HDMI Cables

Forums › Home Theatre (including HTPC and EPG Collector) › HDMI Cables

vexxxboy

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#39703 18-Aug-2009 14:59

i know the expensive cables are not worth it , but i want to know if there is such a thing as too cheap, as in i have just seen a deal where i can get 4 x1.8m 1.3b compliant cables for $30. good deal ?

Common sense is not as common as you think.

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#248197 18-Aug-2009 15:03

Think I picked up my cable for about $15 from one of our suppliers. Seems to be fine....

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sbiddle

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#248200 18-Aug-2009 15:09

Are these the Jaycar cables? Have heard of a few people stocking up who haven't had any complaints about them.

Jaxson

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#248207 18-Aug-2009 15:25

Unless you're watching TV in a industrial plant room with pumps and motors stopping and starting on VSD's etc, noise shouldn't be an issue. Over short cable runs, most cheap cables do tend to behave like expensive ones. Watch for dodgy/cheap connectors at the ends, but apart from that you can always take them back to Jaycar if you have any issues. Longer runs are a different story.

vexxxboy

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#248219 18-Aug-2009 15:46

sbiddle: Are these the Jaycar cables? Have heard of a few people stocking up who haven't had any complaints about them.

yes, sounds like they could be ok thanks

Common sense is not as common as you think.

samwooff

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#248353 18-Aug-2009 20:58

I got my cable for $3 without a box, not one problem.

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kiwijunglist

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#248443 19-Aug-2009 03:32

Get the shortest + cheapest cable you can find.

HTPC / Home automation (home assistant) enthusiast.

magu

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BitSignal

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#248641 19-Aug-2009 13:48

Bought a Monster HDMI cable for $299 (part of a 'deal' to get my HT set), then bought another (different brand) cable off TradeMe for $20. Difference? Just the hole in my pocket.

Digital cables are either working or not. There's no difference in the quality from the brand of cable. Just make sure you get good connectors (no gold-plating needed) so that the cable stays put in place.

"Roads? Where we're going, we don't need roads." - Doc Emmet Brown

kiwijunglist

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#248651 19-Aug-2009 14:30

wow $299 that's crazy.

HTPC / Home automation (home assistant) enthusiast.

CYaBro

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#248658 19-Aug-2009 15:03

The only time I would pay more for and HDMI cable is if I needed a flat one like the Atlona ones.
I think DSE also sell a brand of flat HDMI cables but not sure on the quality of these.

Otherwise the Computer Dynamics and Digitus ones I have used and sold are fine, even the 10M ones work great with MySkyHDi.

Jaxson

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#248667 19-Aug-2009 15:52

Yeah I have a 10m DSE hdmi cable running to projector, fairly close to power and speaker cables, and no problems when viewing bluray. Look for good physical connectors at either end but apart from that, especially at small (less than 2m say), I honestly think it's not worth any more than the cheapest.

It's like Cyril (I think it was) once said of larger aerials, once you have 100% quality theres no more to be gained by going to higher signal strength. With hdmi, once you have those 0's and 1's getting through ok, there's simply nothing more to be gained by shielding them more and more. You're certainly not going to get a 'warmer' sound etc etc.

And there's not much more traffic than a bluray disc over hdmi at the moment, so the claims of higher bandwidth are nice and all, but currently nothings transmitting that fast anyway....

magu

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#248669 19-Aug-2009 16:08

We're all gonna need new cables in the near future, anyways...

"Roads? Where we're going, we don't need roads." - Doc Emmet Brown

gumboot

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#248978 20-Aug-2009 11:34

Cheaper the better,

Unless.. you need some get some distance, A friend had put in two 7 metre cables with a joiner and had "snow sparkles" from MySkyHD. Replaced with one 15 metre "amplified" cable and no more problems

Paulthagerous

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#249014 20-Aug-2009 13:10

I agree that there is no reason to go for a dear one. My friend had a 10 metre $449 (I know, ridiculous!) HDMI cable in his PS3 and 32" series 6 Samsung. I swapped it for a $7.50 one (His was longer and I needed the length) and he didn't notice for 8 months (he claims he was too wasted when I asked him if I could swap - but i digress), until he went to unplug it and it was physically a different colour.....

Moral of the story: IF there is a difference, it is so minute that NOBODY will ever know. Personally, I think if anything the cheapie was better.

Jaxson

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#249016 20-Aug-2009 13:17

Digital man, if it works it works, if it doesn't it doesn't. Things don't really fade out like the old analogue tv/cell phones etc. Try it and see really, if you have a problem then go for a better one in incremental $ steps or try an amplifier etc.

Paulthagerous

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#249018 20-Aug-2009 13:28

I think this is the only post I have ever read on Geekzone where so many people all share the exact same view, what an acomplishment!

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