Comments on: HDMI: To Cheap It Out Or Not http://www.thebitbag.com/2009/02/27/hdmi-to-cheap-it-out-or-not/ The editors from The Bitbag soundoff on technology, video games, anime and whatever else comes to mind. Sun, 21 Mar 2010 19:04:11 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: jasonac http://www.thebitbag.com/2009/02/27/hdmi-to-cheap-it-out-or-not/comment-page-1/#comment-5055 jasonac Tue, 03 Mar 2009 17:31:46 +0000 http://www.thebitbag.com/?p=3852#comment-5055 MASSIVE fail. That tech-head you interviewed is uselessly obsessing about nearly imperceptible differences that even then will affect only an extremely tiny fraction of the population. And even then it's still possible to get maximum tech-head quality for a low price. Go read: http://www.audioholics.com/education/cables/long-hdmi-cable-bench-tests In summation...nearly any cable will work fine for 1080p (even cables that fail lab tests) as long as you're using a "short" cable length (12' or less). When does cable quality matter? When you've got to run cable 50'. Or if you plan to buy a forthcoming, extra-expensive 1440p TV...which is pretty ridiculous since most people sit so far that the human eye can't discern between 720 & 1080. http://www.carltonbale.com/2006/11/1080p-does-matter/ Or if you're worried about nearly imperceptible 10-bit "Deep Color"...which Blu-Ray doesn't support anyway, so you're never going to see it anyway except as nearly imperceptible up-conversion. http://www.highdefdigest.com/news/show/Joshua_Zyber/High-Def_FAQ/High-Def_FAQ:_Is_HDMI_1.3_Really_Necessary/853 And even then, monoprice has a $40 25' cable that will definitely handle 1080p with [useless] 16-bit deep color, 1440p with [useless] 10-bit deep color, and, since many half-decent cables handle more than they're specified, probably a lot more. MASSIVE fail. That tech-head you interviewed is uselessly obsessing about nearly imperceptible differences that even then will affect only an extremely tiny fraction of the population. And even then it’s still possible to get maximum tech-head quality for a low price.

Go read:
http://www.audioholics.com/education/cables/long-hdmi-cable-bench-tests

In summation…nearly any cable will work fine for 1080p (even cables that fail lab tests) as long as you’re using a “short” cable length (12′ or less).

When does cable quality matter? When you’ve got to run cable 50′.

Or if you plan to buy a forthcoming, extra-expensive 1440p TV…which is pretty ridiculous since most people sit so far that the human eye can’t discern between 720 & 1080.
http://www.carltonbale.com/2006/11/1080p-does-matter/

Or if you’re worried about nearly imperceptible 10-bit “Deep Color”…which Blu-Ray doesn’t support anyway, so you’re never going to see it anyway except as nearly imperceptible up-conversion.
http://www.highdefdigest.com/news/show/Joshua_Zyber/High-Def_FAQ/High-Def_FAQ:_Is_HDMI_1.3_Really_Necessary/853

And even then, monoprice has a $40 25′ cable that will definitely handle 1080p with [useless] 16-bit deep color, 1440p with [useless] 10-bit deep color, and, since many half-decent cables handle more than they’re specified, probably a lot more.

]]> By: Da_Dios http://www.thebitbag.com/2009/02/27/hdmi-to-cheap-it-out-or-not/comment-page-1/#comment-5047 Da_Dios Tue, 03 Mar 2009 02:17:29 +0000 http://www.thebitbag.com/?p=3852#comment-5047 Ninetailfox you hit it spot on that for right now there's no reason for purchasing the monster cable at this point in time. Spend 15-30 dollars on a good cable and have fun. I'm just not spending 70 dollars on a set of 9ft cables that may or may not enhance the quality of video. Ninetailfox you hit it spot on that for right now there’s no reason for purchasing the monster cable at this point in time. Spend 15-30 dollars on a good cable and have fun. I’m just not spending 70 dollars on a set of 9ft cables that may or may not enhance the quality of video.

]]> By: ninetailfox http://www.thebitbag.com/2009/02/27/hdmi-to-cheap-it-out-or-not/comment-page-1/#comment-5010 ninetailfox Sat, 28 Feb 2009 21:15:52 +0000 http://www.thebitbag.com/?p=3852#comment-5010 I can't believe Torrence Davis got suckered into believing Monster cables are necessary and actually worth the price tag. So what you're saying is that 5 years from now when 8-bit signals are no longer in use we'll have to upgrade our HDMI cables? Well, in that time HDMI cables will likely be a lot cheaper than they are now. I bought mine (RCA) for 15 bucks at Wal-Mart. A friend of mine paid 70 bucks for "Monsters". So maybe in 5 years my cables will be obsolete, but in 5 years I can probably buy a 10-bit color HDMI cable for 10 bucks Wal-Mart again. Quite frankly, my friend regrets his purchase because we can't tell the difference at all when we switch HDMI cables. I can’t believe Torrence Davis got suckered into believing Monster cables are necessary and actually worth the price tag.

So what you’re saying is that 5 years from now when 8-bit signals are no longer in use we’ll have to upgrade our HDMI cables?

Well, in that time HDMI cables will likely be a lot cheaper than they are now. I bought mine (RCA) for 15 bucks at Wal-Mart. A friend of mine paid 70 bucks for “Monsters”. So maybe in 5 years my cables will be obsolete, but in 5 years I can probably buy a 10-bit color HDMI cable for 10 bucks Wal-Mart again.

Quite frankly, my friend regrets his purchase because we can’t tell the difference at all when we switch HDMI cables.

]]> By: DragonWarrior4 http://www.thebitbag.com/2009/02/27/hdmi-to-cheap-it-out-or-not/comment-page-1/#comment-5009 DragonWarrior4 Sat, 28 Feb 2009 17:54:24 +0000 http://www.thebitbag.com/?p=3852#comment-5009 I only paid one cent at amazon.com for my cable and it works perfectly. Anyone who spends more then that is a complete idiot. I only paid one cent at amazon.com for my cable and it works perfectly. Anyone who spends more then that is a complete idiot.

]]> By: OOG http://www.thebitbag.com/2009/02/27/hdmi-to-cheap-it-out-or-not/comment-page-1/#comment-5007 OOG Sat, 28 Feb 2009 17:05:13 +0000 http://www.thebitbag.com/?p=3852#comment-5007 @Killa_5150 in all honesty bro if you want to try and save some money I would say to buy a 2 metre cable off of moboprice.com just because you may only spend less then $10 total on the wire with shipping and they have high grade cables and it will look just as good... you just need to pick a cable thats all... n see if we can save you 50 bucks... hell my ps3 is running on a cable I spend $5 on lol @Killa_5150 in all honesty bro if you want to try and save some money I would say to buy a 2 metre cable off of moboprice.com just because you may only spend less then $10 total on the wire with shipping and they have high grade cables and it will look just as good… you just need to pick a cable thats all… n see if we can save you 50 bucks… hell my ps3 is running on a cable I spend $5 on lol

]]> By: Charleytony http://www.thebitbag.com/2009/02/27/hdmi-to-cheap-it-out-or-not/comment-page-1/#comment-5006 Charleytony Sat, 28 Feb 2009 14:19:24 +0000 http://www.thebitbag.com/?p=3852#comment-5006 The tech speak the give uses is probably mostly right but when the Monster Cable guy tells you that you have to get Monster Cables, that is where you need to take it with a grain of salt. To me the real storie lies in the fact that the PS3 come with only red/white/yellow cables. Component would have been good, HDMI great, Whats the deal Sony ? Dont you have the most expensive / powerfull HD gaming console ? Act like it ! The tech speak the give uses is probably mostly right but when the Monster Cable guy tells you that you have to get Monster Cables, that is where you need to take it with a grain of salt.

To me the real storie lies in the fact that the PS3 come with only red/white/yellow cables.

Component would have been good, HDMI great,

Whats the deal Sony ?
Dont you have the most expensive / powerfull HD gaming console ?
Act like it !

]]> By: jmd749 http://www.thebitbag.com/2009/02/27/hdmi-to-cheap-it-out-or-not/comment-page-1/#comment-5005 jmd749 Sat, 28 Feb 2009 03:18:31 +0000 http://www.thebitbag.com/?p=3852#comment-5005 i paid £1 for my 2 metre gold plated hdmi cable on amazon as well, and it provides very good picture quality, sure it's not the best, but i'd be damned if i'm to pay for one of those, utter waste of money monster cables. one of those bastards tried to sell me a £100 scart lead for my sony trinitron SD tv. torrence use that money towards a better cpu or more ram for your pc. i paid £1 for my 2 metre gold plated hdmi cable on amazon as well, and it provides very good picture quality, sure it’s not the best, but i’d be damned if i’m to pay for one of those, utter waste of money monster cables. one of those bastards tried to sell me a £100 scart lead for my sony trinitron SD tv.

torrence use that money towards a better cpu or more ram for your pc.

]]> By: Killa_5150 http://www.thebitbag.com/2009/02/27/hdmi-to-cheap-it-out-or-not/comment-page-1/#comment-5004 Killa_5150 Sat, 28 Feb 2009 02:41:30 +0000 http://www.thebitbag.com/?p=3852#comment-5004 am not a rich mothafuka like Torrence lol, i dunno i'll think about it am not a rich mothafuka like Torrence lol, i dunno i’ll think about it

]]> By: DragonWarrior4 http://www.thebitbag.com/2009/02/27/hdmi-to-cheap-it-out-or-not/comment-page-1/#comment-5001 DragonWarrior4 Sat, 28 Feb 2009 02:12:20 +0000 http://www.thebitbag.com/?p=3852#comment-5001 read my previous comment killa, then use some logic before you make that decision. Unless your like Tor and don't mind blowing money on electronics. read my previous comment killa, then use some logic before you make that decision. Unless your like Tor and don’t mind blowing money on electronics.

]]> By: Killa_5150 http://www.thebitbag.com/2009/02/27/hdmi-to-cheap-it-out-or-not/comment-page-1/#comment-4999 Killa_5150 Sat, 28 Feb 2009 01:02:47 +0000 http://www.thebitbag.com/?p=3852#comment-4999 so i dont know, should i buy the $50 one, mabye its better than the cheap ones? so i dont know, should i buy the $50 one, mabye its better than the cheap ones?

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