Where did DisplayPort to HDMI Cables go?

A few years ago DisplayPort to HDMI cables were available aplenty. Now you are hard pressed to find this sort of cable. What happened?

HDMI, which is short for “High-Definition Multimedia Interface,” is owned by a consortium, which is basically a group of assorted companies that have rights over the technology. This consortium strictly regulates the way HDMI is manufactured and sold.

If a cable has a male HDMI connector on one end, according to the rulebook it must have a male HDMI connector on the other end. Any other connector is considered a violation of HDMI’s regulations, making these cables unlicensed and considered illegal.

The HDMI consortium started cracking down on illegal cables back around 2011. Cease and desist letters were sent to retailers selling the cables, as well as the manufactures that were creating them. Threats of legal actions were thrown around, although it’s unclear if any court dates were actually held.

If you are in need of a cable that is HDMI to DisplayPort, there is still one fix available, and you don’t even have to break the law to use it. You can still use an adapter with your HDMI cable. CableWholesale’s DisplayPort male to HDMI female adapter allows you to send video from a DisplayPort, commonly found in PCs, to an HDMI monitor or TV. As long as the HDMI portion has a female end, a DisplayPort to HDMI adapter is acceptable.

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