HDMI is one really better

donedroolin · January 2009

Hey well I bought an RCA brand HDMI cable to hook up my HD cable box. Ran it through the wall. Question, Is thier a big difference between say an RCA, Radio Schack or Monster brand HDMI Cables. I use good quality wires for everything else but feel I cheaped out on the cable.

Face · January 2009

No, you did fine and I know where you're coming from.

wutadumsn23 · January 2009

I have a $70 Rocketfish (BB brand) that I was suckered into buying 3 years ago when I bought my TV, not knowing any better. About a week after I got my TV I had Comcast come out and hook up my HD DVR and service. Having only one HDMI cable at the time which I was using for my PS3, I noticed a problem.... The Comcast guy told me he may have one kicking around in the back of his truck he could give me. I was amazed at this offer, a free HDMI cable after I had just paid $70 for mine a week ago. He comes back from his truck with about a 4 ft. black cord with two HDMI plugs on the end of it and I"m thinking oh crap.... Let me tell you, that cord probably couldn't cost more than about $5-$10 if you bought it in the store, but there is ABSOLUTELY no difference between that one and my Rocketfish cable. I have done comparisons with the both of those cables many times over hoping to see a difference and I have not been able to. Long story short, don't sweat the cable, it will work just fine. Ben or some other wire/cable expert may have some more information in regards to HDMI V 1.3a and what not, but I am no expert in that area.

donedroolin · January 2009

Thanks Face, I feel better now. but things like that always make me wonder, What if. Has anyone ever done any comparisons with HDMI cable brands.

cnh · January 2009

I agree, any decent recent HDMI cable will suffice--you're simply passing a 'digital' signal the only concerns are enough bandwidth, which most good cables have. And length. If the cable gets too long there are problems and an upgrade may be necessary. There is a limit to HDMI transmissions but that would have to be a pretty long run. So I wouldn't worry.

You're fine...

cnh

thsmith · January 2009

+100, try monoprice.com in the future

donedroolin · January 2009

Oh man and THANKS Wutadumsn23. Yea I remember the Best Buy sales guy trying to sell me a $150.00 HDMI. I was like dude I'll use Component video and Fiber optic (Digital) I am SORRY you paid $70.00 dollars for a cable. But now we know you do not have to spend a FORTUNE on an HDMI cable. And you know as I remember when the cable guy came to my house to hook up the digital cable at the time . He offered me know wires. Now my buddy down the road got a FREE HDMI cable, from the cable company. But I also remember at the techs yard sale he had the bag bundles of cables and was selling them for $50.00 dollars. I had mentioned to him guess thats why I did not get them when he came to my house. He took them off the table. My friends just laughed. Any how I have the cable guy coming 1/24/08, my new HD box is not working right. I am going to get my FREE hdmi cable.

donedroolin · January 2009

Thanks to all who are responding. I will check out monoprice.com

bsoko2 · January 2009

Aslo, try Blue Jeans!

Bill

dfranks · January 2009

OR Parts Express, I picked up 2 (yes 2) Dayton, High speed Cable V1.3 Cat 2 CL3 certified for $5.74 each.

Of course I have to pay shipping ($10.00) I like Dayton products and I think they are very well built. I have interconnects, paired speaker wire, and cub cable.

Either way for this quality up here in Canada, I would have to pay at least triple that price, at any store.

Ron-P · January 2009

bsoko2 wrote: »

Aslo, try Blue Jeans!

Bill

+1

I run almost all Blue Jeans, fantastic cables at great prices. I paid $70 for my 25' HDMI cable for my PJ.

BlueFox · January 2009

I too have not seen any video differance between el cheapo HDMI, and a slightly more expensive one. However, I do wonder if the HDMI cables have the same issue as other digital cables when it comes to sending digital music over the cable. In other words, do the cheap HDMI cables have a higher rate of jitter than do the more expensive HDMI cables. There is no denying that cheap digital cables between a transport and a DAC sound worse than a good digital cable between a transport and a DAC.

disneyjoe7 · January 2009

Ron-P wrote: »

+1

I run almost all Blue Jeans, fantastic cables at great prices. I paid $70 for my 25' HDMI cable for my PJ.

I use a Blue Jeans HDMI cable also, and I noticed deeper blacks over a cheaper no name cable. Not a big difference but then again a difference. YMMV

cheddar · January 2009

I recently had to decide whether to purchase from blue-jeans or monoprice for a 30ft cable run. Blue-jeans seems to charge double the price for similar gauge hdmi cable. I paid just under $40 for 22AWG from monoprice when blue-jeans wanted $43 for only 25ft of their 28AWG and $85 for 30ft of their 23.5AWG. Blue-jeans doesn't seem like the goto place for inexpensive large gauge hdmi cable.

SEH · January 2009

BlueFox wrote: »

I too have not seen any video differance between el cheapo HDMI, and a slightly more expensive one. However, I do wonder if the HDMI cables have the same issue as other digital cables when it comes to sending digital music over the cable. In other words, do the cheap HDMI cables have a higher rate of jitter than do the more expensive HDMI cables.

That's possible. There's probably a question of what sort of construction and materials are necessary for jitter to be reasonably low, and $5 HDMI cable from monoprice might be the answer.

It's also possible that people often notice no difference in HDMI cables because what's being transported is compressed data (Dolby, DTS) that's not time sensitive until it's decoded, so the wire link has no way to impart jitter. Once it's PCM that's another matter, and every link in the chain can be a source of accumulated jitter.

mantis · January 2009

BlueFox wrote: »

I too have not seen any video differance between el cheapo HDMI, and a slightly more expensive one. However, I do wonder if the HDMI cables have the same issue as other digital cables when it comes to sending digital music over the cable. In other words, do the cheap HDMI cables have a higher rate of jitter than do the more expensive HDMI cables. There is no denying that cheap digital cables between a transport and a DAC sound worse than a good digital cable between a transport and a DAC.

I have tested a few times different levels of HDMI cables. Once the cable is properly built and can pass the signal correctly, there is no video or audio difference. A poor cable build vs a correct cable build will yield different results.
Just be careful buying cheap cables, most of the time you get what you pay for. I suggest getting good quaity cables but there is no need to buy extreme high end cables unless you have to run the cable long lengths over 20 feet.

Dan

Dan

polkatese · January 2009

I have three HDMI cables from Monoprice. Yes, they are cheap, but what's amazing is their built quality: Heavy gauge, solid connection, and quality sleeve. And also, an exact same item (such as the Optical-Coaxial converter box) that I got from them, is sold at twice, three times by other online/fleabay merchants. Monoprice also has 21 days no restocking return policy. How do you beat that? and for me, they are 10 minutes away to pickup, how cool is that?. Ok, bottomline? it works!

AndyGwis · January 2009

I got suckered into buying a $110 monster HDMI cable when I bought my first plasma and upconverting DVD player. Tried the monster cable, then tried the one that came with the DVD player.

Returned the monster cable about 30 seconds later. No difference I could see, certainly not enough to justify spending something that cost as much as the dvd player itself. I now have BlueJeans cable for HDMI, DVI, and component.

Also got talked into buying a $70 Monster surge protector at that time. Worked fine and looked cooler than the ones I had at the time, so I guess that wasn't so bad. Don't use it anymore, though.

Falcon01 · January 2009

Gentlemen, there is absolutely ZERO difference between HDMI cables unless there's a problem with the build quality.

Canadian Broadcasting Corp. Confirms HDMI Cable Scam!

http://hdguru.com/canadian-broadcasting-corp-confirms-hdmi-cable-scam/240/

This video will BLOW you away...

http://www.cbc.ca/mrl3/8752/marketplace/packing_the_deal.wmv

Get your cables from monoprice.com

donedroolin · January 2009

I did go buy an $80.00 dollar Monster HDMI from Radio Shack just to experiment. I changed it in place of my RCA brand. Guess what thier was NO DIFFERENCE. I returned it to Radio Shack, This was just a TEST. I am going to buy cables from MONOPRICE.COM. Great prices and live chat with Technician is a bonus.

mmadden28 · January 2009

Lets put aside brand/price differences for a sec.
I would imagine that there has to be some differences in different HDMI cables. It can't just come down to a price or one brand over another or build quality.

What about the different gauges available? Doesn't that impact how long the cable can be? Or the bandwidth capability?
What about the rated spec? v1.1 vs. 1.3a, etc. There is a difference in the bandwidth capabilities no?
And what about the jacket rating-not all cables have an in-wall rating.

Just some other things to consider. I would imagine that the jacket and gauge (and of course length) would have an impact on the cost of the cable.

cheddar · January 2009

mmadden28 wrote: »

Lets put aside brand/price differences for a sec.
I would imagine that there has to be some differences in different HDMI cables. It can't just come down to a price or one brand over another or build quality.

What about the different gauges available? Doesn't that impact how long the cable can be? Or the bandwidth capability?
What about the rated spec? v1.1 vs. 1.3a, etc. There is a difference in the bandwidth capabilities no?
And what about the jacket rating-not all cables have an in-wall rating.

Just some other things to consider. I would imagine that the jacket and gauge (and of course length) would have an impact on the cost of the cable.

I think that's the point various people have been trying to make, that even places like blue jeans cable charge a premium for hdmi cables that may not be giving you much for that extra money. The monoprice cables are 1.3a CL2 rated for in-wall installation and thick 22-24 gauge. And they are the cheapest option compared to even places like blue jeans which is itself much cheaper than monster.

Igo · January 2009

Binary numbers are binary number. 0's and 1's in sets of 8. They exists or they don't.
I paid $19 each for 3 Belkin HDMI cables at Sams club and they are built like a tank.

HDMI is one really better

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