HDMI. Do brands really matter?

[kuatolives]

They're all the same. Although I've used short runs only in my setups (twelve feet or less). Knowing this, I still only use Audioquest cables as I much prefer their build quality and the nice braided jackets they use. Their stuff supposedly reduces digital jitter resulting in better audio performance but I couldn't honestly verify or deny that. I just know I like em. I've used a lot of the cheapies, freebies, Monster, and the ones from Amazon (amazon-branded).

I didn't really like the amazon cables because they didn't feel built very well and the connector head was too big/heavy. The only problems I've ever had were with a couple of the cheap ~$2.00 ones third parties sell on amazon. I got a lot of dropouts and sparklies with one and no signal at all with the other. This was after using them for a few years and plugging/unplugging them, so that may have had something to do with it, but overall that's a testament to how well those cheap cables are put together.

[Mahatma]

Analogue cables is where you hear difference in cables.As long as the HDMI cables you buy follow the 1.3 standards for 2D or 1.4 for 3D you should be fine.

But you've got that by now haven't you

[rpatt]

How long is your run & what speed do you need? I need about a 45 footer & 1.4 for my 3D Projector. I'm planning to go with the Redmere Slim Series from Monoprice.

http://www.monoprice.com/products/pr...seq=1&format=2

[singhcr]

Honestly, I call BS on that chart that was posted. I mean no offense to the poster but I've never heard of HDMI cables that can only transmit up to a certain refresh rate.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HDMI

Even the 1.0 spec cables can transmit 1080p60 and Blu-rays are all at 1080p24. The only thing that the older 1.0-1.1 spec cables can't do that you could potentially need for BD playback is the bitstreaming of DTS Master Audio and TrueHD.

[pentatonic]

Originally Posted by singhcr

Honestly, I call BS on that chart that was posted. I mean no offense to the poster but I've never heard of HDMI cables that can only transmit up to a certain refresh rate.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HDMI

Even the 1.0 spec cables can transmit 1080p60 and Blu-rays are all at 1080p24. The only thing that the older 1.0-1.1 spec cables can't do that you could potentially need for BD playback is the bitstreaming of DTS Master Audio and TrueHD.

Guys, there is no such thing as HDMI 1.1 (or 1.2, 1.3 etc.) cable. The # is in reference to the transmitter and receiver of your gear. Cables are either standard or high speed, ethernet or not. So as long as you purchase high speed cables you'll be good to go.

Also, there can't be differences in PQ/AQ with HDMI cables, the digital signal either makes it, or not. You'll get the same result from a $2.45 Monoprice cable than a $245 Monster. I do recommend purchasing some with good connections though for a snug fit.

[enigma]

Originally Posted by singhcr

Honestly, I call BS on that chart that was posted. I mean no offense to the poster but I've never heard of HDMI cables that can only transmit up to a certain refresh rate.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HDMI

Even the 1.0 spec cables can transmit 1080p60 and Blu-rays are all at 1080p24. The only thing that the older 1.0-1.1 spec cables can't do that you could potentially need for BD playback is the bitstreaming of DTS Master Audio and TrueHD.

Thanks for not meaning offense to me. I just posted the chart that Acoustic Research has on all their Amazon product pages.

[slimdude]

Originally Posted by pentatonic

Guys, there is no such thing as HDMI 1.1 (or 1.2, 1.3 etc.) cable. The # is in reference to the transmitter and receiver of your gear. Cables are either standard or high speed, ethernet or not. So as long as you purchase high speed cables you'll be good to go.

Also, there can't be differences in PQ/AQ with HDMI cables, the digital signal either makes it, or not. You'll get the same result from a $2.45 Monoprice cable than a $245 Monster. I do recommend purchasing some with good connections though for a snug fit.

Generally speaking, If a person spend $2,000.00 or more for an HDTV, why even consider to buy cheap HDMI cables anyway? For instance, if you bought $25,000.00 4K UHDTV, and $1,200.00 Oppo 105 blu-ray player, would you penny pinch, and buy a cheap pair of $5.00 HDMI cables to connect to them? Hell no. You've just purchased $26,200.00 state of the art video equipment! If anybody can afford to buy $2,000.00 HDTV, surely they can afford to buy themselves a decent pair of good quality HDMI cables! Besides, there is a difference!

[RocShemp]

Originally Posted by slimdude

Besides, there is a difference!

Not beyond build quality. Either you receive the signal or you don't.

As was stated before, there is indeed a difference when dealing with analog signals but not digital ones. They either work or don't work. There's no wiggle room.

[slimdude]

Originally Posted by RocShemp

Not beyond build quality. Either you receive the signal or you don't.

As was stated before, there is indeed a difference when dealing with analog signals but not digital ones. They either work or don't work. There's no wiggle room.

Even though there is a difference in quality, all hdmi cables are not the same.

[SpiderRock88]

Great to read all these responses! I actually did a comparison between a direct tv plain black free bee with a monster branded one (not sure the series tho) and they look virtually the same

I always wondered if my tv could actually look better than what my settings where but I I think I got the best of it so far lol

Sent from my DROID2 GLOBAL using Tapatalk 2

[singhcr]

Originally Posted by pentatonic

Guys, there is no such thing as HDMI 1.1 (or 1.2, 1.3 etc.) cable. The # is in reference to the transmitter and receiver of your gear. Cables are either standard or high speed, ethernet or not. So as long as you purchase high speed cables you'll be good to go.

Also, there can't be differences in PQ/AQ with HDMI cables, the digital signal either makes it, or not. You'll get the same result from a $2.45 Monoprice cable than a $245 Monster. I do recommend purchasing some with good connections though for a snug fit.

Sorry about that. Thanks for the correction.

At the end of the day, digital signals either transmit or they don't as you say. The cheap cables are just as good as the expensive ones are.

[slimdude]

Originally Posted by singhcr

Sorry about that. Thanks for the correction.

At the end of the day, digital signals either transmit or they don't as you say. The cheap cables are just as good as the expensive ones are.

I'll tell you what! Go out and buy some $2.45 hdmi cables, and I bet you'll be returning them so fast it'll make your head spin, because they were crap. Remember, you get what you pay for (that's with any products!) Don't expect the quality of $100.00-$200.00 hdmi cable, for only $3.00.

[slimdude]

Originally Posted by kuatolives

They're all the same. Although I've used short runs only in my setups (twelve feet or less). Knowing this, I still only use Audioquest cables as I much prefer their build quality and the nice braided jackets they use. Their stuff supposedly reduces digital jitter resulting in better audio performance but I couldn't honestly verify or deny that. I just know I like em. I've used a lot of the cheapies, freebies, Monster, and the ones from Amazon (amazon-branded).

You've used a variety of cheap hdmi cables, but you've chose, and prefer the expensive Audioquest high quality cables. If all hdmi cable are the same, then why did you buy Audioquest, instead of the cheap cables? Well evidently there is a difference, if you're using Audioquest Chocolate! You've got high end A/V equipment in your home theater, and of coarse you want good quality cables, to receive the optimum performance from your A/V components, and HDTV. If anyone take pride, and value their home theater investment, It would be completely foolish to buy cheap hdmi cables to connect to high end, and state of the art A/V equipment.

[nordstar]

Build quality is where the difference is more than anything else. I bought a ONN 6' HDMI Cable at Walmart for my sister who received a 720P TV from someone. She had it hooked up using composite cables. The angle of the HDMI ports on the TV were odd and those cables don't exactly flex very well. After a few months the head of the HDMI cable split open. Also some of the cheaper HDMI cables have huge heads and will not fit all TV's, very annoying. That said big box store pricing is insane. Buying from monoprice or other online retailer will get you good quality cables for the price of the cheap ones sold in stores.

[pentatonic]

Originally Posted by slimdude

Even though there is a difference in quality, all hdmi cables are not the same.

There is a difference in build quality, on that I agree, hence the recommendation on cables with good connectors.

Originally Posted by singhcr

Sorry about that. Thanks for the correction.

At the end of the day, digital signals either transmit or they don't as you say. The cheap cables are just as good as the expensive ones are.

No problem, just that it's unfortunately too common of a mistake.

Originally Posted by slimdude

I'll tell you what! Go out and buy some $2.45 hdmi cables, and I bet you'll be returning them so fast it'll make your head spin, because they were crap. Remember, you get what you pay for (that's with any products!) Don't expect the quality of $30.00 hdmi cables, with a $3.00 pair.

I have 7-8 cables in my setup ranging from Monoprice to Monster (that I got for real cheap. Do I appreciate the build quality of the more expensive ones? Sure and as said before, the connection is a better fir, nice and snug.

But relating to PQ/AQ, unless you're talking long runs, there can't be differences, not in the digital domain. If the $2.45 cable receives the same signal, it will transmit the same signal, and you will get the same results. There has been numerous tests done before to prove this point, even though the expensive cable makers would love for you to believe the contrary. It's pure science my friend.

[ezdriver]

I've had very good experience with BlueJeansCable's.

ez

[slimdude]

Originally Posted by pentatonic

There has been numerous tests done before to prove this point, even though the expensive cable makers would love for you to believe the contrary. It's pure science my friend.

Performing numerous of test by 3 or 4 people, can't speak for other millions of people all over the world. It's what an individual can discern with their own eyes what matters. Tests means zilch!

[pentatonic]

Originally Posted by slimdude

Performing numerous of test by 3 or 4 people, can't speak for other millions of people all over the world. It's what an individual can discern with their own eyes what matters. Tests means zilch!

And how can 0's and 1's turn out better though a Monster that a Monoprice?

Edit: By the way these tests are not from 3-4 people but tons of gear related sites who all come to the same conclusion, for short runs they are the same, when it's for long runs, a better (I didn't say more expensive) cable would be warranted even more so if running through walls, not for PQ/AQ but durability.

[slimdude]

Originally Posted by pentatonic

And how can 0's and 1's turn out better though a Monster that a Monoprice?

Edit: By the way these tests are not from 3-4 people but tons of gear related sites who all come to the same conclusion, for short runs they are the same, when it's for long runs, a better (I didn't say more expensive) cable would be warranted even more so if running through walls, not for PQ/AQ but durability.

Rather if it was ten, hundreds, or thousands, it still doesn't substantiate proof for millions of other people across the globe.What one person can't visually detect, maybe the other person could distinctively, and everybody's quality, and calibration of equipment varies!

[nordstar]

Originally Posted by pentatonic

And how can 0's and 1's turn out better though a Monster that a Monoprice?

Data passing through a conductor can suffer from crosstalk due to poor insulation. There is also the effectiveness of the data getting from point A to point B. If there are issues the data in the stream can drop out. This happens all the time in Ethernet cables and is why better hardware and better cables with good solid connectors are key.

The shielding in the connector has a lot to do with this, if the connector is cheap or not properly soldered it will cause issues that may not be noticeable but they are there. The nature of digital data transfer is only as good as its parts and how they are connected. A break in the signal stream will require the data to be resent or lost all together. Also data collision can happen due to the above quality of components and connection.

Cheap conductor wire, cheap connectors and cheap assembly will over time result in poor performance and possible failure.