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Help - HDMI Cable Installed with Input/Output Reversed
Our HDMI cable was installed with the input/output on the wrong ends.
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July 13, 2009 | by CE Pro

Q. Our HDMI cable was installed with the input and output on the wrong ends. Can the ends be reversed? - Noemi, Glen Cove, N.Y.

A. AVGuys Houston provides these tips via CE Pro:

[There are] 2 ways to answer this post:

1) NO, the cable will have to be removed and re-run to gain optimal use of the directionality of the wire.

2) It will make no difference if the arrows that are printed on the wire do not point the same way as the flow of current.

Now, there are lots of other questions that get raised before either of those answers can be applied:

  • What indicates the input/output are reversed?
  • What brand of cable?
  • How long is the cable?
  • Is there a repeater involved?
  • Is there a different connector on each end?

CE Pro senior editor Robert Archer also weighed in:

It may be fixable, in theory, but HDMI cables are delicate and the cable would probably have to be sent back to the manufacturer. It may fall under a warranty, but the manufacturer may not be able to fix it.

This is part of the reason why you don’t see field-terminable HDMI cables.

It may also be less expensive to just buy a new one. I don’t know who manufactured the cable, but I know companies like Transparent, Straight Wire, Tributaries have policies to protect client purchases. It’s part of the value of spending a little bit extra to buy quality products from quality manufacturers.

Some people view cabling as throw away items, but they’re an undervalued part of the system equation.



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Comments (13) Most recent displayed first.
Posted by bob archer  on  07/14/09  at  03:41 PM

I think you guys need to re-read the post and the responses from myself and AV Guys Houston.

AV Guys points out the arrows on the cables won’t make a difference in how the signal is handled by the cable.

Posted by Todd A  on  07/14/09  at  01:32 PM

What is this? It’s way past April! Just because some manufacturers want us to beleive that a cable is directional, doesn’t mean that it actually is.

Come to think of it, I’m not sure what is going on here. Did they run an in wall cable and get the “direction reversed” or was something wrong in the manufacturing process? If the former, it’s no problem, if the latter, see if it works anyway. If it works then there is no problem.

Posted by Aggrazel  on  07/14/09  at  10:42 AM

Are you serious? HDMI cables are digital. Digital bits don’t care in which direction they flow down a cable.

Are you someone who also recommends gold plated HDMI cables?

Posted by Bob Archer  on  07/14/09  at  06:19 AM

Hi RonX, you didn’t read the post correctly. I didn’t respond about the directionality of the cable and secondly the point the installer made was that the arrow that’s printed on the cable doesn’t make a difference.

My recommendation was to pull the cable out and install a new one. HDMI cables are delicate and you can’t fix them like you could a coax-based compression fitting RCA cable.

I also noted that part of the danger of buying a cost savings cable is that those overseas manufacturers don’t have any QC (quality control) standards. They are just trying to meet their volume quotas and if you get a bad cable they are probably not going to send you a replacement because their warranties are limited.

Companies like Straight Wire, Transparent and Tributaries (I just named a few here) sell more expensive products, but they have much better QC procedures, better warranties and they back their products with much more pride. They also provide consumers with the luxury of U.S.-based offices, which means if you call them about a product issue you will speak to a real American representative of that company.

Posted by RonX  on  07/13/09  at  09:12 PM

Is Robert Archer being serious in their response? If the cable doesn’t have any active circuitry in it, is not directional.


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