Find out what VERSION your comuter's HDMI port is.
HDMI is the current, highest standard for A/V connectivity, allowing for the highest rates and most transfer formats (e.g. "compression types.")
In order to deter cheap knock-offs, the industry created an authority to assure that HDMI cables adhered to the stringent specifications, called the "Authorized Testing Center" (ATC). (This was done mostly to assure that the cables enforced
anti-copying standards*, so don't let the ATC make you think it's just a QA label - which it also is - and is usually its main benefit....)
DVI cables used to be the highest transmission standard, but now any ("high-end") HDMI cable will match, or more often exceed, the transmission capability and quality of any other cable.
There are also different "
versions" that each cable holds to, and the higher the version number, the more capable the cable (...and it's built-in chip....) V2 is the current, highest standard, allowing for/requiring higher bandwidth, etc. than previous versions.
As a result, I recommend folks use a "high-quality" (usu ATC-certified) HDMI cables for AV connections (when they choose to use HDMI cabling.)
(Hint: All mine are v2, ATC certified.... 
)BEWARE! There are a LOT of "cheap" HDMI cables out there that are sub-standard and WILL give sub-standard results, so if you really care, shell out for the higher quality ones and steer clear of the "knock-offs."* HDMI also has the ability to protect data from piracy. It uses high-bandwidth digital copy protection (HDCP) to accomplish this. HDCP is an authentication protocol. Basically, each home-theater device has identification data and encryption data stored on its extended display identification data (EDID) chip. The source device, such as a Blu-ray player, checks the authentication key of the receiving device, such as an HDTV. If both keys check out, the sending device moves on to the next step. It generates a new key and shares it with the receiving device. In other words, it creates a shared secret. Ideally, this whole process, known as a handshake, takes place almost instantaneously.
