The HDMI Rule Book

Q: Why am I having trouble finding an HDMI to DisplayPort cable? Does that type of cable exist?

A: The short answer to this question is yes, but only on the black market. The long answer is that there are very strict regulations on how HDMI cables are designed, manufactured and marketed. According to the HDMI consortium, who sets all the rules for HDMI products, the only way the HDMI label can be used is if both ends of the HDMI cable are matching HDMI to HDMI. If one side of the HDMI cable needs to be altered, it must be by an adapter. The only exception to this rule is an HDMI to DVI cable, which manufacturers are still allowed to construct.

HDMI (High-Definition Multimedia Interface) as a technology is patented to what’s called the “HDMI Forum,” which consists of 87 companies who are proprietary owners of the HDMI technology. Manufacturers must pay royalty fees to the HDMI Forum for the use of the HDMI name. There are strict guidelines that enforced by the HDMI Forum, from cable specifications right down to the packaging.

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