Quick Question

[LennDawg]

I just bought the newest Monster HDMI cable (1000 series). I plugged it in and on my home theatre receiver it displays DTS. The guy at Best Buy told me this cable was capable of producing sound with DTS. is this DTS better than the PLIIx that my receiver also produces sound at? What is the difference?

Sorry if this is a dumb question.

[BeardedNinjaGuy]

Originally Posted by LennDawg

I just bought the newest Monster HDMI cable (1000 series). I plugged it in and on my home theatre receiver it displays DTS. The guy at Best Buy told me this cable was capable of producing sound with DTS. is this DTS better than the PLIIx that my receiver also produces sound at? What is the difference?

Sorry if this is a dumb question.

PLII = Dolby Pro Logic II. The X is going from 5.1 speakers and upconverting it to 6.1 or 7.1.

DTS = Digital Theater System. It is like dolby. Sort of like Ford and Chevy is for cars. They both do essentialy the same as far as audio goes, just by 2 different companys. DTS Neo:6 would be like the PLIIx of dolby as far as its simular audio out (Neo:6 is 6.1).

On a side note, with HDMI cables, it is one of the few cable types that Monster gets over on you for cost. You can get a off brand HDMI cable for 1/4 the cost that will produce the same exact audio and video of that Monster cable because of how the cables work. Unlike component video cables, HDMI doesnt have much to them other than what revision the cable is.

For more in depth info you can go to wikipedia and look up DTS, Dolby Digital(PLIIx will be under dolbys entry), and even HDMI. Its a great resource.

Hope that helps.

As an aside, back to your orignal question, The encode is only as good as the source they are using to encode it. So a general answer would be, it depends on the movie you are watching. One movie may have an awesome PLII track, and a lousy DTS one.. Yet another have the exact opposite. It all depends on the encode, both can be good.

[LennDawg]

Thanks for the quick response. I went with the Monster this time because I bought an off brand for 1/4 of the price, and it stopped working after a couple of weeks. Since then I buy the top notch and have never had a problem. (knock on wood). Thanks for clearing up some confusion!

[Matt X]

Huh. odd that you had a prob. w/ "off brand" that's all I own on my HDMI sources (2, satellite & PS3), and never had a problem. I'd agree w/Chuck Norris (er, I mean "Bearded Ninja Guy"), Monster does NOT have a monopoly on quality, just make sure what you're buying is rated for what you're using (HDMI 1.3 is the tops right now, am I correct???) I *would* stretch ninja's analogy a little, using my limited understanding of DTS vs. dolby dig. - in certain cases, Dolby would be a Ford w/a decent 302 ci. engine, while DTS could be a chevy w/a 350ci. w/a 750 CFM Edelbrock and Flowmaster headers. (I'm still a Mustang guy tho )

[BeardedNinjaGuy]

Originally Posted by Matt X

Huh. odd that you had a prob. w/ "off brand" that's all I own on my HDMI sources (2, satellite & PS3), and never had a problem. I'd agree w/Chuck Norris (er, I mean "Bearded Ninja Guy"), Monster does NOT have a monopoly on quality, just make sure what you're buying is rated for what you're using (HDMI 1.3 is the tops right now, am I correct???) I *would* stretch ninja's analogy a little, using my limited understanding of DTS vs. dolby dig. - in certain cases, Dolby would be a Ford w/a decent 302 ci. engine, while DTS could be a chevy w/a 350ci. w/a 750 CFM Edelbrock and Flowmaster headers. (I'm still a Mustang guy tho )

Yes, on the 1.3 being the highest revision of HDMI cables out atm.

I too use off brand and have had no issues as of yet.

I unfortunately am not so car inclined, but ill just grin like and idiot and believe you were agreeing with me.

[LennDawg]

haha ya, I'ma Ford guy too. More of a Lincoln man, but it's all the same Maybe I was just unlucky and got a dud hdmi cable? I feel better with the name anyway, even if that sounds sad. Thanks for the answers guys!

[Petra_Kalbrain]

Originally Posted by BeardedNinjaGuy

On a side note, with HDMI cables, it is one of the few cable types that Monster gets over on you for cost.

This is so insanely true!!! My brother-in-law works at a retail location that allows employees to purchase stock at cost. He can get a 25' Monster HDMI cable retailing at $100 for only $17!!! How does that sound when talking quality vs. price???