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What's the general thought on brand name HDMI cables?
No name work just as well as branded. Paying for a "brand" does nothing to move data.
Recognize that HDMI uses digital signaling, and if a $1 cable gets it there the output will be exactly the same as if a $100 were used. It works or it doesn't, in the same manner that a Ethernet cable works or not.
All HDMI cables (of the same version) have the same quality, unless you are unlucky and get a damaged one or something. Like some others said, use Monoprice.com for your HDMI cabling needs (and many other cables, too). I've bought cables from them a number of times and never had a problem. If you're paying $30, $40, or $100 for an HDMI cable you're paying way too much.
Stay away from ridiculously overpriced brands such as Monster.
I just replenished my stock after I gave a few cables to my neighbor. I'm down another five dollars for three more cables.
One of the 'problems' of buying from Monoprice is that I often order something more than I need just to have it 'someday' if needed. I have a growing inventory of cables and 'stuff'.
All HDMI cables (of the same version) have the same quality, unless you are unlucky and get a damaged one or something. Like some others said, use Monoprice.com for your HDMI cabling needs (and many other cables, too). I've bought cables from them a number of times and never had a problem. If you're paying $30, $40, or $100 for an HDMI cable you're paying way too much.
Stay away from ridiculously overpriced brands such as Monster.
That's not 100% true. All cables under a certain length have the same quality. Since HDMI is digital, it's just 1's and 0's. Either it transmits or it doesn't. But when you get up over about 40 feet, cables with better shielding will give you a noticeable difference in quality, because you'll start losing 1's and 0's if it's not a well shielded cable.
How many people use a 40+ foot cable is another topic altogether.
That's not 100% true. All cables under a certain length have the same quality. Since HDMI is digital, it's just 1's and 0's. Either it transmits or it doesn't. But when you get up over about 40 feet, cables with better shielding will give you a noticeable difference in quality, because you'll start losing 1's and 0's if it's not a well shielded cable.
How many people use a 40+ foot cable is another topic altogether.
Where do the 1s and 0s go? Do they leak out, or are they abducted by invading digital kidnappers who broke through the minimal shielding?
That's not 100% true. All cables under a certain length have the same quality. Since HDMI is digital, it's just 1's and 0's. Either it transmits or it doesn't. But when you get up over about 40 feet, cables with better shielding will give you a noticeable difference in quality, because you'll start losing 1's and 0's if it's not a well shielded cable.
How many people use a 40+ foot cable is another topic altogether.
You really have no idea what you are talking about. Shielding has no effect on signal loss. Signal loss is caused by attenuation - which is primarily related to the conductive material and the size of the wire strands. Cables designed for longer runs use heavier gauge wire strands.
Shielding reduces the vulnerability of cable to interference. Internally an HDMI cable is four shielded twisted pairs. Yes - cheaper HDMI cables could have lower quality materials and it might have an effect in some cases.
Professionals that need to run HDMI long distances often use Cat5e cable pairs instead with matching baluns ("adapter") on each end.
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