AV Accessories

AV cables, adapters, switches and brackets for the office and home

The cable and the bracket are usually the cheapest part of an AV install and the part that decides whether the rest works. A premium soundbar on the wrong HDMI cable, a 4K source on a 1080p adapter or a TV mounted with the wrong bracket all fail in ways that look like the main product is broken. This category groups the small items that quietly hold AV setups together.

What this category covers

HDMI cables in HDMI 2.0 and 2.1 ratings; DisplayPort cables; optical Toslink for digital audio; 3.5 mm and RCA audio leads; AV switches and splitters; HDMI extenders over CAT6; antenna cables, splitters and amplifiers; video capture grabbers; SCART adapters and other legacy connectors for older equipment.

How to choose AV accessories

Match the cable rating to the source and display

HDMI 2.0 cables carry 4K at 60 Hz comfortably. HDMI 2.1 is required for 4K at 120 Hz, 8K, or full HDR with high bit depth. A cheap unbranded HDMI cable will physically connect but may fall back to a lower data rate, showing as flicker, dropouts or grainy 4K content.

Pick lengths from the actual run, not the straight line

Measure cable runs along the route they will take, including any drop down a wall or up to a ceiling mount. Add 0.5 metres of margin for service. Cables that are too tight stress the connectors; ones that are too long collect dust and lose signal at high data rates.

Use active cables and extenders for long runs

Passive HDMI cables become unreliable above 5 to 10 metres at 4K. Active HDMI cables include a small chip that boosts the signal; HDMI-over-CAT6 extenders carry video over network cable for room-to-room runs. Optical fibre HDMI cables handle 30 metres or more at 4K with no dropouts.

Match brackets to the actual hardware

TV mounts, speaker brackets and projector mounts all list maximum supported weight and VESA (mounting standard) pattern (or speaker bracket type). Confirm against the spec sheet before ordering; an undersized bracket sags or fails, an oversized one is harder to install cleanly.

What to check before buying

• Which exact cable standard and rating is needed at each end?
• Cable length measured along the actual run, with margin?
• For brackets and mounts: weight rating and pattern matched to the equipment?
• Is the run long enough to need active cables or extenders?
• Are old standards (SCART, RCA, Toslink) still required, or can the new install drop them?

Frequently asked questions

Why are some HDMI cables so much more expensive than others?

Genuine HDMI 2.1 Ultra High Speed certification involves testing each cable model. Certified cables hold their advertised data rate over the certified length. Unbranded cables sell at a fraction of the price but skip the certification; some perform fine, others drop frames or boot at lower speeds. For 4K at 120 Hz and 8K, certified cables are worth the small extra cost.

Do I need an AV switch or just more inputs on the TV?

Modern TVs offer 3 to 4 HDMI inputs. If that covers the source devices, no switch is needed. If a games console, soundbar, streaming box and PC all want to plug in, an HDMI switch with 4 or 5 inputs sits between them and the TV. Look for switches with active power rather than passive ones, especially for 4K HDR content.

What is HDMI ARC and eARC?

HDMI ARC (Audio Return Channel) lets a TV send audio back to a soundbar or AV receiver over the same HDMI cable. eARC (enhanced) supports higher-bitrate audio formats including Dolby Atmos. For new soundbar setups, eARC support on both the TV and the soundbar is the modern default.

Are SCART and RCA cables still relevant?

Mostly for legacy AV gear: VHS players, older games consoles, some kitchen and conference room TVs that have not been replaced. Most current installs use HDMI exclusively. Stocking a few legacy cables for unusual jobs is cheap insurance.

Can I run HDMI through a wall?

Yes, with cables rated for in-wall installation. Look for CL2 or CL3 ratings printed on the cable jacket. Standard HDMI cables run through a wall are usually fine for short distances, but in-wall ratings are required by some building codes and are safer if the wall has insulation or other materials.