HDMI Cables with Ferrite Cores

[Edh63]

Would it be necessary to use these kinds of HDMI cables for noise reduction? Is anyone using these types of HDMI cables out there?

HDMI Cable male to male 28AWG - 6ft w/Ferrite Cores (Gold Plated)

[ottscay]

No, the beauty of digital transmissions is that noise has no effect unless it's so bad that it causes drop outs in the data stream. A cheap $25 HDMI cord should produce just as good of a picture and audio as a $250 one.

All this crap about "better" HDMI cords is just a way for companies like Monster to try and maintain their profits in an age where analog cables are going away (analog signals really are degraded by minor interference).

[Edh63]

Originally Posted by ottscay

No, the beauty of digital transmissions is that noise has no effect unless it's so bad that it causes drop outs in the data stream. A cheap $25 HDMI cord should produce just as good of a picture and audio as a $250 one.

All this crap about "better" HDMI cords is just a way for companies like Monster to try and maintain their profits in an age where analog cables are going away (analog signals really are degraded by minor interference).

I hear ya, and I definitely won't buy an expensive HDMI cable after reading all the great info about them here. Although, reading about this specific cable, it implies more noise reduction than a standard HDMI. It isn't very costly either and I am looking on monopric.com at this.

I'm about to order a couple of cables and just don't want to purchase this if I don't need it.

[tommyD]

Since the signals are transmitted differentially (i.e. two wires carrying the same digital signal, except opposite polarity), they are mostly immune to electromagnetic interference. On top of that, like ottscay says, they are transmitted digitally, which means that amplitude distortions on the signal don't affect the signal (unless it is REALLY bad), and add the transition coding and error correction coding, the interface is really robust even with so-so cables.
So ferrite cores are fine if they are included, but not worth adding to a cable. I have a couple of 6 ft cables w/o ferrites carrying 1080P signals for my setup.

[tommyD]

Originally Posted by Edh63

I hear ya, and I definitely won't buy an expensive HDMI cable after reading all the great info about them here. Although, reading about this specific cable, it implies more noise reduction than a standard HDMI. It isn't very costly either and I am looking on monopric.com at this.

The only thing is that it will block interference from your HDMI equipment (the source or display leaking ground-plane noise out that cable interface) from interfering with any analog connections you have in your setup. So it may be marginally better for viewing your composite/S-Video/component connections, but it won't make any difference on HDMI or DVI connections.

[DavePS3]

In audio cables, the better ones have more silver content. Video cables... well, I'm in the industry and I can tell you that everyone has a gimmick to sell their brand but I've had lots of cable tested with technicians and the majority of so-called 'better cables' are no better than 5.00 Radio Shack cables. They just have more sheilding.

The best Audio cables I've heard - that make a difference worth the money are Nordost. As for video... don't believe the hype. just get middle of the road so they're built stronger but don't have that extra 2.50 worth of beefier plastic that ends up costing you an extra 200.00

[Edh63]

Originally Posted by tommyD

The only thing is that it will block interference from your HDMI equipment (the source or display leaking ground-plane noise out that cable interface) from interfering with any analog connections you have in your setup. So it may be marginally better for viewing your composite/S-Video/component connections, but it won't make any difference on HDMI or DVI connections.

Yes, this is what I was looking at. Considering I have a Bose system, I am running some S-Video and component cabling. I didn't really know if the point of diminishing return would be so marginal that the extra cost for these cables would be worth it, eventhough the cost isn't an issue. Of course, I wouldn't really know unless I bought them and tried them out.

I think I can safely deduce out this thread that I would be fine without them?

[HDJK]

Originally Posted by Edh63

...

I think I can safely deduce out this thread that I would be fine without them?

At this length: yes.

[Edh63]

Thanks guys.