HDMI Cables

[JamesN]

You might want to check out http://www.bluejeanscable.com/

Great prices and service. Also some very informative technical articles about cables, including HDMI. SHould answer any questions you might have.

Cheers!

[quetzalcoatl]

Originally Posted by DrasticPlastic

For what you will end up paying for a monster brand cable, you will be able to afford to replace a monoprice cable and still have a whole lot of money left over, should the monoprice cable ever fail.

You could replace that cable 10X over. Before you ever reach the price of the Monoprice ones.

As has been said here many times Monoprice all the way.

[Cinemaddict]

What kind of HDMI cable should I get for a PS3?

http://www.monoprice.com/products/de...t.asp?c_id=102

[Joker]

I just bought 4 10' HDMI cables at fry's for $17.99 each and the are as good as the 6' monster 1000 HDMI cable i got last year for christmas . So i paid $36.00 for 4 cables where as 1 monster is $100.00 or more . You figure it out , the picture quality between cable is the same .

[quetzalcoatl]

Originally Posted by Cinemaddict

What kind of HDMI cable should I get for a PS3?

http://www.monoprice.com/products/de...t.asp?c_id=102

Any of the ones under this heading.

High-Quality 24AWG HDMI 1.3a Category 2 Certified Male to Male Cables

http://www.monoprice.com/products/su...02&cp_id=10243

That is if you want certified cables.

[Edh63]

I just bought two of these from monoprice.com for my set-up. I'll never buy expensive HDMI cables again... ever. Best Buy can kiss my goat smellin ass before they get another cent out of me.

[Moefiz]

I have both Monster I bought from CC for 90 bucks when i first got into HD.Later I picked up the Phillips Hdmi that Walmart sells for I think 25 bucks
and you can't tell the difference.

I think that the reason Monster got so popular is when you goto buy your Tv you are spending 1500+ and the sale guys just push a Monster Hdmi cable on you.
What the hell you are spending 1500+ on a tv why not another 100 on a cable.

[Brent]

Monster got popular for long-distance, behind-walls, (etc.) analog cables. Analog cables can have more problems than digital cables, such as HDMI.

I have a cheap Wal-Mart $25 HDMI cable, too, and I probably paid too much.

[Balquin]

WOW! Thanks for all the replies on this one. I will definitely have a look at monoprice.com. I believe this is where a coworker of mine got some cables after I talked him into Blu-ray. So it's a safe bet that a cable is a cable is a cable. Is there much of a difference between cables that do not say 1.3a and those that do? Just want to make sure, because I was given some hdmi cales that are Monster and they are the red THX cables I believe and if the 1.3 cables from monoprice might be better, I would look at getting some from them. Thanks again everyone! I love this forum!

[krisjan]

I have three different blu-ray players and two satellite receivers hooked up via HDMI with cables from http://www.mycablemart.com/ Never an issue or problem. Do not spend any more for an HDMI cable. A 6 ft HDMI 1.3a certified cable sells for under $7 (yes, less than monoprice). I've also bought optical cables from them that have worked great.

[mpsan]

pchcables.com is very good as well. He used to have a PC shop in the area, but now only sells all kinds of cables. He has a storefromt (Local for me) but ships MO. Very good prices and has good info on his site.

[quetzalcoatl]

Originally Posted by krisjan

I have three different blu-ray players and two satellite receivers hooked up via HDMI with cables from http://www.mycablemart.com/ Never an issue or problem. Do not spend any more for an HDMI cable. A 6 ft HDMI 1.3a certified cable sells for under $7 (yes, less than monoprice). I've also bought optical cables from them that have worked great.

They are not cheaper than Monoprice if you compare the same cable.
$5.24 black and $6.43 color. compared to $6.90 at Cablemart. The ones at Monoprice that are more are higher gauge wires. But these are both 28AWG cables. I personally prefer the 24AWG wires but the 28AWG should work fine.

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

[scragham]

Originally Posted by thr0ttles

you do get what you pay for...that being said, the difference for many of us, is pretty much nil...

I would only be concerned if I was running a 50ft HDMI cable around many bends, through walls, under carpet, etc...so that extra insulation and heavier gauge cable on Mon$$$ter cables should stand up to that "abuse" and not kink and break.

but if it works, it works....whether it costs $12 or $200

i bought a 50' HDMI from monoprice, and if that thing manages to kink or break, then i'll eat my hat. that beast of a cable is as thick as my thumb.

[chrissytine]

there really is no big difference and the cheaper ones will do the same job. don't waste your money on the overpriced ones. they're a rip off. if you don't want to go for the cheapest then get a midpriced one at about $20-$40

[Toptube]

yeah I have a ten foot Rosewill cable (Newegg's house brand) that was $20 and it not only works excellently, but it looks like the expensive cables. I would have ordered from monoprice, but it was conevenient to throw in the Rosewill with my TV when I ordered it from Newegg. later though I bought 3 HDMI cables for my dad from monoprice and they look and work wondefully for him.

[JetJock]

Guys,

There's HDMI versions 1.0, 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 1.3a, and 1.3b. As the HDMI standards advance, so does the bandwidth requirements for HDMI cables. And, as BD players and discs start using more advanced technologies, HDMI cable bandwidth will become more important. Some of the technologies that place high bandwidth demands on HDMI cables include 1080p, Deep Color, xvColor, Dolby True HD 7.1, DTS-HDMA 7.1, and PCM 7.1. For HDMI 1.3, the cables are separated into Category 1 Cables and Category 2 Cables, with category 2 being the fastest.

The January 2008 issue of Widescreen Review has some excellent articles about Deep Color, xvYCC Color, and HDMI 1.3 Cables. The January articles are listed below, and the February 2008 issue will have five more articles on HDMI 1.3 cables. Read these articles, and you'll find there's much more to HDMI 1.3 than you ever expected!

January 2008 Widescreen Review articles:
- Can You Really Deliver Error Free 1080p Over Long Distances
- Editor's Couch
- HDMI 1.3 Cables A Look Under The Hood
- HDMI 1.3's Impact On Cables
- HDMI Demystified
- Kimber Cable And HDMI
- Monster Advanced For HDMI The Need For Speed
- Over The Rainbow Deep Color and xvYCC
- Putting The Eye On HDMI
- Straight Wire And HDMI
- Tributaries' Approach To HDMI

I use Monster M1000 cables in my home theater system, and yes, they cost a fortune. The cost was 3x$150 and 1x$200 for a total of $650 for 4 cables!!!! Would I do it again? Absolutely! The picture and sound quality I enjoy is worth every penny I spent!

My system includes:
- Pioneer Elite Pro-150FD 60" Kuro Plasma
- Pioneer Elite BDP-95FD Blu-ray Disc Player
- Toshiba HD-A35 HD-DVD Player
- Pioneer Elite VSX-94TXH Receiver (7x140 watts plus 2 Subs @ 150 watts each)
- B&W Speakers
- Infinity Speakers
- REL Subwoofers x 2

[Sponge14]

Originally Posted by JetJock

Guys,

There's HDMI versions 1.0, 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 1.3a, and 1.3b. As the HDMI standards advance, so does the bandwidth requirements for HDMI cables. And, as BD players and discs start using more advanced technologies, HDMI cable bandwidth will become more important. Some of the technologies that place high bandwidth demands on HDMI cables include 1080p, Deep Color, xvColor, Dolby True HD 7.1, DTS-HDMA 7.1, and PCM 7.1. For HDMI 1.3, the cables are separated into Category 1 Cables and Category 2 Cables, with category 2 being the fastest.
I use Monster M1000 cables in my home theater system, and yes, they cost a fortune. The cost was 3x$150 and 1x$200 for a total of $650 for 4 cables!!!! Would I do it again? Absolutely! The picture and sound quality I enjoy is worth every penny I spent!

Thats a nice advertisement for Monster, how much did they pay you? As far as the bandwith goes, hows this cable?
http://www.monoprice.com/products/pr...seq=1&format=2

Its HDMI 1.3a Cat 2, and it's only $12.52 I don't care how high end your equipment is, I don't believe for one second that your monster cable is $138 better than the one Monoprice sells. They have the Gold connectors, and mesh jacketing that Monster rants, raves, and pats themselves on the back about.

I sell Monster for a retail chain, and the only reason I sell it is because they are expensive and have a retarded high profit margin, even for the store. The store cost on a $99 hdmi cable was $41. So on top of the profit Monster themselves make, and the stores profit, those $150 cables are worth no more than the Monoprice $12.52 cables (and even Mono is making money on them!) And the Monos are 24awg too.

[crackinhedz]

Understanding HDMI cables and why cheap ones work perfectly

[blindcat87]

And how many advertisements for expensive cable companies are in that magazine?

For the moment, and for quite some time to come, deep color is nothing more than something to get you to buy the products that support it. There is not one single content delivery system that has or can have deep color in its spec without major modification. Not BD, not HD DVD, not cable, and not broadcast television. The first two are not capable of supporting it. The last will need a signifigant reworking in order to add it. You will be lucky if there is any content to use deep color anytime in the next decade.

Once again, digital is digital, there is no magical transformation of ones and zeroes to give you a better picture or sound. As long as the cable is capable of carrying the signal over the length of the run and is shielded against interference, there is no difference between the Monster cable and the generic cable made in the same factory in China except for the jacket, the connectors, and the price. There is only one company making their HDMI cables in the US right now, and even they are getting them terminated in China. Not that this means that they all suck, but that what is special about them compared to others is the logo on the sleeve, the fact that the cable passed the same test criteria as other brands cables with the same certifications, and the massive marketing and litigation budget of the company that sells it.

The fact is that, like with audio comparisons, valid direct video comparisons are extremely difficult to do. The time it takes for switching interconnects is longer than human visual memory. Not the ability to remember what you saw and gross artifacts and details, but the ability to remember precise nuances and not have them colored by expectations and personal bias. Like with audio, a valid test is one with the same source and display and a method for A/B switching between the cables and with the participants not knowing which cable is which.

Unlike some overcharging speaker brands, nobody claims that Monster HDMI cables are bad, just that they are no better than any other much less expensive cable that can get the signal from source to destination. Monster takes advantage of the decades of people being used to analog interconnects where there can be some huge differences. But digital is not analog, and with digital the signal either gets there, has errors causing noticeable artifacts, dropouts, or a step down in resolution, or it does not get there and you get a blue screen. The cable cannot paint the zeros and ones gold and encrust them with diamonds, it can only get them there or not. Almost any store you can get cables from have cables that are certified for 1.3 and some that are not. This includes Monoprice, Blujeans, and Parts Express. As long as the cable is rated for HDMI v1.3 and for the length of run you need, it will do. All spending more money on it means is that you spent more money.

Chris

Originally Posted by JetJock

Guys,
There's HDMI versions 1.0, 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 1.3a, and 1.3b. As the HDMI standards advance, so does the bandwidth requirements for HDMI cables. And, as BD players and discs start using more advanced technologies, HDMI cable bandwidth will become more important. Some of the technologies that place high bandwidth demands on HDMI cables include 1080p, Deep Color, xvColor, Dolby True HD 7.1, DTS-HDMA 7.1, and PCM 7.1. For HDMI 1.3, the cables are separated into Category 1 Cables and Category 2 Cables, with category 2 being the fastest.

The January 2008 issue of Widescreen Review has some excellent articles about Deep Color, xvYCC Color, and HDMI 1.3 Cables. The January articles are listed below, and the February 2008 issue will have five more articles on HDMI 1.3 cables. Read these articles, and you'll find there's much more to HDMI 1.3 than you ever expected!

January 2008 Widescreen Review articles:
- Can You Really Deliver Error Free 1080p Over Long Distances
- Editor's Couch
- HDMI 1.3 Cables A Look Under The Hood
- HDMI 1.3's Impact On Cables
- HDMI Demystified
- Kimber Cable And HDMI
- Monster Advanced For HDMI The Need For Speed
- Over The Rainbow Deep Color and xvYCC
- Putting The Eye On HDMI
- Straight Wire And HDMI
- Tributaries' Approach To HDMI

I use Monster M1000 cables in my home theater system, and yes, they cost a fortune. The cost was 3x$150 and 1x$200 for a total of $650 for 4 cables!!!! Would I do it again? Absolutely! The picture and sound quality I enjoy is worth every penny I spent!

My system includes:
- Pioneer Elite Pro-150FD 60" Kuro Plasma
- Pioneer Elite BDP-95FD Blu-ray Disc Player
- Toshiba HD-A35 HD-DVD Player
- Pioneer Elite VSX-94TXH Receiver (7x140 watts plus 2 Subs @ 150 watts each)
- B&W Speakers
- Infinity Speakers
- REL Subwoofers x 2

[JetJock]

Originally Posted by Sponge14

Thats a nice advertisement for Monster, how much did they pay you? As far as the bandwith goes, hows this cable?
http://www.monoprice.com/products/pr...seq=1&format=2

Its HDMI 1.3a Cat 2, and it's only $12.52 I don't care how high end your equipment is, I don't believe for one second that your monster cable is $138 better than the one Monoprice sells. They have the Gold connectors, and mesh jacketing that Monster rants, raves, and pats themselves on the back about.

I sell Monster for a retail chain, and the only reason I sell it is because they are expensive and have a retarded high profit margin, even for the store. The store cost on a $99 hdmi cable was $41. So on top of the profit Monster themselves make, and the stores profit, those $150 cables are worth no more than the Monoprice $12.52 cables (and even Mono is making money on them!) And the Monos are 24awg too.

I was not paid a cent by Monster or anyone else for my prior posting. Furthermore, I do not sell Monster or anything else for a living. For the past 28 years, I've been flying jet aircraft for a living. So, I have no incentive to mislead anyone with my postings. If you think you've found a magic cable for $12.52, by all means buy it! I spend a great deal of time reading and researching technology products before I buy. It's a very rare treat when I go into an electronics store and find a salesperson that knows more about the technology he's selling than I do. The vast majority of electronics salespeople don't have a clue about what they're selling.

I suggest you read the 11 articles in the January issue of "Widescreen Review" that I cited in my prior posting, plus the 5 articles to follow in the February issue. No, Widescreen Review is not paying me either. Most of the articles were submitted by different HDMI cable manufacturers. They certainly have a bias, but they back up their claims with specifications and documented test results.