QUestion, How big of a Difference does an HDTV make?

  • Thread starter Thread starter jinjin123
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HDMI is a digital signal. So long as the cable is HDMI certified (which admittedly does cause a problem on really cheap knock-off cables on eBay and such) and the connector is properly designed (another issue that generally is an issue for cheaper cables is terrible construction), nothing else matters unless you're running a very long cable. Only then will you start getting audio distortion or pixellation from cables with poorer insulation.


There is a chance that that $3 cable will be garbage that doesn't work (which is why you get them from Monoprice rather than eBay or Amazon), usually because the connector is poorly designed/soldered, but if you're running it for all of 3 feet there is an even better chance that it will work identically.
 
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Toronado
HDMI is a digital signal. So long as the cable is HDMI certified (which admittedly does cause a problem on really cheap knock-off cables on eBay and such) and the connector is properly designed (another issue that generally is an issue for cheaper cables is terrible construction), nothing else matters unless you're running a very long cable. Only then will you start getting audio distortion or pixellation from cables with poorer insulation.


There is a chance that that $3 cable will be garbage that doesn't work (which is why you get them from Monoprice rather than eBay or Amazon), usually because the connector is poorly designed/soldered, but if you're running it for all of 3 feet there is an even better chance that it will work identically.
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Which is exactly what panned out for me. I'm still using that cable and it's over three years old now. It was Belkin, and they are either a hit or a miss. Luckily I hit.

I do my research, but at the time I was on a budget so I couldn't exactly go all out.:ouch:
 
Toronado
HDMI is a digital signal. So long as the cable is HDMI certified (which admittedly does cause a problem on really cheap knock-off cables on eBay and such) and the connector is properly designed (another issue that generally is an issue for cheaper cables is terrible construction), nothing else matters unless you're running a very long cable. Only then will you start getting audio distortion or pixellation from cables with poorer insulation.

There is a chance that that $3 cable will be garbage that doesn't work (which is why you get them from Monoprice rather than eBay or Amazon), usually because the connector is poorly designed/soldered, but if you're running it for all of 3 feet there is an even better chance that it will work identically.
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Not so according to What Hi Fi and I have found this out myself from personal use. Here's a sample review of the first $4 cable I came across.

These are economically difficult times, so it makes sense to check out some budget slimline HDMI cables.

Put to the grindstone with our The Fellowship of The Ring Blu-ray disc, the Lindy shows a capable grasp of colour and… well, that’s it.

Compared with a ThatCable HDMI (£5), this served up a thin and brittle sound, while motion handling, picture noise and sharpness of images also fell woefully short of what we’d expect – even at this price.

Not really better than a free cable
Cap that off with its cheap construction and there’s little to recommend here over the freebie that comes with many systems or Blu-ray players.

Even in these cash-strapped times, false economy is a terrible thing. If you’re going to upgrade, dig a touch deeper into your wallet, because there’s much, much better than this out there for not a great deal more money.

As with all things in life, you get what you pay for. A $30 cable will outperform a $3 cable, just as a $1000 TV will outperform and come with better features than a $500 TV.
 
Johnnypenso
As with all things in life, you get what you pay for. A $30 cable will outperform a $3 cable
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And I can throw up test after test after test that show conclusively that it will not out of all but the most specific of circumstances, and editorial after editorial after editorial explaining why. It doesn't get more straightforward than comparing the checksum given from raw screen captures. Now, if you believe that better cables give you a better picture and better audio inherently rather than in specific situations (running really long cabling, or hooking up A/V equipment that cost as much as a midsize car, or what have you), that's perfectly fine. Hook up whatever cables you want to get whatever you think gives you the best picture. But don't state your personal preference as a universal truth, because it's not anymore than when people say that they prefer the sound of cassettes over CDs.




The fact of the matter is that so long as the cable is good enough to deliver the digital signal without errors (which is what poor connector designs and long cables have issues with, as well as cables that aren't build for what they are said to be), the picture quality will already be perfect because it's sending the same signal. The only thing "better" cables do is decrease the already-small chance that the signal will be lost (particularly over long distances), and have better build quality so they may be more durable.
What you're saying is basically the same thing as me saying if I connect my printer to my computer with a better USB cable, the pictures it prints will look better. If the OP isn't sure about buying an HDTV because he isn't sure how much better GT5 will look when he puts his PS3 right underneath it play on it, he will not notice any difference whatsoever because for his uses there won't be a difference.
 
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Toronado
And I can throw up test after test after test that show conclusively that it will not out of all but the most specific of circumstances, and editorial after editorial after editorial explaining why. It doesn't get more straightforward than comparing the checksum given from raw screen captures. Now, if you believe that better cables give you a better picture and better audio inherently rather than in specific situations (running really long cabling, or hooking up A/V equipment that cost as much as a midsize car, or what have you), that's perfectly fine. Hook up whatever cables you want to get whatever you think gives you the best picture. But don't state your personal preference as a universal truth, because it's not anymore than when people say that they prefer the sound of cassettes over CDs.




The fact of the matter is that so long as the cable is good enough to deliver the digital signal without errors (which is what poor connector designs and long cables have issues with, as well as cables that aren't build for what they are said to be), the picture quality will already be perfect because it's sending the same signal. The only thing "better" cables do is decrease the already-small chance that the signal will be lost (particularly over long distances), and have better build quality so they may be more durable.
What you're saying is basically the same thing as me saying if I connect my printer to my computer with a better USB cable, the pictures it prints will look better. If the OP isn't sure about buying an HDTV because he isn't sure how much better GT5 will look when he puts his PS3 right underneath it play on it, he will not notice any difference whatsoever because for his uses there won't be a difference.
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To summarise, digital = on or off; it either works, and you get picture and sound, or it doesn't, and you get squat. Paying more for a HDMI cable (within reason) is stupid.
 
Monoprice. Com is where you buy all your cables people. I got a 15ft HDMI cable for like $10. I assumed it would be cheap but i was very wrong. It was about half inch thick cable with gold plated tips. Picture quality was awesome. There is however different types of HDMI cables and that is what the price difference is on. Some only go one way meaning you have to plug it in the correct way, others offer Internet through them as well, some are rated safe to be in the walls etc. For normal use a cable is fine and like others said HDMI is either on or off. Maybe if you get a super sketchy China one you could have a problem but I'm sure those aren't even HDMI and just some fake budget type materials.
 

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