HDMI Cables?

[280Z Turbo]

I see they are now rating HDMI cables in speed now. Is there any science to this? The dork at Best Buy sure seemed to think so. I'm skeptical.

[Laconian]

It's bullshit.

[Cookie Monster]

BUY MONSTER THEY ARE THE HIGHEST QUALITIES U GET HIGH SPEED ETHERNET ENABLING TOO

[280Z Turbo]

So if the resistance of the cheap cable is greater than that of the Monster, there should be no difference?

[280Z Turbo]

BUY MONSTER THEY ARE THE HIGHEST QUALITIES U GET HIGH SPEED ETHERNET ENABLING TOO

What does ethernet have to do with HDMI?

[S204STi]

What could possibly alter the resistance to a degree that would be noticeable?  It would probably take a damn accurate ohmmeter to tell the difference.

[280Z Turbo]

What could possibly alter the resistance to a degree that would be noticeable?  It would probably take a damn accurate ohmmeter to tell the difference.

Extra length, copper impurities? I know there's a limit to how long USB cables can be.

I figure the only variables are copper purity and EMI shielding.

[Cookie Monster]

What does ethernet have to do with HDMI?

Now HDMI cables have ethernet built in for yo Internet ready HDTV/dvd players and whatnots.

[SVT666]

Go to Radio Shack and get one for $15 and be done with it.

[Cookie Monster]

Go to Radio Shack and get one for $15 and be done with it.

lulz @ paying $15 for an hdmi cable.

[AutobahnSHO]

www.monoprice.com

[280Z Turbo]

I don't need any. This is a theoretical discussion.

[Raza]

Get the cheapest ones you can find. 

[Payman]

Buy the $8000 ones from Amazon. They're obviously the best. Duh.

[Payman]

For srsly though, the best cables we got are the Xbox 360 accessory ones. Bought 2 of em on sale for $9.99 each. Not bad for gold plated connectors.

[Northlands]

http://www.cbc.ca/marketplace/blog/2011/10/expensive-hdmi-cables-arent-worth-the-extra-bucks.html

I remember seeing a story 3 years ago discussing this. The above link retested these cable again and found no difference.

So...

There's is no difference. Get the cheap ones.

[Minpin]

I know people say there's no difference, and I trust that, but something feels completely wrong about putting a 1 dollar cable into a 2k dollar TV.

[giant_mtb]

I see they are now rating HDMI cables in speed now. Is there any science to this? The dork at Best Buy sure seemed to think so. I'm skeptical.

AT LENGTH (greater than 10-15 feet) a more expensive cable can make a difference (because of the nature of signal decay).  Besides that?  Your average, cheap, 6' or 12' HDMI cable from Amazon will be FINE.

[TurboDan]

www.monoprice.com

+1

I actually had a semi-argument with a Best Buy flunkie when I went up to one of his customers after he sold them a TV and told them that the $80 Monster HDMI cable he was peddling was BS. I gave the couple the Monoprice URL.

HDMI is digital. You either have a signal or you don't. Get the cheapest you can possible find to get the 1s and 0s from point A to point B. In a normal residential setting, there is no scenario where one is using HDMI cables to such a long length that any potential signal loss will be seen to the naked eye.

[giant_mtb]

For srsly though, the best cables we got are the Xbox 360 accessory ones. Bought 2 of em on sale for $9.99 each. Not bad for gold plated connectors.

But even gold connectors are bullshit.  In a golden (pun intended?) world, all connectors would be silver.

[Xer0]

I had a friend work at Best Buy some time ago and the topic of his discount came up.  Basically, an employee can buy an item at pretty much the price that Best Buy buys it from the manufacturer.  That means that some items, like iOS things, there was at most a couple of dollars.  Other items, like HDMI cables, there was like a 95% discount on them.  Accessories and warranties are where these stores make all of their money.  Any HDMI cable that costs you more than like $5 for the average consumer is a rip off.

[Cookie Monster]

I had a friend work at Best Buy some time ago and the topic of his discount came up.  Basically, an employee can buy an item at pretty much the price that Best Buy buys it from the manufacturer.  That means that some items, like iOS things, there was at most a couple of dollars.  Other items, like HDMI cables, there was like a 95% discount on them.  Accessories and warranties are where these stores make all of their money.  Any HDMI cable that costs you more than like $5 for the average consumer is a rip off.

I worked at fry's till yesterday and I could get massive discounts on anything Monster. $80 Monster cable could be had for $10-15.

[Payman]

But even gold connectors are bullshit.  In a golden (pun intended?) world, all connectors would be silver.

Whatever, they're excellent cables.

[MX793]

But even gold connectors are bullshit.  In a golden (pun intended?) world, all connectors would be silver.

Gold is more corrosion resistant.  It has no naturally forming oxide.  Silver will tarnish in air (which has a negative effect on conductivity).

[Lebowski]

I just get the amazon basics.

Monoprice is also great for this kind of stuff.

[Byteme]

I know people say there's no difference, and I trust that, but something feels completely wrong about putting a 1 dollar cable into a 2k dollar TV.

Why?  The screws holding it together cost less than a penny each, the power cord cost them a buck or two at the most.  Some things don't matter.  Within limits the cable doesn't matter much.

[Byteme]

But even gold connectors are bullshit.  In a golden (pun intended?) world, all connectors would be silver.

Silver for conductivity, yes, but the gold plating is for corrosion resistance.

[Laconian]

The signal loss has to be really really bad for the receiving end to not be able to distinguish +5v and 0v.

[giant_mtb]

Gold is more corrosion resistant.  It has no naturally forming oxide.  Silver will tarnish in air (which has a negative effect on conductivity).

I'm aware of this.  That's why I said "in a golden world."

[AutobahnSHO]

I know people say there's no difference, and I trust that, but something feels completely wrong about putting a 1 dollar cable into a 2k dollar TV.

They use $.25 rubber hoses in the most exotic engine bays. (But mark them up probably 5000%)

What does it matter??