HDMI Cable - Quality Brands?

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woody99

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Master Geek

#12937 14-Apr-2007 17:50

Hi All,

I'm about to wall-mount my V series 40" Bravia. Not that I need it just yet but I want to run the HDMI cable through the wall when we have it open. Can anyone suggest a good quality brand? DSE have Panasonic ones for around $99 and Philips Gold ones for $146 - I know you can spend a fortune on these - I don't want top of the range but I don't want rubbish.

Cheers and thanks

Darryn

hairy1

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#67107 14-Apr-2007 18:08

Jaycar have high quality ones for $47.90. I know they are high quality because it says so in the product description

Have you got the missus's permission to make the big hole in the wall?

My views (except when I am looking out their windows) are not those of my employer.

woody99

165 posts

Master Geek

#67108 14-Apr-2007 18:39

Permission?? I'll just wait till she's out at your place having coffee. Then I'll ring and say it was all your idea!

hairy1

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#67110 14-Apr-2007 18:46

Now I know you don't have permission. She would never drink the instant coffee at our place!

If it is a purely digital signal would it not matter what brand you bought? As long as it meets the HDMI specs shouldn't any HDMI cable deliver the same quality signal?

Cheers.

My views (except when I am looking out their windows) are not those of my employer.

woody99

165 posts

Master Geek

#67124 14-Apr-2007 22:57

You are right with regard to the coffee AND most probably about the cable, however I would always sit there thinking that I have my nice Blue-Ray player (one day..) connected to my nice TV via a cable that I bought from the Warehouse - know what I mean?

Certainly my Tannoys sound different depending on the quality of cable I use - I am wondering if the same is true here. I have to plead ignorance - just like I do at work!!

Antzzz

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#67127 14-Apr-2007 23:50

Some may disagree here, but since I'm an EE with 10 years experience I can speak with some authority on this topic...

HDMI is a digital signal, therefore cable quality is not a huge issue - hairy1 is on to it there. As long as the cable manufacturer gets the basics right then a cheap cable should perform exactly the same as an expensive one. There was a comparison done in the US (can't remember where otherwise I would post a link!) which compared a cheap-as-chips no-brand HDMI cable ordered over the net with a number of other cables, including a 'Monster cable' one which cost around US$300! The conclusion was that there was absolutely no difference in the image displayed from the cheapest cable to the most expensive.

This is true for short (< 5m) cable runs. In this case things to watch out for are good quality connectors that aren't too bulky, and a cable that flexes enough for your application.

If you are running a cable over distances > 5m then quality starts to become an issue.

Is a different situation to your speaker cables - as they are carrying an analogue signal cable quality is definitely an issue.

richms

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#67129 15-Apr-2007 00:04

If the cable isnt up to the resolution you are pushing thru it, you will get white sparkleys over the picture if its an unencrypted link, or you will get a loss of connection if its afflicted by HDCP. There is no discolouration or ringing on edges or blurring like there is with analog cables.

Check the cable you get is specced for 1080p, or better yet put thru some 40mm flexible ducting so you can just pull whatever you like thru at a later stage.

For your power, if you go to an electrical wholesaler you can get recessed outlets designed for wall clocks, they go nicely behind flat panels, but you'll need to put the weird plug onto a computer cable. Advantage is its really slim behind the screen. Do not pull the mains to the screen thru the wall as that is to quote the target lady "Thats illegal!" since it isn't rated for in wall use. Mate had to redo his ceiling after thinking he would be smart and pull the long figure 8 cable to the projector across and down to where the sources were. Sparky who was certing the place said no way and wouldn't give the COC till he had replaced it with a proper cable run in 2.5mm and a power point on the ceiling.

Richard rich.ms

Mighty Ape

Shop now at Mighty Ape (affiliate link).

woody99

165 posts

Master Geek

#67145 15-Apr-2007 12:13

Thanks for that! Yep - got a friend with electricians cert for the power side of things and looking here for cabling. We'll be opening the wall right up (got another friend who's a builder!) hence Hairys suggestion the boss had better be out for the day..