Hello guys,

What should I be looking for when choosing a HDMI cable? So many varieties. Some cheap low-end names and some overpriced ones from Monster Cable. Which I've been avoiding ever since I got into HT in the mid 90s. Is there really that much difference lets say between the different series with lets say Ultralink brand? Or from one brand to the next.

I could almost swear I can hear the difference with different interconnects. Speaker cables...not so sure. Most would say all speaker cables sound the same and that when they try to sell you $1000 6 foot speaker cables it's snake oil. Is this the same with HDMI?

Hello guys,

What should I be looking for when choosing a HDMI cable? So many varieties. Some cheap low-end names and some overpriced ones from Monster Cable. Which I've been avoiding ever since I got into HT in the mid 90s. Is there really that much difference lets say between the different series with lets say Ultralink brand? Or from one brand to the next.

I could almost swear I can hear the difference with different interconnects. Speaker cables...not so sure. Most would say all speaker cables sound the same and that when they try to sell you $1000 6 foot speaker cables it's snake oil. Is this the same with HDMI?

I would look at these (http://www.monoprice.com/products/product.asp?c_id=102&cp_id=10240&cs_id=1024007&p_id=3949&seq=1&format=2). They're practically giving these things away.

Thanks WTF. Do you use them? Such a crazy deal. I wonder if they are any good. :)

I have two Monoprice HDMI cables and one Tartan HDMI cable (Tartan is part of Blue Jeans Cable.) Both companies have low overhead since most of their assembly and distribution is in-house, and they don't have crazy advertising budgets like Monster does.

Most accounts say they're just as good as Monster without the markup. In terms of performance, I've yet to see anything that said they were any worse or that Monster was $70+ better. But both Monoprice and Tartan/BJC have quality merchandise.

Most would say all speaker cables sound the same and that when they try to sell you $1000 6 foot speaker cables it's snake oil. Is this the same with HDMI?Yes.

Buy Monoprice.com!!!!!!

I've bought tons of stuff from Monoprice and it's been fine. My Toslink cable might be acting funny, but everything else has been great. Just as good as Monster without the ridiculous pricing.

I buy my 6 foot'ers off the WEB as cheap as I can. Never had any issue. (advantage to digital). MCM my last ones. My 50 footer I had built from Bluejean. Seems to work fine. When you are building cables that exceed the standard specification, it does not hurt to have real engineers who know and can test how to cheat. They are concerned with details like the standard connector design stinks and the flexability. Real issues.

Thanks WTF. Do you use them? Such a crazy deal. I wonder if they are any good. :)

I have used several cables from them -- good every time. Purchased 2 of the HDMI cables I linked to yesterday. Obviously I haven't received those yet. ;)

Might give monoprice a try. So damn cheap that the shipping cost would actually cost more than the cables themselves. HEH! But worth a try once.

But is there nothing really we should be looking for in the design of the HDMI cables? Should they be insulated? Etc. Or are they all the same basically? Just different colors and company logo's?

Here you go, same thing monoprice sells, they are .18 + ship today, they were .70 the other day. Stock up, just watch the shipping.
http://www.amazon.com/HDMI-meter-foot-cable-1080P/dp/B0002L5R78/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1247318007&sr=8-1

Mike

dark, many many of us use monoprice cables with success...

my two main qualifications for a cable are:

1) is it long enough?
2) does it work? with hdmi, it's pretty easy to tell.

here's a good resource (http://www.bluejeanscable.com/articles/hdmi-cable-information.htm?hdmidept) that will answer a lot of the questions that you have posed...

good luck! :)

ps. if you do order from monoprice, make it worth the shipping cost and stock up on other stuff you might need. never hurts to have spares lying around.

Here you go, same thing monoprice sells, they are .18 + ship today, they were .70 the other day. Stock up, just watch the shipping.
http://www.amazon.com/HDMI-meter-foot-cable-1080P/dp/B0002L5R78/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1247318007&sr=8-1

Mike

I saw this -- may want to take a closer look.

This cable does not appear to be HDMI Category 2 so be careful if you are using with blu-ray or PS3 as it may not give you 1080P or 48-bit color. Category 1 cables are tested up to 75MHz while Category 2 cables are tested to 340MHz. According to the HDMI website, Category 1 cables may give you 1080P, but they are not guaranteed to do so and are only guaranteed up to 1080i resolution. Only Category 2 cables are guaranteed to give 1080P FullHD.

I only skimmed the info/reviews -- just to let you know.

Thanks WTF! That's the kind of information I was looking to hear. Not that I don't appreciate everyone else comments too. So how do we know if the HDMI cable is "category 2"? Would it say so online or on the packaging?

Here is the report from Australia's independent consumer magazine.
http://www.choice.com.au/viewArticle.aspx?id=106733&catId=100170&tid=100008&p=1&title=Digital+AV+cables+rip-off

Another option is Dayton from Parts Express. They are a little more, but to my location, shipping is cheaper, so it works out about the same. The other reason I like them, is it usually takes 5-6 days for an order to arrive from Monoprice, but it only takes one day from Parts Express. Depends on your location.

http://www.parts-express.com/pe/showdetl.cfm?Partnumber=181-772

I saw this -- may want to take a closer look.

This cable does not appear to be HDMI Category 2 so be careful if you are using with blu-ray or PS3 as it may not give you 1080P or 48-bit color. Category 1 cables are tested up to 75MHz while Category 2 cables are tested to 340MHz. According to the HDMI website, Category 1 cables may give you 1080P, but they are not guaranteed to do so and are only guaranteed up to 1080i resolution. Only Category 2 cables are guaranteed to give 1080P FullHD.

I only skimmed the info/reviews -- just to let you know.

It is HDMI 1.3b rated, and handles 1080p with ease. I have swapped these around with one of those high dollar cables on my BD and DVD player, no difference in the least to my eyes. Just crystal clear A/V.

Denon 4308ci
Denon 2500BTCI BD Transport
Denon 2930ci DVD SACD
Samsung 58B560 plasma

All HDMI connected with these cheap cables and one high dollar 24ga 10 footer from the AVR to plasma.

Mike

Sounds like 1.3b=Category 2 and 1.3a=Category 1? On the Parts Express site it does mention their Dayton cables are 1.3b and can display 1080p and 48-bit color...etc. And thanks for posting the link to the AU article. Guess I'll avoid the mega$ HDMI brands/models. And maybe look into Monoprice and the like. Even if the shipping will cost more than the cables themselves. Or I'll just get the cheapest 1.3b HDMI cable locally.

Is this to say 1.3b=Category 2? 1.3a=Category 1? And thanks for posting the link to the AU article. Guess I'll avoid the mega$ HDMI brands/models. And maybe look into Monoprice and the like. Even if the shipping will cost more than the cables themselves. Or I'll just get the cheapest 1.3b HDMI cable locally.

From what I have read, if it is HDMI 1.3b, it handles the high bandwidth 340mhz. Do a google search, lots of info out there. And remember, this is digital, 1's and 0's, just like you will find on a standard desk top computer. It either works or it doesn't, not a whole lot to HDMI unless you get into some longer runs, 25' or more. These 3' and 6' cables for pennies will get the job done just as well as one of those hundred dollar Monster cables.

Mike

Was just Googling. As I said. I guess I'll just look for a cheap pair of 1.3b spec HDMI cables. Whether I order online or buy locally that's another thing.

Thanks guys!

dark, did you read what i linked you to?

specifically, this part (http://www.bluejeanscable.com/articles/hdmi-spec-versions.htm?hdmiinfo)?

Chris,

Sorry. I guess I overlooked it. But I did come across it this morning when I was looking around the BJ site. Thanks for posting the link though.

I'm clear on what I need now thanks to all you guys. It's just a matter of whether I'll order the el cheapo cables from the US. Paying the shipping fees and possibly import tax. Or just buy a reasonably priced brand name cable, like Ultralink, locally.

Have a good weekend Chris et al!! :)