Question RE: HDTV's and HDMI Cables

[romantico]

I just bought a HD TV at Best Buy on sale.WHen I went up to pay for it the sales clerk asked if I had HDMI cables. I said no,but I would buy them later.On my way home I ran into WAL-MART and TARGET and priced them. My question is, can I buy just a regular cheap brand? I went onto Amazon and they have a bunch at all kinds of prices. I basically want to hook it up to my cable. I plan on buying a Blu Ray player within the next 2 or 3 weeks so I will also hook that up to the TV. Any experts who can advise what I should look for in HDMI cables would be great. Many thanks in advance!

[Robb]

1. Sadly, no, you can't.

It's a bandwidth issue. HDTV uses a whole lot of it, and if you have cheap cables you get sketchy results, such as (voice of experience) lag between audio and video ... think how annoying it is when a YouTube video has peoples' lips out of synch with their voices, and you've got the idea. :)

[romantico]

2. Thanks!

Is there any brand or anything in particular I should look for when buying cables? How much should I be paying and does the bran name (Sony, Philips,etc.) Make that much difference? Thanks again!

[Robb]

4. Couldn't tell you.

I bought a Monster HDMI cable for the Blu Ray because I'd heard of Monster before, and if you buy their super-duper cable it comes with a lifetime "if we ever make one better than this we'll give it to you free" guarantee. :D

We're doing (sounds like) the same thing here, regular old Comcast cable into the HDTV and it's really something. There are digital channels (not HD) we never saw before, because the old set didn't know what to do with them -- and apparently there's some law that Comcast has to pipe in the local channels in HD, so we have five or six HD channels with our cheapskate-special package.

Happy drooling. Even the weather report is compelling to the point of ending conversation in HD. :D

[quakerboy]

10. Is that really a cable issue, or

an issue with the devices involved? I am using a HDMI cable I got from ebay, for 2.99 including shipping. And it works like a charm. None of the issues you describe?

[rcrush]

11. I know you can go to a computer supply store and get them cheap and they work great

You can get them almost half the price they are at Best Buy if you go someplace like Altex and they work just fine.

[Jkid]

3. What ever you do, don't get Monster Cables

The best thing you can do is to get a cheap HDMI cable from amazon. I got mine for about $5, and it works as fine as any other HDMI cable in the market. While you need to be concerned about getting the best analog cable, digital cables carry digital signals. They simply do or don't work.

[Deja Q]

5. Middle-of-the-road

High-end cables are overkill unless you're needing a considerable distance to transfer the data over.

For most instances, 3 feet, cheapie cables are just fine, unless you have a couple hundred dollars' worth of fluorescent light figures a couple of feet away from it, whose ballasts will interfere with the signal...

[sgsmith]

6. One place to go - Monoprice

Everything I've read on forums, and from people I've met, says that monoprice.com delivers quality products on a budget. The only caveat is their web site says they're moving warehouses and are back logged on shipping.

[LeftyMom]

7. It's digital, so any cable will carry the same signal, provided it's not defective.

The only situation where a cheap cable might not work as well is if you have a relatively long run of cable, in which case you'll need to make sure you have good shielding to avoid potential for interference.

Otherwise a $6 cable, a $60 cable and a $600 cable (and there are indeed such things and stupid people who buy them) will all carry the same 0s and 1s. (I used to manage an electronics store and was in charge of product training, so I'm qualified to tell you that.)

[Catshrink]

8. Try newegg.com

http://www.newegg.com

They have good prices and good service -- and often free shipping. I've purchased many components from them and never had a problem. Delivery is fast.

[TommyO]

9. I've been using the XtremeMac cables that I picked up at the Apple store for two years now

$19.95 for the two meter cables, and it was darned convenient since I worked within a five minute drive of an Apple store at the time.

[pokerfan]

12. A blind test shows...

http://www.popularmechanics.com/technology/upgrade/4235717.html

[Robb]

15. Almost two years old, that article.

...Trust me, if your HDTV is large and refreshes quickly (120 or heaven forbid 240 hz) you will have problems with the cheapo cable.. Not making this up.

It's all ones and zeroes, as pointed out, but there's a LOT of 'em at the new higher refresh rates.

[pokerfan]

21. The point remains that it's digital

Ones and zeros, as you said. Any problems with "cheapo cable" will manifest themselves in fairly apparent ways (dropouts and flashing). The $80 designer cable won't have "richer" and "brighter" colors. Such a rip-off (and tremendous profit) for companies like Monster.

[Robb]

22. Yes.

You can keep buying better and better cables until you get one that works.

Or you can get one rated for the bandwidth you're pumping.

You're right, there is nothing "richer or brighter." It works or it doesn't. My experience is high refresh rates (120 or 240) need high bandwidth, and cheaper cables aren't rated for it. Nothing wrong with the best you can skate by with, I agree.

[RoyGBiv]

13. 9 bucks, NewEgg ...

Free shipping.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16812339005

If you believe in rebates, they're $2 after that.

[romantico]

14. WOW

Hey thanks to everyone. Very helpful information!

[Schema Thing]

16. here ya go:

Cable length

Although no maximum length for an HDMI cable is specified, signal attenuation—dependent on the cable's construction quality and conducting materials—limits usable lengths in practice.<56> HDMI 1.3 defines two cable categories: Category 1-certified cables, which have been tested at 74.5 MHz (720p60 and 1080i60), and Category 2-certified cables, which have been tested at 340 MHz (1080p60 and 2160p30).<53><57><58> Category 1 HDMI cables are to be marketed as "Standard" and Category 2 HDMI cables as "High Speed".<1> This labeling guideline for HDMI cables went into effect on October 17, 2008.<59><60> Category 1 and 2 cables can either meet the required parameter specifications for interpair skew, far-end crosstalk, attenuation, and differential impedance, or they can meet the required nonequalized/equalized eye diagram requirements.<57> A cable of about 5 meters (16 ft.) can be manufactured to Category 1 specifications easily and inexpensively by using 28 AWG (0.081 mm²) conductors.<56> With better quality construction and materials, including 24 AWG (0.205 mm²) conductors, an HDMI cable can reach lengths of up to 15 meters (49 ft.).<56> Many HDMI cables under 5 meters of length that were made before the HDMI 1.3 specification can work as Category 2 cables, but only Category 2-tested cables are guaranteed to work.<61>
Extender

A HDMI extender is a single device (or pair of devices) powered with an external power source or with the 5V DC from the HDMI source.<62><63><64> Long cable lengths can cause instability of HDCP and blinking on the screen, due to the weakened DDC signal that HDCP requires. HDCP DDC signals must be multiplexed with TMDS video signals to be compliant with HDCP requirements for HDMI extenders based on a single Category 5/Category 6 cable.<65><66> Several companies offer amplifiers, equalizers, and repeaters that can string several standard HDMI cables together. Active HDMI cables use electronics within the cable to boost the signal and allow for HDMI cables of up to 30 meters (98 ft.).<62> HDMI extenders that are based on dual Category 5/Category 6 cable can extend HDMI to 250 meters (820 ft.), while HDMI extenders based on optical fiber can extend HDMI to 300 meters (980 ft.).<63><64>

[Swede]

17. Monster Cable hdmi jacks are not good for your components.

The jacks are big and heavy and will eventually loosen the jacks in a stereo or tv (gravity I believe). Get cable medium price with light jacks (weight wise).

[elocs]

18. Monster and expensive HDMI cables are a rip-off. Buy online from Amazon.com

and you can find good cables that are dirt cheap. Buy a number of them because they will be that inexpensive. You may wait a few days, but it will be well worth the savings.

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_ss?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=hdmi+cables&x=0&y=0

[NJmaverick]

19. HDMI is all digital. So they either work or don't work.

so there is absolutely no benefit in buying expensive ones. When the connections were component they were analog and the quality of the cable made a difference. In this case the cable makes no more difference than a USB cable you use on your computer.

[whistler162]

20. Not as cheap as some but not the sucker purchase of a Monster Cable

http://www.bluejeanscable.com/store/hdmi-cables/index.htm

[CreekDog]

23. I bought cheap cables on Amazon and had no problem

and I don't see any difference between using them and using component cables, except for simplicity and reduced clutter.

[elocs]

24. Just read the user reviews there and you can get some good one for a good price

as well as all other cables. I bought HDMI as well as ethernet cables for my Roku player and some for extras as well.