[micko_escalade]

Hi all,


Adding last components to my setup.

I need 6FT HDMI cable that will connect my ASUS P5Q-EM Intel G45 chipset to 42" Panasonic plasma. I was little bit confused by different categories of HDMI cables at monoprice.com, 22AWG, 24AWG....?

Can someone share what they used with this particular MB?



Thanks for reading!

 

[afx]

AWG applies to just about all cables, not just HDMI. Basically, the smaller the AWG#, the thicker the cable is. This means there's more insulation and whatever else in the physical cable and this generally means less signal degradation the longer the cable.


In all honesty, unless you're a video/audiophile (and depending on your circumstances), you won't notice the difference.


I know monoprice is generally cheap so if you can spring for the 22AWG (or lower if they have it), go for it.


You also mentioned "category"; I know this isn't what you're referring to, but there are different HDMI categories. You might of heard of them: 1.1, 1.2, 1.3a, etc. I believe 1.3a is the latest; check if you haven't. Again, if you can spring for it, get the latest.

 

[Beefcake]

AWG = American Wire Gauge. The lower the number, the thicker the conductive wire will be = better wire.


I got 22AWG wire from monoprice and haven't looked back. It's a little stiff, but 24AWG should be less stiff and still work just fine. I'd stay away from 28AWG HDMI cables like the plague. For comparison, I believe Cat5e wire is 24AWG.


-B

 

[dondu]

Whatever you do, don't overspend on an HDMI cable. A lot of companies are charging waaaaay too much money.


It's just a cable. And it is DIGITAL - it either works, or it doesn't.


Buy a cheap HDMI cable and just plug it in. It will work fine. Stay away from the snakeoil.


--Don

 

[jrwalte]

AWG has nothing to do with the amount of insulation. It's an indicator of how thick each individual copper wire is - it is not a standard for insulation thickness (meaning 2 brands of 24AWG cable can have very different insulation thickness). The thicker the wire, the greater distance the signal can travel before degrading due to less resistance. For 6 FT, 24 AWG is fine.

 

[sotti]

go www.monoprice.com or www.bluejeanscable.com


24awg will be fine for 6ft run, infact I'd even go with 28awg


thinner wires are more flexible, easier to run. 6ft is short enough to get away with alot.

 

[stanger89]

Yeah, I was going to say the same, for 6ft, go with the smaller AWG, it will make the cable smaller, lighter and more flexible (a good thing). I've got the 22AWG, but that's because it's a 50' cable, and that thick of cable can really put some stress on the HDMI connector.

 

[H8nXTC]

I'm happy with my Atlona flat HDMI 1.3a cables from TigerDirect.com

 

[micko_escalade]

Thanks to all of you who took time to reply!


Finally, I understand what AWG is.

Quote:
Originally Posted by afx /forum/post/15471707


In all honesty, unless you're a video/audiophile (and depending on your circumstances), you won't notice the difference.

No, I'm not. All I want is good/cheap cable to connect HTPC to the TV. 6ft is all what I need.


For some reason monoprice is out of 6ft versions.


I'll wait till it becomes available since my case will here sometime next week anyway (damn UPS ground

).

 

[stanger89]

Even if you're a videophile, an expensive HDMI cable won't make the picture look "better". Unlike analog, where there are "soft" ways for a cable to fail (rolling off high frequency information, reflections/ghosting, etc) HDMI is digital, so a cable failure is "hard" as in the signal doesn't get to the destination intact, which means sparkles, breakups, or no picture at all.


If you don't see these issues, you're seeing the image that was sent, and that's the best the cable can do, no matter the cost.

 

[micko_escalade]

Thanks God for the internet, its just scary how much local stores are charging for those "monster" cables.

 

[dondu]



Quote:
Originally Posted by micko_escalade /forum/post/15483910


Thanks God for the internet, its just scary how much local stores are charging for those "monster" cables.

Stores would much rather sell the Monster cables, than the low-price cables, and if you had the stores' markup strategy, you would too: If your markup is 100%, would you rather sell a cable that costs $4.50, or a cable that costs $45? If you were a salesman on the floor, and you got rated on the basis of how many dollars worth of gear you sold each month, which cable would you rather sell?


Now, I do think that Monster products can have some great qualities. For example, I have a big roll of in-wall Monster speaker cable that I use pieces of from time to time, and I like it: It's nice and floppy and easy to handle, yet it doesn't tend to kink or to hold a curled shape. Yes, I would have spent less money if I'd used lamp cord, and the sound quality would have been the same, but some of the physical properties of lamp cord can be annoying.


--Don