In Episode 6 of The Front Row Podcast, we’re joined by James Chen, Managing Director of Kordz, for a deep dive into HDMI—what it is, how it works, and why it’s been both a blessing and a headache. In Episode 4, we laid the foundation by explaining the basics and frustrations around HDMI. This one peels back the layers and gets into the engineering and signal science behind the cable we all love to hate.

We explore what actually goes on inside that little port, from the role of each pin to how HDMI communicates through EDID (Extended Display Identification Data), and what makes TMDS different from FRL (Fixed Rate Link) in newer cable specs. James also walks us through the certifications and what they mean, which ones matter, and how manufacturers use (and sometimes misuse) them.

One of the most fascinating parts of this episode is the physical anatomy of the HDMI cable. If you’ve ever cracked one open or wondered why some cables are incredibly stiff while others feel like they might fall apart, we explain why that is and how it affects performance. We also break down why HDMI has remained the standard despite its quirks and what the future of the connection might look like as bandwidth demands increase.

So if you’ve ever asked yourself, “Why does my HDMI setup sometimes just stop working?” or been caught swapping cables in the middle of movie night, this episode is for you. It’s everything you never thought you needed to know about HDMI, and you’ll walk away with a better understanding of why these cables continue to be such a critical, and often misunderstood, part of every home theater.

This is part one of a three-part series with James, because there’s simply too much ground to cover in a single episode. Part two airs September 2, so stay tuned. And if you have questions you’d like us to ask James in part three, feel free to drop them below!

We want to give a big thank you to our podcast sponsor, Anthem Electronics. Anthem isn’t just about power, it’s about precision. From clean amplification to intelligent room calibration, every element is engineered to deliver pure, articulate sound. Unlock the performance your system was made for.

Anthem – Elevate. Refine. Enhance

Listen to The Front Row Podcast on your favorite platform and be sure to follow and leave a review on Apple & Spotify:

Spotify

Apple Podcasts

iHeartRadio

Amazon Music

Pandora