Fiber Optic HDMI vs Active HDMI?

[DLite]

Is an Active HDMI cable the same as a fiber optic cable, or are they different concepts?

We have a long cable run that we use an HDMI extender for.  We've used several HDMI extenders from different companies, with mixed results.  I asked my dealer if we could use a fiber optic HDMI cable instead, to eliminate the need for an extender.  He proposed using an active HDMI cable -- the AudioQuest Cinnamon.  My lay understanding is that the active HDMI cable performs the same type of signal conversion that the HDMI extender does.  And, as a practical matter, I've found the Cinnamon to be a bit more finicky than a regular HDMI cable when carrying 4K signals; I had guessed it might have something to do with the "active" property of the cable.  

Is there such a thing as a "passive" fiber optic HDMI cable for long runs that just carries the signal in exactly the same way a short copper HDMI cable does? Or am I misunderstanding how this stuff works?

Thanks

[lippavisual]

Save your money on buying Audioquest.  Can't believe people still spend $$$ for snake oil cables.

 

Best passive fiber HDMI= Ethereal InstallBay.

One side is source and the other display, so it is directional.  Very slim and easy to pull through conduits, if required.  I have every length installed in many installs for quite a long time with zero issue. 

[DLite]

3 minutes ago, lippavisual said:

Save your money on buying Audioquest.  Can't believe people still spend $$$ for snake oil cables.

 

Best passive fiber HDMI= Ethereal InstallBay.

One side is source and the other display, so it is directional.  Very slim and easy to pull through conduits, if required.  I have every length installed in many installs for quite a long time with zero issue. 

Awesome, thanks for the advice!

 

[Köhler Medientechnik]

 

10 hours ago, lippavisual said:

Best passive fiber HDMI= Ethereal InstallBay.

One side is source and the other display, so it is directional.  Very slim and easy to pull through conduits, if required.  I have every length installed in many installs for quite a long time with zero issue. 

That´s an active cable (as the majority of the hybrid cables are), hence the direction.

We´re using Monoprice for our installs. Cheap and reliable, no need for expensive cabling. Just take care you´re not going <6ft/2m, that can cause issues.

EDIT: One addition: although active hybrid fiber cables are generally reliable, they have a disadvantage since they are dependant on a stable power source. Since they draw their power out of the HDMI port of the source device, if this source device doesn´t provide 100% stable power, it can result in short spikes/dropout. If you experience that, using a passive cable may be worth a try.

[lippavisual]

True, but doesn’t require external power plug.

A true passive cable still sends 5v from the source to display.  But you’re not going to find very long cables that will actually work without some sort of circuitry.

 

[DLite]

49 minutes ago, lippavisual said:

True, but doesn’t require external power plug.

A true passive cable still sends 5v from the source to display.  But you’re not going to find very long cables that will actually work without some sort of circuitry.

 

On that point, all the >50ft Monoprice and Ethereal  cables I am seeing online are either Active HDMI or Active Optical Cable.  Is that inevitable, or am I missing some passive fiber optic cables that are out there at this length?

[Köhler Medientechnik]

There isn´t such a thing as a passive fiber optic cable. With a fiber cable, the electrical signal is converted to light impules and then converted back to an electrical signal at the other end.

That requires power and electrical curcuits on both ends. Hence it´s called "active". 

[DLite]

1 hour ago, Köhler Medientechnik said:

There isn´t such a thing as a passive fiber optic cable. With a fiber cable, the electrical signal is converted to light impules and then converted back to an electrical signal at the other end.

That requires power and electrical curcuits on both ends. Hence it´s called "active". 

Got it -- thanks very much for clarifying the terms.