HDMI cables?

I

Icyguy

Roll Tide!
Hey, all. I have a PS3 as you probably know, and I use AV cables for my video input/output. Sometimes I wish the quality could be a bit better, and I was recommended to use HDMI cables instead of AV cables.

At first someone showed me this: http://www.amazon.com/HDMI-Cable-2M-6-Feet/dp/B0002L5R78/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1297991068&sr=1-1

Then I looked at Wal-Mart, Best Buy, GameStop, and numerous other electronic stores. Everywhere but on Amazon they were outrageously priced. Like $40-$80 dollars depending on the brand/features. I just wanted what Amazon had for ‎$5 in a store locally so I could get it right now.
So I'm asking, is there any real difference between the super expensive HDMI cables and the cheap ones on amazon.com and monoprice.com? (http://www.monoprice.com/products/product.asp?c_id=102&cp_id=10240&cs_id=1024008&p_id=3871&seq=1&format=2)

My TV is a Dynex 19'' 720p HDTV.
Any suggestions? Why are they so expensive if they're all the same? Or if they aren't, what's different about the expensive ones?
Thanks. :)
 
One suggestion, make sure it's 1.3 or higher HDMI. It does not matter which one you use as long as it's that. Only your HDTV can sniff out the difference like a blood hound.
 
Gold plated ones aren't worth paying more for since they don't differ from the non-gold plated ones. You can get a good one for under 10 bucks
 
Snatcher_L said:
Gold plated ones aren't worth paying more for since they don't differ from the non-gold plated ones. You can get a good one for under 10 bucks
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They do, but it's mostly physical. They don't corrode as quickly as silver or tin plated cables. So they will last longer.

With that said -

MONOPRICE!!!!

It's where I get all my cables. DO NOT buy cables at big box stores, they are a ripoff. Here's the link to the HDMI cables -

[Monoprice HDMI Cables]
 
MegaDrive20XX said:
Ooooo! Lovely website! Forget Christmas decorations, I'll put these up! :D
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Ya man, that store is awesome. They're based about 40 minutes from L.A. Only place I get cables now. Worth every penny.
 
Since your TV is 720p, a component (Red/Green/Blue, 3 analog video cable) will give you better imaging than S-video or standard composite video cable.

As far as HDMI goes, it's digital signal. As long as you have a decent quality cable, you won't lose bits. I'd avoid buying the absolute cheapest ones as they may use inferior metal, inferior shielding, and may be subject to small shorts in the cable or EMI/RFI interference. You may not be able to tell the difference between the most expensive cable and a medium priced one, but the difference between a dirt cheap one and a medium price one can be apparent.

There is no need to buy the $40+ range cables. I would avoid the under $15 range if really trying to get a quality cable though.
 
Oh, and just to clarify, shorts and EMI/RFI interference won't come out as noise as it would on an analog cable. It will appear as digital noise caused by lost bits in the stream, therefore small inaccuracies in the digital image and sound.
 
Grindspine said:
There is no need to buy the $40+ range cables. I would avoid the under $15 range if really trying to get a quality cable though.
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I would agree, but the monoprice cables are built very well. They are highly recommended by a lot people (I heard about them from Robert Heron from Revision3.) They supply OEMs with their cables. I would not spend more than $10 on an HDMI cable unless you're doing long distance runs.

I say research monoprice. They are quality.
 
Yeah, I agree with everything that's been said.

My roommate got suckered into buying the premium $70 cable, but I've used a $10 one under the exact same conditions and couldn't tell you the difference. There probably are some super crappy ones for dirt cheap that do have a noticeable drop in quality, but you can always buy a couple different brands or whatever until you find one that looks good and still come well under the price of an expensive one.

Basically, it's a scam.
 
Grindspine said:
There is no need to buy the $40+ range cables. I would avoid the under $15 range if really trying to get a quality cable though.
Click to expand...

Depending on the circumstances, if all that is available is dirt cheap or really expensive (like optical cables at the local Best Buy), I'd steer toward a higher priced cable from a more reputable company than go dirt cheap.

All of that being said, my guitar equipment and my gaming consoles use Monster cable. I have debated MANY a sound snob about if it is paying for the name or the quality. I have come to the conclusion that it is both. With analog cable, I have done A/B/C comparisons with other cables and can hear a difference. Bluevoodu has actually done some of those comparisons with me. If you can tell a difference between two cables, the difference in price is worth it IMO. Even with all that being said, I use the middle-range Monster cables (Performer 500 Jazz instrument, P500 and "New Monster" speaker cable for my guitar rig, Monster Game 100 cables for my consoles), as those seem to be the best quality/performance/price ratio for my needs.

With digital cables, the difference may not be as obvious, but, if going for a high def TV, losing bits in the display can add up to visual distortions that will make the image less crisp and can be fatiguing on the eyes.
 
I completely agree about analog. I would definitely go for the higher end cable, but it's much more rarer to have it happen to digital cables. Your source is more than likely going to be the first to display artifacts than the cable itself.

I stand by monoprice though and have bought many cables from them including analog. I'd bet money they perform just as well, if not better, than mid-range digital cables.
 
Well, as monoprice is so cheap, I think I'll try one of those first.
Which one(s) would you suggest, CreepinDeth?

And thanks for all the info posted in here. ^^
 
Any of the 28AWG HDMI, Male-to-Male cables will suit you just fine. They're the latest spec. Just choose length and color.

Do not get any of the ones with Net Jackets or are rated as "Professional". Those are meant to be inside walls.
 
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