shown below:
There are Also Different HDMI Cable Version
Another critical point is that while all HDMI cables look the same on the surface, they may have entirely different performance ratings.
Take, for instance, the following HDMI cable from Belkin.
It looks like an ordinary Standard Type-A HDMI cable with 19 pins.
However, in reality, it is far superior to an average HDMI cable in terms of performance.
The HDMI cable above conforms to HDMI 2.1 version and is certified as an Ultra High-Speed HDMI cable.
The following table should explain this further:
| HDMI Standard Certification | Max Data Rate Supported | Specs Supported | Best Port |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard | 4.95 Gb/s | 720 or 1080P @ 60Hz | <1.4 |
| High Speed | 10.2 Gb/s | FHD @ 60Hz QHD @ 60Hz 4K @ 30Hz | 1.4 |
| Premium High Speed | 18 Gb/s | 4k @ 60Hz | 2.0 |
| Ultra High Speed | 48 Gb/s | 4K @ 60Hz 8K @ 120Hz 10K @ 120hz | 2.1 |
In other words, there are four HDMI cable versions:
- Standard HDMI
- High Speed
- Premium High Speed
- Ultra High Speed
The more robust and advanced your TV or monitor is, the better the HDMI cable you will need.
Hence, the key takeaway is that while HDMI cables may look the same and have the same connectors, their performance quality can differ drastically.
Often higher-quality cables have labels indicating if they are certified for a specific HDMI version.
Also Read: Are All HDMI Cables 4K?
TL:DR: What Does an HDMI Cable Look Like?
A typical HDMI cable has a trapezium shape connector with 19-pins.
If there is one type of HDMI cable you MUST learn to recognize, it is the Standard Type-A HDMI, as shown above.
There are also many other specialized kinds of HDMI cables, including male-to-female connectors and adapter HDMI cables that switch from HDMI to different interfaces, such as HDMI-to-VGA and HDMI-to-DVI.
You can read about these here: How Many HDMI Cables Are There?
But for this article, familiarizing yourself with the Standard Type-A HDMI connector should suffice for most rookies.
Final Words
There are different types of HDMI cables. The Type-A Standard HDMI cable is the most common, which we are most familiar with.
So what does an HDMI cable look like? The standard Type-A HDMI cable has a trapezium-like shape with 19 pins.
HDMI cables can be found in various lengths ranging from small 1-meter lines to 15-meter lines.
You require one HDMI cable to connect one source device to a display device. You cannot use one HDMI cable to connect to multiple devices.
HDMI cables also cannot be daisy-chained.
You often get a complementary HDMI cable when you buy a display device such as a monitor, TV, or projector.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
1. How Do I Know If I Have an HDMI Cable?
Well, you must first learn what an HDMI cable looks like. I have explained this in detail above.
Sometimes there is a very subtle difference in connectors of different interfaces. For instance, a DisplayPort connector looks very similar to an HDMI connector in appearance, but there are subtle differences.
DP connector is slightly larger and has an asymmetrical rectangular shape. HDMI, on the other hand, has a symmetrical trapezium shape.
2. How Can I Tell What Version of HDMI Cable I Have?
By looking at it, it is difficult to tell what version of HDMI cable you have.
No driver or software can tell you what version the cable conforms to either.
The only way to tell is by looking at its specs or performing trial and error.
I have a comprehensive guide on how to Check HDMI Cable versions.
3. Are All HDMI Cables the Same?
As mentioned earlier, not all HDMI cables are the same. They can have different connectors as well as other versions.
The most common connector type is the Standard Type-A connector. In addition to that, the most common version of the HDMI cable is High Speed or 1.4.
Hence, if you have an old cable in hand and are unsure of its type, there is a high chance it is an HDMI 1.4 cable with a Type-A connector.
Read in Detail: How Many Types of HDMI Cables Are There?