HDMI Cables Why Pay More?

[lexonex]

Do NOT get talked into high priced HDMI cables such as "Monster" or any other high priced brand. They may NOT be needed. I purchased my HDMI cables (8 foot 1080P HDMI 1.3) from Fry's Electronics for $24.99/ea. They are working just fine.

And I learned this from an expert:

"The biggest opportunity for a rip off is the high cost premium cables. Over the one meter connection between the TV and an external tuner box, there is little measurable difference between the cables that came free with the box and some monster $60 cables sold separately. Use standard cables initially and upgrade to something better only if there is a problem."-Howard Gilbert Yale University

http://pclt.cis.yale.edu/tp/HDTV.htm

[actionhank]

$25? You got ripped off. Try www.monoprice.com

[crackinhedz]

Originally Posted by actionhank

$25? You got ripped off. Try www.monoprice.com

nah, he didnt get ripped off. $25 aint too bad.

But youre right, Monoprice.com is the place to go.

[lexonex]

Originally Posted by actionhank

$25? You got ripped off. Try www.monoprice.com

Even Better prices !!!! Great !

Now Fry's did have some cheaper than those that I purchased...BUT...I wanted HDMI 1.3 1080P printed somewhere on the package....So, I went for the $24.99 ones...

[guziak]

I bought Audioquest HDMI-3 on ebay recently (with 6% silver) and the difference is huge. Confirmed by whole household, oncluding mu mother in law. Stay away from made in China Monster cables

[lexonex]

http://www.audioquest.com.au/product...cts/hdmi3.html

$359 ?? You have to be kidding me.....I wish someone like Consumer Reports or some other testing firm would take this disucssion up......I'll have to look for some references......

Can you go a little furthur into "difference is huge" you noticed with these cables?

[mjm_hbk]

I posted in another topic about speaker wire...similar situation here, when I was doing HT Installs for Best Buy I could never tell a difference between any cables. The salespeople at Best Buy will tell you that Monster has better insulation and the gold is better quality and blahblahblah...it's just crap. Find the cheapest cables you can and use them. Don't get sucked in to buying the more expensive cables.

[crackinhedz]

Originally Posted by lexonex

Can you go a little furthur into "difference is huge" you noticed with these cables?

his 1's and 0's looked like super duper 1's and 0's

[gearyt]

Originally Posted by crackinhedz

his 1's and 0's looked like super duper 1's and 0's

Gotta luv it !!!!

I have a LOT of monster cables... none HDMI ( my over 20 years as a digital design guy i guess )
and there was a noticable difference in S video and Component cables, I used monster speaker, but plain ole zip would have worked for me. Its just a 1/0 kinda thing

[crackinhedz]

Confirmed by whole household, including my mother in law.

Its official.

'Mother-In-Law' stamp of approval.

[quetzalcoatl]

Originally Posted by gearyt

Gotta luv it !!!!

I have a LOT of monster cables... none HDMI ( my over 20 years as a digital design guy i guess )
and there was a noticable difference in S video and Component cables, I used monster speaker, but plain ole zip would have worked for me. Its just a 1/0 kinda thing

You are comparing analog signals to digital. And with analog yes cables can make a big difference. But with digital it is just does not hold true.

[BTS11]

monoprice is the way to go. Going out and buying the super gold plated monster HDMI cables makes no difference. as most have said on here, 1's and 0's transfer as 1's and 0's the same no matter gold plating or not. back with RCA, s-video, and all analog cables this was a step up. gold plating was the way to go. but buying gold plated HDMI is like buying gold plated USB cables.

[crackinhedz]

Originally Posted by quetzalcoatl

You are comparing analog signals to digital. And with analog yes cables can make a big difference. But with digital it is just does not hold true.

he was making the same point you are....that for analog there is a difference, which was why he has Monster analog cables...but no HDMI

Originally Posted by gearyt

I have a LOT of monster cables... none HDMI

[razor29]

Using 6 ft cables from walmart which I got for $24 dollars and get a great picture out of my 1080p set.

[lexonex]

Originally Posted by guziak

I bought Audioquest HDMI-3 on ebay recently (with 6% silver) and the difference is huge. Confirmed by whole household, oncluding mu mother in law. Stay away from made in China Monster cables

Why do you think those 6% silver HDMI cables were on Ebay?..mmmm? He was getting rid of them to do what? Buy more expensive Gold HDMI cables? mmmm?...NOT!

I'm glad they are working for you and perhaps in your unique situation you had to have them....Again, Most do NOT need these expensive connection cables.....

[graverot]

I bought a Monster HDMI cable and a GE HDMI cable for $26.00 you know what not one bit of difference. Yes it does matter if your using Component cables because the signal is analog and is prone to electrical interference the signal also weakens if its not going through a decent cable which hurts the picture. HDMI which is pure Digital doesnt suffer from the same constraints. Monster like the sales people at Best Buy want your money and will scare you into spending $100+ for a HDMI cable all I can say is dont believe them they want your cash I have found that cheap HDMI cables work as good as the $100.00+ ones there I know there will be a few that believe the lie and will defend there decision to spend $300.00 for a HDMI cable all I say more power to you. I agree with you on speaker wires, Components. But when it comes to HDMI cable the arguement is weak. Because digital signal cannot be weakened or interfered with you either have the signal or you dont the screen goes black. There is no in between.

[quetzalcoatl]

Originally Posted by crackinhedz

he was making the same point you are....that for analog there is a difference, which was why he has Monster analog cables...but no HDMI

Must have just read it the wrong way.

[gearyt]

Guys, thanks for defending my bad exlaination..

YES.. Analog cables, you usually get what you pay for
depending on what you have to work with, Source and Display
you can't make a bad signal better ( usually )

NO... Digital cables, unless really shoddy, make with 1's and 0's
in a 5 volt system ( OLD ) if i remember, approx 1.6 was the trip point
soooo. anything over 1.6 was a 1 anything under was a 0 and then
there was Hesterious ( mispelled, sorry )

ok, mind is going febble

[nofxisgone]

I bought them cause their called MONSTER

[U4K61]

Paying $200.00 for Monster HDMI? Thats more then the cost of some progressive DVD players. Yet they never charge anywhere near that amount for computer VGA cables which delivers an analogue signal, a much more demanding situation.