The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) has issued U.S. Patent number 7,914,338 for hd EZ lock.

“As HDMI is expected to remain the dominant connection interface for consumer electronics, with an estimated 1.3 billion connected devices on the market by 2014, we’re very proud to receive a U.S. Patent for hd EZ lock. hd EZ lock is a product that has been well-received by the Consumer Electronics and Medical Industries, and one that solves HDMI connection problems extremely well,” said Tony Eppright, President of Blue Echo Solutions.

hd EZ lock addresses common issues with the physical HDMI connection, both by locking the HDMI cable and eliminating harmful stress on the HDMI input. hd EZ lock typically installs in less than two minutes, and can be used with most HDMI cables and HDMI Components on the market. Once installed, hd EZ lock acts as a strain-relief eliminating connection problems such as disconnected HDMI Cables, intermittent sound and/or picture, signal dropouts, and stress induced damage to HDMI Cables and HDMI Inputs. Besides being a source of major inconvenience, these issues can, and often do result in expensive service calls and warranty repair.

Along with Custom Installers and end-users, hd EZ lock customers include Audio/Video Integration companies, Medical Equipment manufacturers for use on Surgical Devices, Professional Video Processor and Digital Signage manufacturers.
About hd EZ lock

The Patented hd EZ lock is the original Universal HDMI Locking Adapter, designed to work with most HDMI Cables and HDMI Components to secure them in place and eliminate harmful stress on the HDMI Input. The Universal hd EZ lock HDMI Lock is also recipient of a CES 2009 Innovations Design & Engineering Showcase Award. hd EZ lock is designed and manufactured in the USA by Blue Echo Solutions, Inc. Visit www.hdEZlock.com for more information about hd EZ lock. European customers interested in learning more about hd EZ lock can visit www.hdezlock.eu for more information.
About Blue Echo Solutions

Blue Echo Solutions is a Consumer Electronics company dedicated to providing Dealers and Consumers with products and services that will enhance the Consumer Electronics experience through innovative products and solutions, as well as by building great relationships and through world-class Customer Service. Blue Echo Solutions manufactures hd EZ lock and Blue Echo HDMI Cables. For more information about Blue Echo Solutions, visit www.blueechosolutions.com.

CONTACTS:
Tony Eppright
President
Blue Echo Solutions, Inc.
Phone/Fax 800-723-2304
t-eppright@blueechosolutions.com

HDMI Cable with the HDMI head removed showing the 19 wires for hookup

A while ago, we wrote an article “Can HDMI Cables be Repaired?“, which has had a lot more interest than we ever imagined.  That article was really meant as an overview, and did not go into too much depth about how to repair an HDMI Cable.  Because of the interest that article has received, as well as all of the requests we have gotten on this subject, we thought we’d write another article to go into more detail on the subject of repairing a damaged HDMI Cable.

When we designed our product, hd EZ lock Universal HDMI Locking Adapter, we were aware of the issues surrounding the HDMI connection system, namely a loose HDMI connector and a fragile HDMI port. One additional problem that we were aware of, but at the time didn’t realize how common it is, is that of a damaged HDMI Cable.

We’ve seen countless forum posts and receive regular emails and phone calls from our customers asking if it’s possible to repair an HDMI Cable once it has been damaged. While it is possible, it can be very difficult to pull off. This article will help you decide if it’s better to repair or replace your HDMI Cable, and show you where to purchase the necessary items to complete a repair, along with some other helpful information to allow you to successfully repair your HDMI Cable.

Prevention is the Best Medicine:

Before reaching the point where you are searching for a solution to fix your damaged HDMI cable, there are things you should consider to prevent damage to your HDMI Cables or components:

• Make sure you have plenty of room behind your HDMI components so that your HDMI cables are not being forced into the back of your cabinet or wall.
• Don’t place excessive stress on your HDMI Input.
• Use hd EZ lock on your HDMI connections. hd EZ lock is an inexpensive option that acts as a strain relief to eliminate the stress on your HDMI cables and your HDMI components and secures your HDMI Cables in place. Another option is a “port saver,” a short and thin HDMI jumper (usually 6″ to 12″) that goes between your HDMI Cable and your component.
• Be sure to disconnect your HDMI cables before moving your components.

Prevention is the best medicine, and taking these inexpensive and simple steps can save you a lot of frustration and money in the long run.

Repair or Replace?

Why would you want to repair an HDMI Cable instead of just replacing it? In most cases, it’s much easier, and probably less expensive, to just replace the HDMI Cable with a new one. If you purchased your HDMI Cable from a reputable source, you might find that they will replace the HDMI Cable for you under warranty.

What if you’ve invested a lot of money in your HDMI Cable and it’s not covered?  Or maybe you’ve installed your HDMI Cables in your walls, and now that your walls have been closed up there’s no way to replace your HDMI Cable without tearing your walls up? Replacing an in-wall HDMI Cable can be a very labor intensive job, which is costly in both time and money. In some cases, repairing your HDMI Cable might be a better option than replacing it.

What Makes it So Difficult to Repair?

HDMI Cable with outer case removed showing the small solder connections required

The image above shows an HDMI Cable that has had the connector removed and the outer cable stripped back. There are 19 wires inside the HDMI Cable (including drain wires) that all have to be precisely soldered to a very small connector. The 19 wires must also maintain a very precise tolerance in length, which is important if you’re cutting off the entire HDMI Connector and replacing it with a new connector.

Another reason it’s so difficult to repair is that HDMI passes so much bandwidth that there is very little room for error. If the individual wire lengths don’t match, or the wires are not twisted with the proper geometry, you may experience issues with the signal passing correctly.

Repairing an HDMI cable might consist of re-soldering a single cable that has come disconnected, as is the case with the HDMI cable pictured here. Or if the HDMI connector has been completely damaged, as in the picture below, the HDMI connector will have to be replaced. In some cases, the damage can be done mid-cable, which would require splicing two sections of cable together.

With the HDMI cable above, a disconnected cable could be caused by workmanship, or maybe excess stress was place on the HDMI Cable, causing it to break the solder joint. In this case we’re lucky because the HDMI Cable head is a metal casing that is screwed together over the HDMI connector, and can be easily removed to access the wires underneath.

With a bit of precise soldering the broken wire can be reattached and the metal housing replaced and we’re in business.

Broken HDMI cable connector

In most cases, though, the HDMI connector is hidden behind the plastic overmold and is not accessible without cutting away the plastic. If not done carefully, you can cause additional damage when trying to remove the Plastic. Also, if you have to cut away the plastic, you may not be able to replace it when completed.

The image here shows an HDMI connector which has been damaged beyond repair. When the HDMI connector is damaged beyond repair, the only option would be to attempt to replace the connector. In this case, the entire HDMI connector will have to be cut off and replaced with a new connector.

To Solder or Not To Solder?

Example of HDMI Cable repair kits that are available

If you decide to repair a broken HDMI Cable, there are products available that can make your job much easier.  HDMI connector kits are available from various sources such as Pacific Cable or Toby Electronics.  These kits require soldering the 19 wires of the HDMI cable to the replacement connector. This will require a good Soldering Iron, like the Hakko 996 or Weller WES51, as replacing the HDMI connector requires very precise soldering with no room for error. Of course, it’s also necessary to make sure that you match the correct wire with the correct pin on the HDMI connector (more on that below).

If you’re making a mid-cable repair, you may also choose to solder the two cables together and cover the connection with heat shrink when completed.

For those that are not experienced with soldering, there are other solutions which may give you better results.

These HDMI to Screw Terminal Connectors attach the HDMI connector to a circuit board with screw terminals, so that you don’t have to solder the wires but instead screw them into the terminal. The terminal is marked so you can make the proper connections. Once connected, you connect a short male-to-male HDMI Cable to complete the connection. The overall size is much larger than a standard HDMI connector, but it removes the need to solder.

One version is available in the U.S. from L-com, and another version in the U.K. from CPC.

HDMI to Screw Terminal Connectors

A more recently introduced product you may have seen, the HDMI Field Terminating kit, requires no soldering and allows the HDMI Cable to be attached to a proprietary HDMI connector using a crimp style connection. It’s also designed to work without stripping the out jacket away from the individual wires.

Field terminating HDMI Cable shown by Audioquest

This was designed to allow installers to field-terminate HDMI Cables, and may not be a good solution for repairing a damaged cable for several reasons:

• It may be hard to find in smaller quantities and through retailers.
• It requires a special tool to install, and the tool cost is around $125 to $150, making it too expensive in most cases to be worthwhile.
• It’s designed to work with specific bulk HDMI Cables, and may not work with your existing cable.

Keeping Your Signals Straight:

Once you decide which method of connection you’re going to use, you still have the formidable task of making sure you connect the right wire to the right pin. With 19 wires, it’s easy enough to mix up.

HDMI Pinout Diagram

There is no standard for color-coding the wires and it can become very easy to make a mistake.  I think it’s fair to say that you will have a tough time contacting the manufacturer to find the color code for the wiring.

It’s not necessary to understand what each wire is for, but it is important to understand which wire goes to which pin. If you make a mistake and wire the wrong wire to the wrong pin, you risk damaging your components. This diagram shows the pin layout, as if you’re standing in front of the connector. The wider section of the connector is the top of the connector, and contains the odd pins 1 – 19. The lower section, the narrower part of the connector, contains even pins 2-18.  Make sure to keep these locations straight when looking at the HDMI connector from the reverse side.

To complicate matters further, there are different wiring configurations for HDMI Cables with Ethernet (Standard HDMI Cable with Ethernet and High Speed HDMI Cable with Ethernet) and HDMI Cables without Ethernet (Standard HDMI Cables and High Speed HDMI Cables).  The connectors/pins are the same but the raw cable is constructed differently.

The diagram below shows the cable construction of an HDMI Cable without Ethernet (previously called 1.3) on the left, and an HDMI Cable with Ethernet on the right (previously known as 1.4).

Pins 1-13, 15, and 18 are the same in both cables.  Pins 14, 17 and 19 are different not only in how they are used, but also in how they are constructed.  In order to add Ethernet capabilities, pin 14 (which is unused/reserved for future use in the left HDMI Cable) is now combined with pin 17 to form a twisted pair, along with pin 19 which becomes the shield for these two channels (the HEAC channel on pins 14 and 17) and also serves as the Hot Plug Detect.

Pinout Diagram for HDMI with and without Ethernet

So how can you determine which wire goes where?  Since you most likely won’t have a wiring diagram to tell you which wires go to which pin, you’ll have to figure it out on your own.  Here are a couple of ways you can find out which wire goes to which pin:

1. Do not get rid of your existing connector. If you have to replace an existing connector, use it to find out which of the 19 wires goes to which connector. Cut open the molding (make sure you do not) to expose the wires at the point of connection.
2. If you don’t have access to this, you might use a multimeter’s resistance function to check continuity between pins and wire ends.  This of course will be more challenging if they’re far apart from each other or in a different room.  Unless your probes are very small, use a small gauge wire to insert into each pin to test the continuity.  If this is your only option, be very careful that you don’t damage your existing HDMI connector by trying to force the probes from your multimeter into the tiny pinholes on the HDMI connector.

Once you’ve identified each wire, create a diagram to show which color wire goes to which connection.  Make sure this is absolutely correct before beginning your connections.

Also it’s important to note, there will be 4 or 5 groups of three wires (usually three wires wrapped in an outer foil). For HDMI cables WITHOUT Ethernet, there are four sets of three wires, and seven discrete wires. For HDMI cables WITH Ethernet, there are five sets of three wires, and four individual wires.

It’s important to make sure that you maintain these groups when connecting the wires to the pins.  For example, if you’re connecting TMDS Data 2 (pins 1-3), you must use the three wires that are wrapped together and connected to pins 1-3 on your existing connector.  Some wires may have the same color, and most/all of the drain wires will look the same so it’s easy to mix up.  Make sure you maintain these groupings exactly as they were connected previously.

If you look closely, you’ll notice one additional connection.  There will also be an outer shield, a braided metal sleeve that surrounds all of the cables.  This sleeve is not connected to any pin, but rather it is connected/soldered to the outer connector/hood.

Wrapping It Up:

Once your connections are made, cover any exposed wires to make sure they will not come into contact with anything.  How you do this will depend on which method you’re using for repair, but it’s important that they are protected.

It’s a good idea to test your repaired HDMI Cable to make sure that you’ve done everything correctly.  You can do this with an HDMI Tester, but you may find it hard to justify the cost if you’re only repairing one connector.

With this information, you can now decide if it’s worth the effort to repair your HDMI Cable, of if you’re better off replacing it with a new HDMI Cable.  It is possible for you to repair a damaged HDMI Cable in many cases, but you’ll have to ask yourself if it’s worth the time and effort.  It’s easy to make a mistake, and there will be some expense along with no guarantees that it will be successful. If you can easily replace your damaged HDMI Cable with a new one, that’s a much easier and safer way to go. If you must repair it, keep in mind that you’re working with expensive Audio/Video components and if you’re not careful, you risk damaging more than just your HDMI Cable.

Disclaimer: This article is meant for informative purposes only. We do not recommend performing any type of electrical repair yourself. In these situations, we recommend contacting a professional to perform these repairs.

HDconnect will conduct wholesale distribution and support for hd EZ lock throughout Europe. This will allow Blue Echo Solutions to have a full service marketing presence for Commercial and Residential System Integrators, Distributors, Resellers and Dealers. HDconnect has already sold their first order to retailer Digitaltvexperten.se, making hd EZ lock available to retail customers in the Swedish market.

“We are very excited to begin this cooperation with Blue Echo Solutions and believe this is the beginning of a long and successful partnership. The product fits perfectly in our present range of products” said Magnus Carlund, President of HDconnect.

hd EZ lock addresses well-known issues with physical HDMI connections by both locking the HDMI cable and eliminating harmful stress on the HDMI input. hd EZ lock typically installs in less than two minutes, and can be used with virtually any HDMI cable and component on the market. Once installed, hd EZ lock serves as a strain-relief which eliminates connection problems such as intermittent signals and dropouts, typically caused by stress on the internal pins of a female HDMI receptacle. The end result is fewer service calls for consumers and lower costs of warranty for installers.

Along with Custom Installers and end-users, hd EZ lock customers include Audio/Video Integration companies, and Medical Equipment, Professional Video Processor and Digital Signage manufacturers.

“As HDMI use continues to grow at such a fast pace in both the consumer and professional markets, we’re pleased to work with our new European partner to offer our unique solution for HDMI connection issues to distributors, dealers, and retail customers throughout Europe, ” said Tony Eppright, President of Blue Echo Solutions.

About hd EZ lock
hd EZ lock is the only adapter of its kind designed to work with most HDMI Cables and HDMI components to secure them in place, and eliminate harmful stress on the HDMI Input. The patent-pending universal hd EZ lock is recipient of a CES 2009 Innovations Design & Engineering Showcase Award. hd EZ lock is designed and manufactured in the USA by Blue Echo Solutions, Inc. European customers interested in learning more about hd EZ lock can visit www.hdezlock.eu for more information.

About HDconnect
HDconnect is a Swedish based distributor who is specialized in switchers, splitters and converters in audio and video. They provide the brand CYP/// among others to stores and installers in northern Europe. For more information, visit www.hdconnect.se.

About Blue Echo Solutions
Blue Echo Solutions is a Consumer Electronics company dedicated to providing Dealers and Consumers with products and services that will enhance the Consumer Electronics experience through innovative products and solutions, as well as by building great relationships and through world-class Customer Service. Blue Echo Solutions manufactures hd EZ lock and Blue Echo HDMI Cables. For more information about Blue Echo Solutions, visit www.blueechosolutions.com.

CONTACTS:

Tony Eppright
President
Blue Echo Solutions, Inc.
Phone/Fax 800-723-2304
t-eppright@blueechosolutions.com

Magnus Carlund
President
HDConnect
Phone: +46 (0)303-237740
magnus@hdconnect.se

HDMI Cable with the HDMI head removed showing the 19 wires for hookup

Update: This article was originally intended to be an overview about repairing a damaged HDMI Cable.  Because of the great interest we’ve had in this article, we wrote a more updated and detailed version, “Repairing a Broken HDMI Cable – Part II.”

We’ve mentioned in several articles how fragile the Physical HDMI Connector is, and that one of the results of this is a damaged HDMI Cable.  We’ve read many forum posts, and we’ve received emails from our clients asking if it’s possible to repair an HDMI Cable once it has been damaged. While it is possible, it can be very difficult to pull off.

Before reaching this point, there are things you can do to prevent damage to your HDMI Cable. Make sure you have plenty of room behind your HDMI Components so that you’re not pushing the HDMI Cables into the back of your Cabinet. Don’t place excessive stress on your HDMI Input. If you’re using a longer length HDMI Cable, most likely it’s a pretty heavy and stiff cable. Use hd EZ lock to eliminate the stress and keep your HDMI Cable in place, or consider a “port saver” to go between your HDMI Cable and your component. Prevention is the best medicine, and taking these steps can save you a lot of frustration and money in the long run.

Why would you want to repair an HDMI Cable instead of just replacing it? In most cases, it’s much easier to just replace the HDMI Cable with a new one. If you purchased your HDMI Cable from a reputable source, you might find that they will replace the HDMI Cable for you under warranty.

But you may have invested a lot of money in your HDMI Cable and it’s not covered, or you’ve gone through the trouble to install the HDMI Cable in-wall.  Replacing an in-wall HDMI Cable can be a very labor intensive job, which is costly in both time and money. In some cases, it may be worth trying to repair the HDMI Connector.

What makes repairing/replacing the HDMI Connector so difficult? HDMI is passing so much bandwidth that there is very little room for error.  The image above shows an HDMI Cable that has had the connector removed and the outer cable stripped back.

HDMI Cable with outer case removed showing the small solder connections required

There are 19 wires inside the HDMI Cable (including drain wires) that all have to be precisely soldered to a very small connector. The 19 wires must also maintain a very precise tolerance in length, which is important if you’re cutting off the entire HDMI Connector and replacing it with a new connector. In a best case scenario you may have one wire that has become disconnected from the HDMI Connector. In a worst case scenario, the entire HDMI Connector is damaged and will need to be replaced.

The image to the left shows an example of a single wire (the red wire) that has broken away.

This could be caused by workmanship, or maybe excess stress was place on the HDMI Cable, causing it to break the solder connection. In this case we’re lucky because the HDMI Cable head is a metal casing that is screwed together over the HDMI Connector, and can be easily removed to access the wires underneath.

With a bit of precise soldering the broken wire can be reattached and the metal housing replaced and we’re in business.

In many cases, though, the HDMI Connector is hidden behind the plastic overmold and is not accessible without cutting away the plastic. If not done carefully, you may cause additional damage when trying to remove the Plastic. Also, if you have to cut away the plastic, you may not be able to replace it when completed.  The end result will most likely be cosmetically less than desirable, but otherwise should be okay.

The image below shows a HDMI connector which has been damaged beyond repair.   When the HDMI Connector is damaged beyond repair, the only option would be to attempt to replace the connector.  The entire HDMI connector will have to be cut off and replaced with a new connector.  This is the tough part.

Broken HDMI cable connector

HDMI Connector kits are available from various sources such as Pacific Cable or Toby Electronics:

Example of HDMI Cable repair kits that are available

As mentioned, replacing the HDMI connector requires very precise soldering with no room for error. Of course, it’s also necessary to make sure that you match the correct wire with the correct pin on the HDMI Connector.

Another product, an HDMI to Screw Terminal Connector, attaches the HDMI Connector to a circuit board with screw terminals, so that you don’t have to solder the wires but instead screw them into the terminal. The overall size is much larger than a standard HDMI Connector, and more expensive, but it removes the need to solder.

HDMI Screw-terminal connector

Audioquest, a well-known cable manufacturer showed a very promising HDMI Field Terminating kit which allows the HDMI Cable to be attached to their proprietary HDMI Connector using a crimp style connection, and no need for soldering. It’s also designed to work without stripping the out jacket away from the individual wires. Although we’re not sure, it seems that you have to use Audioquest HDMI Cables as well, so this may not be an option for replacing the HDMI Connector on an existing HDMI Cable. As of this writing, it does not seem that this is available for purchase.

Field terminating HDMI Cable shown by Audioquest

BTX Technologies has since released a very similar field-terminating HDMI kit, but it’s very cost prohibitive (expensive), and it appears to only be available in bulk quantities.

As you can see, it is possible to repair a damaged HDMI Cable in some cases, but you have to ask yourself if it’s worth the effort. It’s not an easy task to take on, and there will be some expense along with no guarantees that it will be successful. If you can easily replace your damaged HDMI Cable with a new one, that’s a much easier and safer way to go. If you must repair it, keep in mind that you’re working with expensive Audio/Video components and if you’re not careful, you risk damaging more than just your HDMI Cable. If you decide to repair it, we recommend hiring a professional.

Disclaimer: This article is meant for informative purposes only. We do not recommend performing any type of electrical repair yourself, but rather contacting a professional to perform these repairs.

Blue Echo Solutions announced today it has reduced the price of the award winning hd EZ lock, the patent pending Universal Locking HDMI Adapter by 25% to $14.95 a pair.

Lakewood, WA, October 21, 2009 — Blue Echo Solutions, Inc., the manufacturer of the patent pending hd EZ lock, announced today a 25% price reduction on its hd EZ lock Universal Locking HDMI Cable Adapter. hd EZ lock, winner of a 2009 CES Innovations Award, is now available at a price of $14.95 for a pair. Dealer and Distributor pricing have also been reduced.

“Thanks to the support we’ve received from our early adopters, both on a retail and wholesale level, Blue Echo Solutions has been able to negotiate better manufacturing costs with our US Manufacturer, which has allowed us to pass the price savings on to our customers” says Tony Eppright, President of Blue Echo Solutions.

More and more HDMI Cable Manufacturers are beginning to address the issues with the HDMI Connection, namely a fragile HDMI Connector that can be damaged easily from stress, and a problem with HDMI Connections causing intermittent signal dropouts or becoming completely disconnected. Most of the solutions address the cable becoming disconnected, but many of them do nothing to address the damage that can be caused to an HDMI Component by the stress placed on the HDMI Input. hd EZ lock addresses both issues, by securing one’s HDMI Cable to prevent signal dropouts and disconnects caused by a loose HDMI Cable or loose connection, and by eliminating Stress on the HDMI Input by supporting the HDMI Cable from the component’s chassis.

In addition to this, most solutions available require the purchase of a specific brand of HDMI Cable. hd EZ lock is the only adapter available that secures the HDMI Cable and eliminate stress while using the HDMI Cable of choice, as hd EZ lock works universally with most HDMI Cables and HDMI Components on the market.

hd EZ lock typically installs in a couple of minutes or less, allows easy changing of HDMI Cables after installation, and is reusable if the HDMI Cables or Components are changed.

hd EZ lock has helped many of users to:

– Eliminate Intermittent Signal dropouts due to a poor HDMI Connection
– Remedy an intermittent Signal due to a fragile HDMI Connector by eliminating stress on the HDMI Input
– Keep HDMI Cables from coming disconnected when moving components
– Gain peace of mind in knowing that once an HDMI Connection is secured with hd EZ lock, there is no need to worry about damaging the HDMI Input or having to track down a problem HDMI Connection due to the physical connection

hd EZ lock™ is designed to work with most HDMI Cables on the market, and with most HDMI Components by using either the fixing screw above or below the HDMI Input, or with the supplied 3m Very High Bond (VHB) adhesive. hd EZ lock is designed, engineered and manufactured in the USA.

About Blue Echo Solutions, Inc.
Blue Echo Solutions is a Consumer Electronics company dedicated to providing Manufacturers and Consumers with products and services that will enhance the Consumer Electronics experience through innovative products and solutions, as well as by building great relationships and through world-class Customer Service.

Blue Echo Solutions, Inc. is based in Lakewood, Washington and was founded in 2008.

For more information, or to order hd EZ lock(TM), visit Blue Echo Solution, Inc.’s website at http://www.blueechosolutions.com/ or http://www.blueechosolutions.com/hd-ez-lock.php

hd EZ lock(TM) will also be available for the Japanese market through http://www.behappyusa.com/

Press Contact:
Tony Eppright
President
Blue Echo Solutions, Inc.
Phone/Fax 800-723-2304
www.blueechosolutions.com/contact-us.php
Source Blue Echo Solutions, Inc.

That’s why we designed and manufactured the patent pending hd EZ lock, the only Universal HDMI Locking Adapter on the market. hd EZ lock was designed to eliminate those issues, and it does it extremely well! hd EZ lock attaches to your component’s chassis to support your HDMI Cable and “lock” it in place. It works with most HDMI Cables and Components on the market, and attaches using the existing screws above or below your HDMI Input, or with the supplied 3M VHB Adhesive (if you’re skeptical about the adhesive, read our reviews…our customers are pleasantly surprise at how well it holds). hd EZ lock is very easy to install (in most cases just a couple of minutes), extremely flexible, and reusable over and over again.

But Lock your HDMI Cable you say? Why on earth would you want to lock your HDMI Cable in place? I mean, what if your dog trips over your cable? Your whole system will crash to the floor and be destroyed! I could see if you want to swing your TV around the room by the HDMI Cable, but other than that, sounds like a stupid idea! Well, these are some of the comments that we’ve read on blogs that have talked about locking HDMI Cables, or our hd EZ lock Locking HDMI Adapter. Well, we’d like to remind you that Consumer Electronics have always had some type of permanent Cable (how about the AC Cord) or locking connection such as the RF Cable, which twists on the male threads on the TV to, yes, lock it in place. In the professional industry, BNC Connectors are widely used, accepted and preferred and they have a twist lock connection. Also, many people favored the DVI Cable, which was similar to a VGA Connector used on computers, with screws on each side of the connector to lock it in place (size was an issue, but the lock ensured a solid connection).

Please keep in mind that hd EZ lock was really designed for home theater use, as well as professional applications, such as studios, hotels, restaurants, yachts, etc., and not so much for portable applications such as laptop computers and camcorders, although it will work well for those as well in some cases.

hd EZ lock secures an HDMI cable and eliminates stress on your HDMI Input.

With that in mind, if you experience any issues with your signal dropping out, loose or disconnected HDMI Cables, or worse, damaged HDMI Cables or components, hd EZ lock is an inexpensive and easy way to resolve your issues. If you’ve invested money into your home theater system and you want to make sure you don’t have to worry about these issues, hd EZ lock is a great “peace of mind” addon to your HDMI Connection.

If you make your living by selling and installing home theater systems, it’s also a great way to ensure that you don’t get called to go on an expensive (possibly unnecessary) troubleshooting call only to find out that it’s a problem with a loose or intermittent HDMI Connection. Or worse, it’s a great way to prevent expensive service work or warranty repairs due to a damaged HDMI Input. All of this means you can spend your time doing more important things, and of course, your clients will be thrilled that they don’t have to worry about random dropouts or being without their equimpent while their product is in for service.

If you haven’t tried hd EZ lock, but you’re having problems or worried about potential issues, why not give it a try? It’s inexpensive, extremely effective, reusable with a lifetime warranty, and comes with a 30 day money back guarantee. And best of all, it prevents your HDMI Cable from Stressing you out!

hd EZ lock in Home Theater Magazine's Summer Gift Guide, July 2009

Nothing irks me more than sliding my component cabinet back up against the wall after changing equipment only to have one or more of my HDMI cables come loose.  The hd EZ lock works with your existing cables and components.  Even if you’re not swapping things in and out like a reviewer, over time, the weight of cables will be enough to unhook them faster than your first girlfriend’s bra. – FM

Reprinted from Home Theater Magazine, July 2009
Summer Gift Guide, page 33

hd EZ lock ($20 $14.95 per pair)

Stereophile Magazine review of hd EZ lock - HDMI is the Invention of the Devil.

It gets worse. Repeated misalignments of the connector can result in actual misalignment of the contact elements so that proper contact becomes impossible. One must then replace the cable or repair the component, and I don’t know which is worse. You can pay the cost of having the factory replace the HDMI chassis connector, but in some cases the cost and bother of snaking a new HDMI cable through the wall can be even greater. Believe me, I know—the connector of one of my in-wall HDMI cables failed, and HDMI connectors are not field-replaceable.

Of course, none of this is a secret, and many in the cable industry are working on the problem. The most common solution is the use of Port-savers: short, flexible male-female HDMI cables that intercede between your component and your long, heavy-duty HDMI cable to relieve the torque on the chassis connection. These do the job, and are inexpensive (less than $3 from Monoprice). However, they’re not a perfect solution, for two reasons: they add one more physical/electrical connection to the circuit, and further contribute to the mare’s nest of cables and connections behind the equipment rack. What we really need is a better HDMI connector—one that attaches firmly to the chassis, resists being yanked out accidentally, and prevents the wiggling that can compromise an electrical contact.

In the past few weeks, I’ve played with a few solutions. The simplest is the new PPC Locking HDMI Cable (6′, $59.99). This flexible, high-quality cable has gold-plated pins and, to eliminate interference, 100% foil coverage and braided shielding. What makes this product unique, however, is that the undersurface of its HDMI connector is split to create a spring latch, which engages the shell of the chassis socket as it is inserted. There’s a button on the connector shell to release the latch.

PPC claims that this latch increases threefold its resistance to pull-out, and that’s what it feels like to me. Sure, I can yank the cable out without pressing the release button, but it takes a lot more effort than with regular HDMI cables. It was not dislodged by normal environmental stresses, such as those caused by moving a component or connecting nearby cables—or, indeed, by moving the PPC cable itself. Moreover, as I subjected the PPC to these stresses, the integrity of the audio and video signals was never compromised. While there was practically no vertical play in the PPC connection, there was some play from side to side—though still less than with conventional HDMI connectors. But since the functional electrical contact remained unaffected by any wiggling of connector, I can’t fault the PPC, and its use requires no installation, or any change in the way you normally hook up an HDMI cable.

Although the PPC seemed immune to my determined wiggling of HDMI cables, its lateral play still reminded me of all the wiggling I’d done when nursing failing HDMI cables, and that made me desire an even more secure connection. However, these require a bit of installation, and aren’t as convenient as the PPC for those (read: equipment reviewers) who frequently swap out components and connections. In addition, these devices are not universal solutions—they rely on the user being able to access the screw that usually fixes the HDMI socket to a component’s rear panel. For example, the screw on my Zektor HDMI switcher is inaccessible.

The first of these types is an HDMI cable with a long screw fitted to a prominence on the connector shell. The user removes the screw from the rear panel of the component and, after inserting the cable into the socket, inserts and tightens the cable’s screw into the chassis’ threads, firmly locking the cable to the rear panel. I tried cables of this general description from Gefen and Xantech.

The Gefen Mono-LOK cable is a breeze to use and, by linking the connector housing to the component chassis, relieves any stress due to cable routing or manipulation (6′, $49). I thought the rigidity of the connection, particularly in the lateral plane, to be much greater than with the PPC cable, and certainly more than with standard HDMI. My only cavil is that the cable requires you to replace the flat screw holding the HDMI connector (on the sink or source side) with the cable’s screw to hold the lock in place. For fairly stable and permanent arrangements, this is not an issue.

The Xantech Locking HDMI cable (6′, $60) is quite like the Gefen, but also comes with a pair of threaded hex-body standoffs just like the ones used with RS-232 and DVI cables. It is intended to replace the chassis screws, so that the internal HDMI connector remains firmly fixed to the chassis even when, later, you have to change HDMI cables. The Xantech enhancement appears to contribute little to the security of the cable connection, but it did contribute to my peace of mind—I knew that there was no chance of misaligning an HDMI connection while fumbling with that or other cables. The standoffs are also fully compatible with the Gefen cables, and can be purchased from any supplier of computer parts.

Last but not the least is the Blue Echo Solutions hd EZ lock, which firmly locks a conventional HDMI cable to the chassis socket ($20/pair). Installation of this gadget was a bit fiddly, and required manipulation of small parts in tight quarters. However, while it permits the replacement of cables (with a hex key!) and can itself be removed, the hd EZ lock is not intended for quick and casual cable swapping. Conversely, it did afford the most firmly secure HDMI connection, while still giving me complete freedom of choice in cable selection. This I like.

In fact, I like every one of these products. They’ve convinced me that I need the added reassurance of the firm connections they offer. At one end of the spectrum, the PPC Locking cable is ideal for those who frequently swap out equipment. Just use them as ordinary HDMI cables that are a lot less likely to lose connection. At the other end is the Blue Echo hd EZ lock. I’m certain (I haven’t tried it) that I could hang my Blu-ray player from an hd EZ locked HDMI cable, as long as the cable itself was up to the task. Probably the best choice for most people are the Gefen and Xantech cables, with which I, for one, am replacing all of my HDMI connections. Never again will I have to wiggle or reseat an HDMI cable.

Reprinted from Stereophile MUSIC IN THE ROUND #37, by Kalman Rubinson
July 2009

(View original article on www.stereophile.com)

hd EZ lock with Blue Echo HDMI Cable - Secures HDMI Cable to HDMI Input, and eliminated harmful stress on the HDMI Input

is that HDMI Cables are much bigger and heavier than USB Cables, and they have to be in order to carry the Bandwidth needed for an HDMI Signal, particularly for longer runs.

Why is this a problem? This is a problem for two reasons, the HDMI Cable can work itself loose or completely become disconnected, and the weight of the HDMI Cable can place enough stress on your HDMI Input to internally damage your component. Those that have worked in the Consumer Electronics Industry, particularly those dealing with the Installation side of things, are well aware of the problems with the HDMI Connection, and most likely are no stranger to phone calls from frustrated customers wanting to know why their Home Theater just stopped working. And with HDMI becoming much more common, more people are experiencing these issues.

The first problem – the loose HDMI Cable, which is a common issue – can happen by itself over time (the weight of the cable causes it to work itself loose over time), or it can easily happen with those that move their equipment for any reason. Imagine dusting behind your AV equipment and your HDMI Cables come loose. Or maybe you have to access the back of your AV Receiver and as you pull it out to access the back, all of your HDMI Cables come unplugged. These can be very frustrating for the consumer and installer alike. But more than just an inconvenience, repeated plugging and unplugging of your HDMI Cables can cause the HDMI to seat even looser, and increases the risk of damaging your equipment.

Most of the Locking HDMI Cables on the market that we’ve reviewed will address this problem adequately, and keep your HDMI Cable from coming loose. But many of them don’t address the second issue, and that is the potential of damaging your component due to the stress on your HDMI Input.

Just like the loose connection, damage caused from stress on your HDMI Input is a well-documented and well known problem. Next time you have access to an HDMI Cable plugged into an HDMI Input, give it a little wiggle and see how much it moves around and how delicate it feels. This constant stress on the HDMI Input can internally damage the circuits of your components, and typically to repair this involves replacing the entire HDMI board, which is very expensive.

If you are looking for a solution to lock your HDMI Cable in place, we recommend that you consider an option that also offers some type of stress relief. Locking Cables alone will not do anything to relieve stress from your HDMI Input, and you may still be succeptible to damaging your HDMI Input.

hd EZ lock Universal HDMI Locking Cable Adapter

hd EZ lock addresses both of these issues with its innovative, two piece Universal Design. The Patent Pending hd EZ lock, winner of a 2009 CES Innovative Award Design, is the only Universal HDMI Locking Adapter available on the market. hd EZ lock does two things very well. First it locks an HDMI Cable into its input so that there are no problems with an intermittent connection, or with the cable working itself loose. Second, and maybe even more important is it eliminates stress on your HDMI Input by supporting the HDMI Cable by the Component’s chassis rather than by the fragile HDMI Input.

If you’ve invested in your Home Theater System, and you’re experiencing problems with your HDMI Connection, or you just want to take the extra step to make sure that you don’t have any issues with the physical HDMI Connection, hd EZ lock offers the most support and the tightest grip of any Locking HDMI Solution, it’s inexpensive compared to other Locking HDMI Solutions, and it’s useable with the HDMI Cable of your choice. It’s also the most flexible HDMI Locking solution, allowing it to work with the largest range of HDMI Cables and Components, with a variety of screw locations (above and below your HDMI Input), and with the supplied 3M Very High Bond (VHB) Adhesive. We recommend that you read the reviews and try one out for yourself, and have the peace of mind knowing that you won’t experience these problems with your HDMI Connection.

(Click here to view details about hd EZ lock)

hd EZ lock Universal HDMI Locking Cable Adapter

The device has snagged a coveted CES 2009 Innovations Honoree Award, and it holds things in place by attaching to your component’s chassis using either the existing fixing screw on the device itself or via the supplied VHB adhesive. They’ll be a bit expensive at $19.98 per pair, but can you really put a price on peace of mind?

By Darren Murph posted Dec 29th 2008 3:59PM

(click here to read article on Engadget’s website)