The technology industry is an ever-changing one. Keeping track of the latest developments can sometimes be impossible. The incredible world of multimedia cables is no different, so to aid we have put together this top 5 guide.

These 5 cables are technologies top sellers. Hopefully this is not going to only inform you about which are typically the most popular leads, but also a little insight as to what each of them is for.

HDMI Cable – HDMI Leads are by far the largest grossing cable on the market. This is mainly down to the extreme popularity of HD TV’s. It is primarily used for connecting high definition devices such as games consoles and Blu-Ray players to HD displays. As with most things like this HDMI is evolving, the current standard is 1.4. HDMI leads fall within the Digital Cable Category.

Optical Cable – The optical cables sole purpose in life is to transfer audio between hd devices. Unlike HDMI cables, optical cables are not able to handle video data. Optical cables are often referred to as Toslink cables, derived for Toshiba, who invented them. These fibre optica cables work by transfering data in the form of light, and are therefore classed as digital cables.

Component Cables – Component cables are a popular alternative to HDMI Cables for connecting High definition devices. However, unlike HDMI cables, component cables cannot carry audio signals. Many people beleive that component cables are digital cables, this is not true they are actually analogue cables. Despite this they are still able to deliver high definition video signals.

SCART to USB – many people still have old VHS videos with their favourite film or even wedding video. These old movies can now be transtered on to your you computer with a SCART to USB kit. This means you no longer have to hold on to that dated VHS player. You will need software to save the files on your computer, but a good SCART to USB kit will include this software with it. It is worth remembering though that video files can be very large, so make sure you have enough room on your hard drive.

iPod/iPhone Cables – Demand for accessories and cables for the iPhone & iPod have grown with the success of these 2 popular gadgets. The 2 most popular cables for these are: Replacement USB docking cables, for people who have lost or damaged their original cable or simply just want and extra one. And a stereo jack cable to connect you iPod to your stereo system.

We hope this guide has helped you. Although given the speed that technology moves at, by the time you read this, they will probably all be out of date.