Question:
Dear Big Picture Big Sound,
I’ve been shopping for an HDTV lately and without fail the salesperson always tells me I’ll need an expensive HDMI cable in order to get the best performance out of whichever TV I buy. Is that true and if so, are there any less expensive alternatives?
-Joe S.
Answer:
Hi, Joe,
HDMI (High Definition Multimedia Interface) cables do generally offer the best results with HDTVs and high definition source components because they carry both the audio and video signals digitally, which means they’re less susceptible to noise and interference and they maintain the full high definition resolution of the source all the way to the display device. Also, HDMI cables are more convenient than the alternatives (component video plus S/PDIF audio or component video plus multi-channel analog audio) as HDMI carries both the audio and video signals on a single slim cable. But you don’t necessarily have to spend a lot of money in order to get good performance from an HDMI cable.
Monster Cable has recently begun giving “speed ratings” to their HDMI cables and offering a wider selection of HDMI cables to satisfy customer needs. Instead of just one cable choice, customers can choose from Monster’s basic unrated HDMI cables which sell for around $40 (and which should still work fine for current 1080p video sources) and their Ultra High Speed cables, which are designed to support the bandwidth requirements of future high definition sources beyond 1080p (and which can sell for over $100), with several ratings in between. Buying these online can usually save you a few bucks over the prices in traditional brick and mortar stores.
Personally, I’ve used Monster Cables with good results, but I’ve also used less expensive 2-meter HDMI cables from Cables To Go (about $10 each on Amazon.com) and have had no problems. I wouldn’t go any cheaper than that, or buy no-name HDMI cables as you may not get the best results, and you might have trouble returning defective cables.
Here are a couple of links you may find useful:
Hope that helps.
-Chris
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