RedMere Ultra-Thin HDMI Cables

RedMere, based in Balbriggan, Ireland, is one of those clever companies that comes up with something needed, then licenses it out for other companies to make and sell. In this case it's a tiny chip, small enough to fit in an HDMI connector, that allows the cable to be significantly smaller than other cables.

Now, I'm an overtly vocal advocate of the "All HDMI Cables Perform the Same" doctrine, so the differences between cables largely comes down to how you need to use them.

And that's what makes Redmere cables interesting. In a home environment, you likely don't need ultra-thin cables. But when you're on the go? Many new portable devices have mini HDMI outputs. This allows, for example, simple hookup to a TV at a hotel, or to show your parents the movie you shot of their grandkids straight from the camera or laptop to their TV.

The cable itself, in the demo product they supplied to me, is barely thicker than a piece of spaghetti. I've seen freebee composite cables with greater girth. You'd think the plug would be larger than normal, given that it's got a chip inside, but it's on par with other cables I've tested.