Firewire and USB 2.0 Cable quality - does it matter???

[tarrickb]

Setup:
- Satellite receiver to ADVC 100 via Monster THX S-Video cable.
- Firewire cable to laptop.
- USB 2.0 Cable from laptop to external HD.

I was just wondering what effect the firewire cables/USB 2.0 cables have on video quality.
Is it worth upgrading my (rather old/worn cables) if I don't experience any dropped frames or transfer problems?

Thanks...

[SingSing]

They are data cables, and have absolutely nothing to do with video quality.

[piano632]

I did a data transfer speed test a couple years ago with a 3GB file comparing ordinary firewire/usb cables and Monster's gold-plated ones. The Monster cables transferred the data faster every time albeit only a couple seconds faster. I'm guessing it probably has to do with the gold connectors being a better contact rather than the wire itself. But don't mind me, I think all cables make a difference, including digital cables and power cords.

[SingSing]

Data transfer is all based on '0' and '1', each standards ( wire and wireless ) set a levels for their '0' and '1'. My wireless internet will not go faster, if I installed a gold plated antenna.

Gold connectors are like that gold emblem I paid to put on my car, they look good, and they served that purpose very well.

[edDV]

I did a data transfer speed test a couple years ago with a 3GB file comparing ordinary firewire/usb cables and Monster's gold-plated ones. The Monster cables transferred the data faster every time albeit only a couple seconds faster. I'm guessing it probably has to do with the gold connectors being a better contact rather than the wire itself. But don't mind me, I think all cables make a difference, including digital cables and power cords.

Why would that be?
Were your other cables rusty? If so wouldn't the connection reset?

[piano632]

Were your other cables rusty?

No, all the cables were fairly new. But it is a known fact that gold is a better conductor of an electrical signal than nickel (which is used as plating on most usb/firewire/audio/video cable connectors). This would explain the slightly faster speed with gold-plated cables. Though silver and copper would be even better conductors than gold, gold is the only metal that doesn't rust/oxidize when exposed to air, which is why it is used on connectors.

I've noticed that AudioQuest is making 3 different grades of high-end firewire cables with varying amounts of silver wire. Not exactly cheap though, considering the price of silver.

http://www.needledoctor.com/s.nl/sc.7/category.1166/.f

[edDV]

I've never seen a reference test that relates connector plating to digital data transfer rate.

Like any other connector, corrosion would eventually stop the connection. Have you looked inside the computer case? None of those pig tails have gold connectors.

[cpotoso]

The idea that a nanometer thick gold layer will make the data go any faster (especially for a digital signal) is absolute nonsense. I guarantee it (and I have a Ph.D. in Physics and I am a professor of physics in a major research university).

[tarrickb]

So i'll take a risk and come to conclusion that
NO, THEY DON'T MAKE A DIFFERENCE!


Thanks for the definitive responses.

[KBeee]

If you see a difference in transfer speeds between 2 different sets of cables it means the faster set was shorter than the slower set.

[Sifaga]

make sure no one is standing on the cables

[SingSing]

If you see a difference in transfer speeds between 2 different sets of cables it means the faster set was shorter than the slower set.

The data is transfer at a fixed rate, bit per second. The delay in cable is governed by the speed of electron, that's same as speed of light. Basically, cable length has next to nothing to do about delay.

The answer is straight foward based on physics. Propositions from Monster cable is based on something else.

[ROF]

I was just wondering what effect the firewire cables/USB 2.0 cables have on video quality.
Is it worth upgrading my (rather old/worn cables) if I don't experience any dropped frames or transfer problems?

If it ain't broke, don't fix it.

[piano632]

If you see a difference in transfer speeds between 2 different sets of cables it means the faster set was shorter than the slower set.

Actually the Monster cables I have are 2m long and most of the stock cables are only 1m. I repeated the test several times. The difference was slight. If I remember correctly, the stock cables clocked in at 1:40 transfer time and Monster was 1:38 for the firewire cables. The USB cables took noticably longer to transfer (about 2:00 I think), but again the Monster cable did it about 2 seconds faster. I didn't disect the cables, so I don't know if maybe the Monster's have a thicker guage wire.

So I guess there's no takers here for the $150 AudioQuest cable. The Monster cables cost about $30.

[Acden]

The difference in speed is not only because of monster cable. Transferring speed is depend on HDD speed / CPU usage. So, these 2 second are in these parameters.

[sanlyn]

But it is a known fact that gold is a better conductor of an electrical signal than nickel (which is used as plating on most usb/firewire/audio/video cable connectors). This would explain the slightly faster speed with gold-plated cables. Though silver and copper would be even better conductors than gold, gold is the only metal that doesn't rust/oxidize when exposed to air, which is why it is used on connectors.

I've noticed that AudioQuest is making 3 different grades of high-end firewire cables with varying amounts of silver wire. Not exactly cheap though, considering the price of silver.

http://www.needledoctor.com/s.nl/sc.7/category.1166/.f

Gold is a poor conductor. Pro cable uses copper-nickel and other copper alloys, no gold, and they never use solder (check the cable coming into your house, or visit a pro video shop). Silver-plated cable has too much noise from skin effect, tends to make highlights glare and makes audio sound shrill. Monster is likely faster because most of its products don't meet impedance specs; they have high reactance at upper frequencies and the impedance is too low at low frequencies. It's pretty much the same stuff as ordinary 30-ohm hookup wire.

If speed is your only priority, stick with Monster.

[Acden]

And what cables do you think good for S-VHS and audio?
Acoustic Research?

[sanlyn]

S-VHS is a tape format, s-video is type of signal transmission and related cables and circuitry. S-VHS will play via composite, s-video, and component. I've used Acoustic Research Pro-II series s-video cables for years, their s-video has natural-looking contrast and color. I don't think Pro-II is actually made any more, but there are many around. My "other" s-video is a cheap "RCA" branded solid-core wire that surprised the hell out of me at its low cost just over ten bucks, but they're not around any more either. The first time I saw video coming thru that wire, I dropped everything and returned to the store and bought out the last 5 copies they had. I don't like the newer AR products. Audio depends, are you talking analog or 75-ohm coax? For daily use, capturing, etc., I use the old blue-jacket AR "Performance Series" stereo cables that you can still find -- a bit high on the capacitance side, but most consumer audio is too shrill anyway.

I have a couple of very old digital audio cables from Cardas ($$$), and some analog Wireworld Equinox ($$$). For new digital audio, I don't know, I'm no longer in the market. The worst audio cables I ever heard were Monster and RadioShack. I understand some excellent digital and analog wire is sold in the UK, which is where I got the Wireworld some years back. You might check WhatHiFi for recent reviews. In another area, all my HDMI is from the UK.

[Acden]

What do you think about Acoustic Research Master or ACOUSTIC RESEARCH PR122 series (in connection with Pro-II) ?

I'm looking for excellent cables for VHS capturing (+ hi-end JVC VCR).

[sanlyn]

With a JVC VCR it doesn't matter.

[Acden]

what do you mean?

If jvc gives me clear picture then cable gathers (little) noise - then this cable worth nothing.

[sanlyn]

I'd recommend the AR Professional Series II. I don't think AR's newer cables have decent color or contrast. The AR Pro-II's have less wire transmission noise as well, without the edge artifacts, moire, or other disturbances that many others do.