Issues with "4k" HDMI Cables

[Caveman]

So, I assumed the subject cables were backwardly compatible and ran into issues when I connected them from a GTX 970 FTW+ to a 1920 x 1080 Viewsonic monitor...

The picture looked full of colorful artifacts and full of what appears to be "static" like the kind you could see on an old CRT.

Yes, I had the cables hooked up correctly - they are directional.

That said, is this something that's commonly known? I envisioned the cable having "design" margin when not carrying 4K pixel data - I did not anticipate the issue...

Thoughts?

 

[thesmokingman]

There isn't actually a 4k hdmi cable. Generally any 1.4a cable can pass 4k. However you're not even at 4k, so you are having another issue or its a ql cable issue or possibly handshake which points to cable ql too.

 

[Caveman]

Issue happened first with a Monoprice Cable and then I switch out to another brand and same story though not as profound...