HDMI female connectors are usually built into both the signal source and the receiving device as sockets for a male-end cable. In the most common arrangement, a cable with two male ends is plugged into two female sockets simultaneously. This provides direct wired connectivity between the source and display devices.
As female HDMI connectors are usually recessed into the body of TVs, games consoles, projectors, computers, and monitors - and because they tend to be more susceptible to deforming under excessive strain than male connectors - they’re more widely sold as standalone replacement parts.
Male HDMI connectors, on the other hand, are generally supplied as fixed components at either end of almost every commercially available HDMI cable. In many situations, it’s easier and cheaper to replace a damaged male connector by swapping in a replacement cable. However, this isn’t always practical. Some high-end HDMI cables can be relatively expensive (especially the longer and sturdier types), and so in these cases, it can be considerably cheaper to wire a new male connector than to replace an entire cable run.
In addition, many people choose to route HDMI cables behind walls or between floors of a building. It can be a complicated process to remove and re-lay these if one of the male connectors gets damaged. For this reason, most reliable suppliers that stock female HDMI sockets also offer equivalent male components.
