Numerous revisions have been made to the HDMI standard, which increased the capabilities while maintaining the same connectivity.
HDMI version 1.4 and later support 3D capabilities. Only cables that have one or more of the following specifications are compatible with 3D sources and displays:
3D
HDMI 1.4 (or later)
Ultra HD, 4k x 2k
If you use an HDMI cable that does not have the above specifications, it may function for non-3D content but then fail when 3D content is displayed. As such, you should always use the correct cable for 3D content.