difference in HDMI cables

[rlmbluray]

More expensive ones are prettier, and seem to be built better. They don't pull off from the connector as some of the cheaper ones do.

I like to buy HDMI cables where the connector is molded to the cable.

This is a good place to buy cables with good prices.

http://www.cablesondemand.com/

I purchased a (Ultra Premium Metal Hood HDMI/HDMI M/M 3M) from these folks with shipping around $40. Works great with my BD.

[kibbled_bits]

Basically what people are saying is that HDMI is digital (0 or 1 is transmitted). That's all so you will have no reduction in the original quality with any of the cables listed.

That being said if you like the construction of a cable better or it looks better, then it's your money, buy what you like. I've used both monster & cheapo cables and have noticed no difference. This is on a variety of appliances from PS3, to satelite receiver.

I still like using monster for some reason maybe the connectors stay in better or maybe I'm just a sucker. Well if you do buy monsters at least save some money and buy them at Amazon.com.

[adiubald]

How much plugging and unplugging does everyone do (with their AV equipment)?

If your like me, the equipment comes out of the box/ put on the rack and plugged in- never to be touched again. I count a total of one insertion per cable end. So the ruggedness and quality of the terminations does not really matter to me-

If you setup is more portable, then maybe the more expensive cables are warranted - not for signal quality but for durability and reliability of the construction.

[ranma]

I heard some one who used really cheap and very long unbranded HDMI cables. and found out it can't support full bandwidth of HDTV. All signals have to reduced to SD to be sent on TV. Although these should be called faked HDMI cables not bargain HDMI cables.

[brett_day]

Originally Posted by ranma

I heard some one who used really cheap and very long unbranded HDMI cables. and found out it can't support full bandwidth of HDTV. All signals have to reduced to SD to be sent on TV. Although these should be called faked HDMI cables not bargain HDMI cables.

that makes absolutely no sense whatsoever. There is no such thing as a fake HDMI cable. HDMI is HDMI. now there are different versions of HDMI with the latest being v1.3 that supports 10.2gbit/s maybe your friends is using the 1st generation of HDMI cables

[sean10mm]

As someone who worked in the telecommunications industry, when it comes to digital transmission it pretty much either works or it doesn't. Spending more than $10 on a cable to go 3 feet for digital data transmission from your Blu-ray player to your TV is moronic.

The "more expensive cable is better" thing is based on a misunderstanding of how digital signals work. As long as the signal isn't so horribly degraded that the TV can't tell a 1 from a 0, the data transmission is essentially perfect. And if you make the transmission so "dirty" that the TV can't tell a 1 from a 0, the picture falls apart almost instantly. There is almost no in-between because it either reads a 1 as a 1 and a 0 as a 0, or it doesn't.

If you buy a cheap HDMI cable and plug it in and get a pretty picture, you're seeing all there is to see. There isn't anything else because there is no essentially no gradual drop-off over digital. There is no shade of gray.

[Roland1919]

Originally Posted by Sonny

There are HDMI cables that are "rated" quote on quote, but that sales person is just blowing smoke up your @$$....they want you to buy the 100+$ Monster cable ! monoprice.com Thats all anyboady needs to know I spent less then 5$ each on my HDMI cables & of course they work perfect I get all the Lossless Audio & everything Hope this helps.

Thank You...Very well posted indeed. I am tired of this argument, buy HDMI cables on Amazon for $10, plug 'em, sit down, shut the F*** Up and enjoy the movie experience. I guarantee your not gonna say - "OH my GOd I should have gotten the $900 Monster cables...spend the money saved on other goodies....

[dk3dknight]

Originally Posted by Roland1919

Thank You...Very well posted indeed. I am tired of this argument, buy HDMI cables on Amazon for $10, plug 'em, sit down, shut the F*** Up and enjoy the movie experience. I guarantee your not gonna say - "OH my GOd I should have gotten the $900 Monster cables...spend the money saved on other goodies....

I could never imagine paying that for a cable that is ridicolous ($900) unless it was diamond plated, ruby encrusted, and connectors are made from 100% gold bars.

I admit I cheated and bought a $4.77 from a local store, it was on the way to buying my tv so it worked for me.

But regardless if everyone is happy ive noticed these hdmi debates go no where...

[Chuey]

Originally Posted by richteer

Many (most?) people here will assert that all HDMI cables are alike, but I've been interested in high end audio long enough to know that just about everything has effect on sound (and presumably, video) quality. So I would personally steer clear of bargain basement cables and go for something better.

Now, I've yet to do a comparison of HDMI cables (and I've yet to see one published by a source I would trust for such things), so can't state that a 3 or 4 figure HDMI cable is better than a $50 one. But I'd be willing to assert that a $50 cable is better than a $5 one.

I look at it this way: my stereo audio system--excluding cables--is worth about $30K. I'm not going to compromise its performance by using el-cheapo crappy cables (well, unless they're a temporary measure while I save for the real thing)! The rule of thumb audiophiles use is that one should spend about 10% of the system's cost on cables. I imagine the same rule would server videophiles just as well.

I am with you 100%, I have spend some insane amount of money in my audio and home theater system and will never put an cheap HDMI cable in to compromise my system performance.

I did test multiple higher end HDMI cable and couple cheapo in my system and I see the different in each of them, maybe I am seeing ghost in the "1" and "0". This also hold truth in all digital cable I have tested.

[guitarist155]

i use monster for my guitar rig because they are always getting setup and torn down and the guitar cable gets twisted, stepped on, and pulled. the only reason i use monster is that if it breaks i can take it to a GC and they will hand me a new one not for audio quality. if you are doing this with your home theater you might want to consider another setup. as for mine i use bjc the series-1 is made with beldin and i will say with all of the time i spend with cables in my recording studio and cables used on stages beldin is used quite often and is very high quality, if you are looking for high-end analog or coax use cannere or mogami but not monster.
the series-1 is one of the best built cables i have ever delt with and is about 1/8th the price of monster no if's and's or but's just my 2cents

[Blu Haze]

Monsters saying "Our prices are so high its Sh!t"

[ranma]

Originally Posted by brett_day

that makes absolutely no sense whatsoever. There is no such thing as a fake HDMI cable. HDMI is HDMI. now there are different versions of HDMI with the latest being v1.3 that supports 10.2gbit/s maybe your friends is using the 1st generation of HDMI cables

well, I'd say it is possible. Do you ever encount some bad ethernet cables? Ethernet cables are built to transfer digital signal as well as HDMI cables. Bad ethernet cables can only transfer 1/10 or less of marked bandwidth due to bad wiring.

[euro3b]

Originally Posted by Sonny

There are HDMI cables that are "rated" quote on quote, but that sales person is just blowing smoke up your @$$....they want you to buy the 100+$ Monster cable ! monoprice.com Thats all anyboady needs to know I spent less then 5$ each on my HDMI cables & of course they work perfect I get all the Lossless Audio & everything Hope this helps.

monoprice RULES, i bought my HDMI cables from them too!!! Awesome quality cables for an even more awesome price

Rich

[PaulGo]

Originally Posted by ranma

well, I'd say it is possible. Do you ever encount some bad ethernet cables? Ethernet cables are built to transfer digital signal as well as HDMI cables. Bad ethernet cables can only transfer 1/10 or less of marked bandwidth due to bad wiring.

It's a different communication protocol - ethernet is adaptive based upon the cable. The HDMI standard is quite different.

[ranma]

Originally Posted by PaulGo

It's a different communication protocol - ethernet is adaptive based upon the cable. The HDMI standard is quite different.

You already throw out the in-box hdmi cable from PS3 package?
that cable has HDMI as input, but only a single composite cable as output to your TV. That means, HDMI cable will and do send SD analog signals. I suspect that faked HDMI cable has only the composite channel worked, no other pins ever wired. that why I called faked HDMI cable. Although from label and looking, you can't tell the difference between this and real HDMI cable.

[guitarist155]

Originally Posted by ranma

You already throw out the in-box hdmi cable from PS3 package?
that cable has HDMI as input, but only a single composite cable as output to your TV. That means, HDMI cable will and do send SD analog signals. I suspect that faked HDMI cable has only the composite channel worked, no other pins ever wired. that why I called faked HDMI cable. Although from label and looking, you can't tell the difference between this and real HDMI cable.

what? there is no hdmi cable in the ps3 box, the cable your talking about is the composite cable with the playstation proprietary end on it, this cable is made for a playstation only and has been around alot longer than hdmi has

[BStecke]

Originally Posted by Chuey

I did test multiple higher end HDMI cable and couple cheapo in my system and I see the different in each of them, maybe I am seeing ghost in the "1" and "0". This also hold truth in all digital cable I have tested.

That's just your brain trying not to disappoint you.

[Clark Kent]

Go to this link for the best answers about HDMI:

http://www.bluejeanscable.com/articl...nformation.htm

To sum it up, virtually any HDMI cable will work for short distances of less than 10-15 feet with no performance degradation. But longer distances might require higher quality HDMI cables, particularly if you're pushing 1080P video over much longer distances like 50 feet. I do not recommend Monster cabling for the most part as their stuff is massively overpriced, but there are good HDMI cables by other brands.

Audio issues with HDMI are a whole other matter where things like jitter start coming into play.

[gearyt]

Originally Posted by Chuey

I did test multiple higher end HDMI cable and couple cheapo in my system and I see the different in each of them, maybe I am seeing ghost in the "1" and "0". This also hold truth in all digital cable I have tested.

what did you see ???

[guitarist155]

another thing, start comparing apples to apples, comparing a 5 dollar cable from mono price to a 50dollar monster cable and saying the expensive one is better is unfair, the monster cables have a very high markup. bestbuy only pays about 10 dollars for the cables and monoprice sells theres almost at cost so really everyone who thinks they have an expensive cable is mistaken as it was the same price to manufacture so price is not an argument on which cable is better as they are the same price, you just overpay for monster