Are cheap HDMI cables just as good? What about component?

[Fearnot]

Sorry folks, I am sure this was discussed before but couldnt find threads ...

Can I just get el cheapo HDMI cables from ebay and will they work just as well as $100 cables? I am thinking the digital transfer either works or not and one can send more data through a $1 cat5 cable as through any HDMI connection ...


More important the component cables as they are analog but how much does one have to pay to get a cable that doesnt mess up image quality? And are there any brands that are cheaper and still good?

My player cost $80 and I hesitate to get a $120 cable for it ...

cheers

Matt

[redwudz]

I certainly wouldn't pay $100US for most any piece of wire.

But for HDMI, a six foot cable should be about $10 to $15US. A Component cable would be about the same. A six foot $100+ cable will lighten your pocket book, buts not likely to improve your video. JMO.

One site that's been mentioned for reasonable cable prices is: http://www.monoprice.com/home/ There are others.

[lordsmurf]

I asked this about a month ago, and there was a good thread on it. Search the forum. I think it's in the Digital TV forum, but not sure.

[budz]

I've bought several HDMI cables from monoprice.com. They're cheap and there's no difference when compared to monster brand as far as quality goes. I bought a 6ft HDMI cable for $6.00 something including shipping. monoprice.com is the bomb when it comes to your HDMI cable needs or any other cables for audio/video equipment and computers. I've never had any problems with any of the HDMI cables that I got from monoprice.com. They even have a Ebay store but just buy it from their website.

[edDV]

Main issue is cable length. For 6-12ft (2-4M) online cables from a reputable source should work fine. Long cables need careful design for wideband digital HDMI but analog coax cables can go out 100 ft or more with reasonable shielding. Audio is a different story.

[samijubal]

I asked this about a month ago, and there was a good thread on it. Search the forum. I think it's in the Digital TV forum, but not sure.

It was in newbie/general.

https://forum.videohelp.com/topic339804.html#1770769

[yoda313]

Believe it or not I'm actually using my pc on my hdtv through copmonent using just plain old rca cables.

I'm sure "official" component cables would be more efficient but the point is you don't have to buy the best. Pretty much no name stuff will work.

[Fearnot]

thanks guys .. thats what I thought ... the component cable BS for $120 is pure cash grab and HDMI cables for $100 much worse

[MJA]

number 1 site for cablesssssssss

http://www.monoprice.com/home/?CartID=40217397620061128&style=

[jman98]

More important the component cables as they are analog but how much does one have to pay to get a cable that doesnt mess up image quality? And are there any brands that are cheaper and still good?

I am using leftover cheap (and I do mean cheap) audio cables with RCA jacks (3 of them) for component cables between my DVD player and TV. I don't see how the results I'm getting could be possibly be any better or clearer with more expensive cables. I think I read somewhere that you can get good results with cheap cables as long as they have similar specs. If like me you don't have to go very far between the TV and DVD player and you have some old audio or video cables lying around with RCA jacks, just use 3 of them and see what you think before you go out and buy some cables.

[edDV]

Coax oui, twisted pair non.

[Constant Gardener]

Two good Canadian sources are www.onlybestrated.com (Toronto) and www.ncix.com (Vancouver). They both have good cables at low prices. My HDMI cables ("Ion" brand from ncix) were $10 each (sale price).

[piano632]

A couple of the better on-line dealers that make high performance cables:

http://www.bettercables.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWCATS&Category=3
http://signalcable.com/hdmi-dvi.html

Apparently the BetterCables have won the Editor's Choice Award from The Perfect Vision magazine for 3 years in a row. Both the companies above offer a 30-day return policy. Monster cables are OK (but can be beaten because half their cost goes toward dealer markups and advertising).

As for analog cables, both those companies also offer very good cables in that department.

[edDV]

A couple of the better on-line dealers that make high performance cables:

http://www.bettercables.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWCATS&Category=3
http://signalcable.com/hdmi-dvi.html

Apparently the BetterCables have won the Editor's Choice Award from The Perfect Vision magazine for 3 years in a row. Both the companies above offer a 30-day return policy. Monster cables are OK (but can be beaten because half their cost goes toward dealer markups and advertising).

As for analog cables, both those companies also offer very good cables in that department.

But the issue is at what point do you see a difference (measurable) between moderate price cables and expensive cables. I maintain that short cables have little performance difference for HDMI or analog component. HDMI is a parallel digital connection. Failure occurs when timing is lost and is seen first as pixel flashes, then no picture. Analog component problems are group delay (color registration errors) and high frequency roll-off. These issues are seen in long cables.

[oldandinthe way]

There are specific requirements for the actual wire used in making the cable in the HDMI specification. Any cable using that type of wire will perform the same as any other cable of the same length with the same wire if the connectors are properly attached and meet the specifcation when they come out of the package.

Gold connectors will add to the long term quality of the connections.

Any cable with a reputable brand or purchased from a reputible store is likely to work as well as any other. And lifetime warrantys are common (they don't fail so why not).

Non-branded cables may or may not actually meet the appropriate specifications and tend not to have an identifiable warranty.

The confusion occurs when retailers offer highly overpriced cables to make up for the exceedingly low profit margins on the actual electronics. I've generally seen reasonably priced, branded cables at Walmart.

Buy the way most of the brands you see in the stores and online are not from companies that actually make any cable. There are only a small number of manufacturers of the cable stock to which the connectors are added.