HDMI Cable Power: More power for long cables directly from the source

The longer an HDMI 2.1 cable is, the more likely it is that stability problems will occur and a smooth connection cannot always be guaranteed. To counteract this situation, the HDMI license administrator has announced a new specification for HDMI 2.1a, which is called “HDMI Cable Power”. This feature aims to provide additional power to the HDMI cables directly from the source device connector, eliminating the need to rely on an external power supply.

Key data on HDMI cable power

The license administrator states that the performance requirements of an Ultra High Speed ​​HDMI cable are so high that cables that are several meters long must use HDMI cables with an active power supply. Accordingly, HDMI Cable Power should provide a remedy to satisfy the higher speeds of the HDMI 2.1a specification of up to 48 Gbit/s.

In order for the new Cable Power technology to work, both the source and receiving devices must support it. The ends of a cable are specially marked with the connections for the source and receiving device. If the connection is reversed, the cable should not be damaged, but the connection cannot be established in this way.

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If source devices do not support HDMI Cable Power, the cables that support them will be equipped with a separate connector. Typically, these are USB Micro-B or USB Type-C, but other connections should also be able to be used. According to the license administrator, more and more domestic devices support HDMI Cable Power technology. Therefore, HDMI cables of several meters could be suitable for domestic use and provide more convenience.

Source: HDMI License Administrator