"Most newer TVs come with three or four HDMI ports, and on the surface, they all look identical. They all have the same shape and work with the same HDMI cable, but not every port supports the same features. Choosing the wrong one can leave your PS5 stuck at 60Hz, your soundbar silent, or your PC unable to output at a high refresh rate. The good news is it's easy to learn what each HDMI port does and how to match your devices to the right one."
"For example, an HDMI 2.0 port supports 4K at 60Hz, HDR, and ARC audio, making it good for streaming media players and cable boxes. Meanwhile, an HDMI 2.1 port supports 4K at 120Hz (or 8K at 60Hz), VRR, ALLM, and eARC, which is great for next-generation consoles like the PS5. HDMI 2.1 can sometimes reach 4K at 240Hz with Display Stream Compression (DSC)."
"Then there is usually an ARC / eARC port, or audio return channel. It looks like an HDMI port, but it can send audio back out to a soundbar or AV receiver. ARC supports standard Dolby Digital 5.1, while eARC supports uncompressed Dolby Atmos and DTS:X."
Most TVs include multiple HDMI ports that look identical but support different bandwidths and features. Lower-bandwidth ports may handle 4K at 60Hz, HDR, and ARC audio, while HDMI 2.1 supports higher frame rates, VRR, ALLM, and eARC for uncompressed immersive audio. Plugging a device into a lower-capability port will usually still work but can limit resolution, refresh rate, or audio formats. ARC and eARC ports enable audio return to soundbars or receivers, with eARC supporting uncompressed Dolby Atmos and DTS:X. Checking labeled ports and matching devices to the right HDMI input preserves full performance.
Read at ZDNET
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