Video (RCA/COAX) cable quality?

[fredpb]

I do know audio cable makes a difference in sound. All my audio system connections are 1m Straightwire Encore II's at about $100 each.

Now how about the video signal cables? Right now I use the Radio Shack Gold.

I record from Tivo. The cable goes to an amplified switcher to the Panasonic E50 DVD recorder. Two cables. The Radio Shack Gold.

What brand would you recomment for an increase in image quality?

[piano632]

Video cables make a difference just as much as audio ones. Radio Shack cables aren't known to be all that good.

I pity all those people who use the cables that come in the box with their equipment. They are the cheapest things known to man (and not very good either). They don't know what they're missing!

Name brand cables like Monster, AudioQuest, etc. certainly are much better than the stock comes-in-the-box cables, but they charge obscene prices for their cables.

I'm currently buying most of my cables from:
http://www.signalcable.com
These cables are a steal at the prices they ask (and every bit as good if not better than the name brand cables costing 2x-4x the price), and they have a 30-day money-back guarantee if you don't like them. What have you got to lose?

Unfortunately, Signal doesn't sell a coax cable, but you can always buy a composite cable and put adapters on the ends (available at Radio Shack, etc.)

[arrived03]

as piano 632 pointed out the , the cables you get with your equipment are cheap and should always be replaced , but in saying that i would not spend to much money trying to get the best cable as these usually run into hundreds of dollars for a small improvement , you should look at the base models from companies such as TARA LABS & QED , the money you save buying there base cables would be better spent buying better speakers , dvd players etc , as you will notice a greater improvement going up a model compared to the expensive cabling.

[dfisher]

This is a controversy that has been going on for years. I don't know how many publications have done tests on cables for audio & video & you'll get just as many saying you need special high priced cables as you will that say it's a waste of money. I must say that in all honesty I have tried both for audio & video (when I was in the business) & very rarely found enough difference to warrent the extra cost. I'm sure with some pretty hi class test equipment you might be able to see a small difference but the chance of you actually hearing it or seeing it are pretty remote.
I agree that before I'd spend a lot of money on very expensive cables I'd spend it on better equipment. If you have mediocre equipment with the best cables in the world you still have mediocre equipment & mediocre results. You can't make a silk purse out of a sows ear.

[fredpb]

Some audio usenet groups are downright hostile to each other when it comes to cables.

My experience, or enlightenment was as follows.

I have been in electronics since 1968. When my friend, who was into high end audio, told me about cables and amps and how they sound different, I just used to laugh. "Specs are specs", I would say. I thought Stereophile was just like a comic book.

Then, out of curiosity, I went to some high end audio shops. With my favorite CD's (mainly classical). To say the least, I was impressed. The sound was really nice. The upgraditis began. My credit cards melted.

To cables. I took my Radio SHack Gold audio cables, and my 12 gage speaker cables to my local high end shop. The salesman was very very helpful and I did direct comparisons (nothing scientific, so to speak). I was stunned. The difference between my cables, interconnect and speaker, to theirs was obvious to me. I found one cable, about $100, was far superior to anything below it in price. Above that price, my ears could detect just a slight difference, not worth the added cost.

I now use exclusively in my good audio system (Acurus amps, Rega Planet CD player, Good turntable) Straightwire ENcore II interconnects at $100 per 1m pair. I love them. New speaker cables too. I even have exotic cables for my headphones, and the headphone amp alone is $1100.

Now I just want to upgrade my video stuff. I don't use home theatre components, like surround sound. I like my audio I have. I have been using "good" coax but its about 15 years old.

I just went to Radio SHack and checked on their "Fusion" line of video cables. They are clearing them out at half price, and they looked interesting. Nicely built, with even ferrite core traps for interference.
They will do the job nicely.

Thanks for the replies!

Fred