For reasons I can't explain, I got stuck reading a bunch of articles on the Blue Jeans cable website. I was sucked into them because they are incredibly well written, detailed and chock-full of what appears to be true expert knowledge. The link to the index: http://www.bluejeanscable.com/articles/index.htm

I read the following articles, and most of them in their entirety:
- What Wire Does With All Those Electrons
- Does Wire Matter?
- Is there Really a True 75 Ohm RCA Plug?
- What is Impedance, Anyhow?
- What's the Matter with HDMI?
- HDMI Cables -- An Overview
- Where Does HDMI Cable Come From?
- Broadcast Quality -- What Does it Mean, and Why is it Good?

And now, I wonder, should I get a Blue Jeans cable? One point in particular really just made perfect sense, especially in light of my recent troubles with what seems to have been a faulty HDMI cable (among other things). If you've read this before, of course, skip it:

But even when there is reason to suppose that something less will be "good enough," there are good reasons to opt for broadcast quality. There is a great deal of security, and a sort of finality, in installing the very best cable money can buy. When the cable in your walls, or in back of your equipment rack, is the best cable in the world, there's no need to worry about it. When there is a signal quality problem (and who, in the history of home theater, has NOT had one of those crop up?), there's no need to ask whether inferior cable might be at the heart of the issue. When your component video cable is sweep-tested to a hundred times the bandwidth of 1080i component, there's no need to worry whether it's capable of handling 1080p component, at double the 1080i bandwidth--or, for that matter, any resolution you'll ever want to put through it. When your cables have the highest shield effectiveness in the industry, there's no need to wonder whether you need better shielding to combat interference. And there is economy of both time and money, as many of us have learned the hard way from time to time, in buying the best product once, rather than trying a few along the way before settling on the best.

To put it succinctly, if you get the best cable there is, the next time you have any kind of problem in your setup, at least you'll know for damn sure the cable can't be at the source of the problem. That sounds pretty good to me.

I've had some issues with my Samsung TV recently (http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=913791), and they have not been resolved. I had one HDMI cable I bought for literally $0.80 from Amazon, and another, different one, that I paid $30 for at MicroCenter. By simply using the more expensive cable, I was able to fix significant flashing and dropouts with the TV (though HDMI1 is still busted, which is a TV issue).

Do you guys recommend cables from Blue Jeans? I only need my cable to be about 6 feet in length, even 3 feet might do, but to be sure, I'd say 6 feet.

Yes..blueJeans are very good, but still not worth it knowing that if you go to MonoPrice, you can get a VERY VERY good cable for less amount...the weird thing is that I have a $9.00HDMI cable I just got for my Mits65833, a bit leary, but nevertheless - its works perfectly and is not the flimsy type..so take head...good luck..I love bluejeans and have several of their cables...

Yes..blueJeans are very good, but still not worth it knowing that if you go to MonoPrice, you can get a VERY VERY good cable for less amount...the weird thing is that I have a $9.00HDMI cable I just got for my Mits65833, a bit leary, but nevertheless - its works perfectly and is not the flimsy type..so take head...good luck..I love bluejeans and have several of their cables...

How do I know Monoprice won't sell me the same strange (dare I say, crappy!?) cable that I got from Amazon or Amazon partner? The least buying from Blue Jeans will do is ensure that I absolutely do not have to doubt my cable. I admit that I have heard great things about the Monoprice cables so far, so I'm inclined to trust them.

One thing though.. I was looking for a "normal" HDMI cable to hook my Xbox360 up to my Samsung 4665F, but the vast majority of cables have this in their description title: "(For In-Wall Installation)"

That does not sound like a cable I'd want to get to use for the intended purpose. Am I looking at the correct page in their store? This is where I ended up trying to find an HDMI cable: http://www.monoprice.com/products/subdepartment.asp?c_id=102&cp_id=10240

Ideally, I need a 6ft cable. Any recommendations?

Me?...I'd get the Blue Jeans Cable series F HDMI cable for $20 and not worry about it. I mean...it's twenty bucks.

How do I know Monoprice won't sell me the same strange (dare I say, crappy!?) cable that I got from Amazon or Amazon partner? The least buying from Blue Jeans will do is ensure that I absolutely do not have to doubt my cable. I admit that I have heard great things about the Monoprice cables so far, so I'm inclined to trust them.

One thing though.. I was looking for a "normal" HDMI cable to hook my Xbox360 up to my Samsung 4665F, but the vast majority of cables have this in their description title: "(For In-Wall Installation)"

That does not sound like a cable I'd want to get to use for the intended purpose. Am I looking at the correct page in their store? This is where I ended up trying to find an HDMI cable: http://www.monoprice.com/products/subdepartment.asp?c_id=102&cp_id=10240

Ideally, I need a 6ft cable. Any recommendations?

You need to scroll down more on the page below the CL2 rated ones. They have regular HDMI cable as well and they don't cost as much.

I don't like to make accusations, but you seriously sound like someone who works for BJC. If you are, you should be less transparent. If you are genuine, you really need to put things into perspective. Let me ask you...

Are you running through walls? Are you exposing it to humidity, direct sunlight, or extreme temperatures? Are you running it 50feet or more? Is the signal going through multiple devices (video processor, audio reciever, etc.)? Are you a professional cameraman who brings your cable on the road and beats up on it all the time? Are there any cranes, jibs, or any kind of motion involved that will put repeated stress on the cable? Do you plan on using your HDMI cable to go bungee jumping with?

No.

You are connecting a 6ft cable from your Xbox to your TV. I hope you realize what an incredibly short cable run that is, and how ridiculous it is to worry about cable quality given your setup. You could use the cheapest, thinnest, crappiest looking 6' HDMI cable on the planet and it will show the same exact image as one from Blue Jeans or anywhere else would. That's how digital works. Yes, a defective cable or a very long or damaged cable can show sparkles. That doesn't apply to you. You're talking about 6ft. Indoors. Remember, the key word here is perspective.

All that said, Monoprice cables are not cheap or thin. They are top notch.

I have cables from both Monoprice and BJC and have found them both to be very well made. For shorter runs, Monoprice is perfect. For longer runs, I use BJC simply because they are of higher build quality. No sense in running long cable runs twice.

I have tried various cables and found that any good cable works or fails due to the equipment connected. I've had nothing but trouble with HDMI and HDCP and every time it was the equipment with bad driver chips or bad firmware.

I do find cable build quality varies and I stay away from the cheapest that have no brand name at all. I buy mostly Blue Jet. Why? Because a local store carries it and the only others available locally are overpriced Monster cables.

I could save by going to web stores if I knew in advance what lengths I needed.

Me?...I'd get the Blue Jeans Cable series F HDMI cable for $20 and not worry about it. I mean...it's twenty bucks.
That's what I thought, too. But then I haven't seen a single bad comment on any of the Monoprice cables, and they're even cheaper. The cable I have now works perfectly though, so the point is moot.

You need to scroll down more on the page below the CL2 rated ones. They have regular HDMI cable as well and they don't cost as much.

I don't like to make accusations, but you seriously sound like someone who works for BJC. If you are, you should be less transparent. If you are genuine, you really need to put things into perspective. Let me ask you...

Are you running through walls? Are you exposing it to humidity, direct sunlight, or extreme temperatures? Are you running it 50feet or more? Is the signal going through multiple devices (video processor, audio reciever, etc.)? Are you a professional cameraman who brings your cable on the road and beats up on it all the time? Are there any cranes, jibs, or any kind of motion involved that will put repeated stress on the cable? Do you plan on using your HDMI cable to go bungee jumping with?

No.

You are connecting a 6ft cable from your Xbox to your TV. I hope you realize what an incredibly short cable run that is, and how ridiculous it is to worry about cable quality given your setup. You could use the cheapest, thinnest, crappiest looking 6' HDMI cable on the planet and it will show the same exact image as one from Blue Jeans or anywhere else would. That's how digital works. Yes, a defective cable or a very long or damaged cable can show sparkles. That doesn't apply to you. You're talking about 6ft. Indoors. Remember, the key word here is perspective.

All that said, Monoprice cables are not cheap or thin. They are top notch.
Your entire post is very true. And just for the record, I definitely do not work for BJC. I'm a 23 year old college student and was simply curious!

You made your point alright. You're right, too, to say it again. It is an extremely short cable run and the setup is extremely simple. Xbox to TV. That's it. No extreme conditions are involved, of any sort. Thing is.. I had a dirt-cheap Amazon cable that was 6ft, possibly 9ft, and that actually ended up giving me serious signal quality issues. Yes! At that short a length.. I couldn't believe it either, but it's true. So, yes, while with my conditions, cable quality should really not matter at all, it seems a bare quality minimum does have to be established. As I've said above, I now have a cable that works perfectly, so I won't worry about this any further for now.

I have cables from both Monoprice and BJC and have found them both to be very well made. For shorter runs, Monoprice is perfect. For longer runs, I use BJC simply because they are of higher build quality. No sense in running long cable runs twice.
Cool. Thanks for the comment. Another confirmation of MP's greatness :). Obviously you can't go wrong with BJC, but the pattern that seems to be emerging is that for short cable runs, such as mine, MP's is more than sufficient. Thanks again.

I have tried various cables and found that any good cable works or fails due to the equipment connected. I've had nothing but trouble with HDMI and HDCP and every time it was the equipment with bad driver chips or bad firmware.

I do find cable build quality varies and I stay away from the cheapest that have no brand name at all. I buy mostly Blue Jet. Why? Because a local store carries it and the only others available locally are overpriced Monster cables.

I could save by going to web stores if I knew in advance what lengths I needed.
So why don't you take a measuring tape and figure out the lengths? Not that hard.. unless I'm missing a crucial detail somewhere. HDMI/HDCP are definitely flawed, I've learned that in the past few months and through my experience with my Samsung TV, which I had to exchange not once, but twice, (so I now have my THIRD brand-new Samsung 4665F), but it all worked out for me in the end. It appears that a lot of luck was involved.