Simviation Forum - HDMI Cables.

Mar 4^th, 2009 at 9:44pm

jimdbird Offline
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I’ve been reading up on HDMI cables, and am having a difficult time sorting the good cables from the poor ones.

Could someone point me towards some good ones, I’m interested in 1 and 2 meter lengths.

Cheers,
Jim

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Reply #1 - Mar 5^th, 2009 at 12:35am

Wingo Offline
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There is next to no difference between the bargain basements cables and the spiffy ones, except the price you pay. All of them are made to the same specs and cost about $1 to make, even the $80 ones. I used to work in an electronics store and the amount of markup on some of them was extreme. Mainly just make sure it has some decent shielding, i.e. thicker cable, and gold connectors, you should be able to get some for about $10.

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Reply #2 - Mar 5^th, 2009 at 2:12am

jimdbird Offline
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Wingo wrote on Mar 5^th, 2009 at 12:35am:

There is next to no difference between the bargain basements cables and the spiffy ones, except the price you pay. All of them are made to the same specs and cost about $1 to make, even the $80 ones. I used to work in an electronics store and the amount of markup on some of them was extreme. Mainly just make sure it has some decent shielding, i.e. thicker cable, and gold connectors, you should be able to get some for about $10.

Thanks Wingo,

The thing I’m concerned about is the bandwidth of the bargain basement ones.

Example: A PC Power & Cooling PSU vs a bargain basement one. Although, they both may be rated at 750 watts, they are not the same.

Specifically the single rail in the PC Power & Cooling unite is manufactured so the electrons can flow freely, and unimpeded through all parts of it, without any bottlenecks.

The bargain basement brands usually have lower quality rails that restrict the free flow of electrons, thereby making it difficult to deliver their rated power. (They usually try to make up for this by adding even more cheap rails.)

I’m assuming the same problems exist in HDMI cables due to their high bandwidth needs. However, I could easily be wrong about the needs for HDMI, but I would prefer to err on the side of caution….therefore, my dilemma.

Maybe if I try some of this Smiley

, and then some of this Smiley

I will see things clearer.

Cheers,
Jim

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Reply #3 - Mar 9^th, 2009 at 4:42pm

blazer003 Offline
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Well, all that I know of that you'd transmit over HDMI is video, which is your case, correct? And for that, I have seen absolutely no difference in quality in bargain (<$5) and pro cables. I work in video production, and trust me, I notice the slightest noise in the picture.

Usually for video cables you only notice difference in cable quality when going 20' +. Then the signal starts to degrade.

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Reply #4 - Mar 10^th, 2009 at 12:29pm

stevehookem Offline
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I actually tested this when I purchased my Pioneer 50" plasma. The store guaranteed that I'd see a difference and allowed me to take a $300 AudioQuest HDMI cable home for a test.

I ran my set-up DVD's and watched about 15 DVD and Blu-Ray movies, HD TV, standard TV, Playstation 3 games and home video from my camcorder. I could see NO DIFFERENCE AT ALL between this cable and a $15 HDMI cable I purchased from Altex Computers (a cheap computer parts store).

All the reference material on the Essentials DVD looked exactly the same. The movies and programming looked the same as well.

I returned the AudioQuest and saved $285.

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Reply #5 - Mar 11^th, 2009 at 6:35pm

RIC_BARKER Offline
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Remember - HDMI is digital, there is no "image quality" associated with the quality of the cable (true in 99.9% of cases, some of the very expensive cabling will allow transmission over longer distances than shorter ones).

I've seen stores selling more expensive cables as the only 1080p compatibles ones...this is BS. All HDMI cables, whether they are £3 or £300 all comply to the same basic standard, the HDMI transport protocol.

Buy the £3 and spend the rest on your monitor!

Ric B.

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Reply #6 - Mar 11^th, 2009 at 6:43pm

CD. Ex Member

I second everything that has been posted in this thread. My £4.00 HDMI cables from ebuyer are no different from the first £40.00 one that I got mugged for in Curry's...

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Reply #7 - Mar 13^th, 2009 at 11:06am

Brett_Henderson Offline
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While it is true, that we're talking about a digital signal here.. it's pretty much "all or nothing" .. there is no better/worse, as far as signal quality degredation.

However... I went through two $30 HDMI cables (they just quit working) running from my DirecTV reciever, to a 60" LCD TV... having to switch temporarlily to the component-level connections (which is a real PITA while the TV world settles on a resolution format)(constantly changing the reciever format, and the TV's format)(it all seemed to work seemlessly when using HDMI)... Where was I ? ... Oh yeah Embarrassed

ANYway.. I broke down and paid $90 for a brand-name HDMI cable.. been running flawlessly for a year now Cool

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