Very interesting topic with many opinions on whether investment is necessary for HDMI cable. For info, Version 1.3 is not alone. There are V1.3 Class A (1080i) and V1.3 Class B (1080p). Wont be elaborating much but those with this knowledge of information will know what is the Class A and B. Nowadays, alot of HDMI claims to be supportive of V1.3 but to what extend? None of them dare to show which side they are relating to the end-user. Even for V1.3, there is types of speeds involving. One of reason why manufactures (only talking about mainly Free HDMI Cables) never mention about the category of their cables and speed due to not having their HDMI cables being certified.

The only cable I know giving Future Proof and ease of mind HDMI cable is Monster Cable Model MC1000HD. Price is probably very expensive to a lot of people but the worth-buying is this model not only being Life-Time Warrantee but also Future Proof Cable (with icon of Cable For Life). This statement means once you own this cable, never ever will you invest in another HDMI in the future. This is because once this cable can't support the future version, say V2.0 or V3.0, you can bring it back and exchange with the highest grade of Monster HDMI Cable in the market (that time) without topping up any additional money.

There are so many misleading information by many parties about HDMI. Some said HDMI is built only for 0 and 1, some said as long as got picture and sound, the end of story. This kinda information is making alot of end-users wanting for the best quality of video and sound will never have it in their own home. The misconception will be Cables are only Accessories, therefore NOT ESSENTIAL at all.

Truth is, High Quality HDMI Cable is to be treated as A Component for HD. You have Blue-Ray player, Full HD TV, AV Receiver capable of DTS True HD and Master Audio, but yet using a cheap-skate free HDMI cable. Put in this scenario, a Subaru WRX with HP of 280 (if not mistaken) but only using 13" rim/tyres. Makes sense?

If you need any clarification or further information, I'll try to share as much as I can. If I'm wrong, don't shoot me but correct me. I'm trying to learn too.

Thanks for correcting me on the 1080P on Version 1.0

Thanks for the feedback. As I was trying to say, different people has different opinion. Personally I tested with free cables and "High Quality Cables" with proper HD Audio and Video set-up (in sense of everything were in True HD), I couldnt say more.

In terms of proper construction of cable that you had mentioned, mind to 'elaborate' more on the meaning of proper construction?.

Probably SimPlay Labs gave the wrong information to me when they said all HDMI cables are not the same. Probably data streaming down the pipeline of HDMI are not to be constructed to contain high band-width. Probably the data transmission between the source and the input are just 2 way-lane, not the multi-lane where signals are meant to be constantly transmitted in more than 4.4 GBPS.

Or probably you are trying to correct me in saying 'any proper constructed HDMI' in today's market can be used in next year 2160P Flat Panel, or 200HZ Refresh Rate Plasma/LCD.

Maybe in your opinion, the usage of cheap HDMI cables are cable to transmit data containing 1080P, 12Bit Color/XY Color, 120Hz Refresh Rate, CEC, and Lossless Audio (7.1ch/True HD/Master of Bitstream)

But thanks for correcting my statement on the 1080P V1.0 thingy

sigh, another Who-Knows-Everything

I do like your constructive reply, seriously.

1.I did not mention that HDMI convert anything from my statement. I was trying to say High-contain-Data/Big-Size-Data require to have proper constructed 'Lane' to move to and fro output to input and the otherwise. If a HDMI cable is made just to transmit basic video and sound, normally a cheap/free HDMI cable will do the job. Yet, from Blue-Ray disc itself containing so much data, a cheap/free HDMI cable will not be able to accomodate everything from features I had mentioned earlier. Therefore, it's not just a give and take 'raw' information.

As for material use for HDMI construction, not every manufacturer especially free given or cheap HDMI take much of consideration few features such as 75 ohms construction of each cooper use inside, Dielectric injection, Foil-shielding(how many layer), capability to reject EMI/RFI and few more. Even for some cable claim to be 24K Plated connected, but to what extend. I had 'dissected' quite a few of those free/cheap HDMI cables together with expensive cables. The result, those cheap cables only covering the head only but not the shouldering area.

2. Cable will not damage, but how can you guarantee that? Abuse given to the cables such as snapping the cable body rather than the connector, going to in-wall to hide the cable for wall-mounting Flat Screen, and few more will affect the transmission of high-speed data. Only a few HDMI manufacturer in the world introducing "Stress Relief" constraint to avoid conductors to be disconnected from the connector due to hard plug/unplug situation.

3. Talking about networking, I am not that familiar (is this still relating to HDMI? ). Put my arguement into this, 4 cars trying to move fast but squeezing into 1 Lane road. Will those 4 cars/data able to transmit smoothly? Probably, 1 car/data will be left behind. Go figure.

4. This year 2008 ICES already displayed a 2160P TV Samsung 3840 x 2160, DLP manufacturing 240HZ and 2009 ICES will be showing more technologies(hope I'm going Las Vegas). Oh yes, I do know DVI and HDMI works the very same way but in case you don't know, DVI doesnt send audio. *wink.

At first I thought you change your Plasma from 1024x to 1600x, haha, heck no, you were only playing around with computer resolution. LOL. So you only changing only on computer monitor, not from Blue Ray/AV Receiver/Full-HD TV. Hahahaha. Now only I know, probably I can rest my case here as my statement only applies to Blue Ray/AV Receiver/Full-HD TV, nothing to do with computer.

5. Ops, typo error on Master of Bitstream. Suppose to be True HD Audio/ Master Audio running on Bitstream. HDMI today only supports 4.4GB p/s but some applications/hardwares are already on 6.68Gbps. If the mentality that all HDMI are the same, you are already far way behind. The HDMI built yesteryear will not be able to support the tremendous amount of high speed data transmit from the sources to the inputs. No way it will be giving a total 100%. And HDMI is not just about 0 and 1. Only a typical cheap-skate who not willing to spend on Performance cables for their expensive Full HD TV/Receiver/Blu-Ray player will have that kinda thinking. Never ever compromise the need for speed on HDMI cables.

Additional
6. My arguement on HDMI is not meant just to video. It applies to the features of audio, CEC, bit colors, speed-rating, refresh rates and many more.

I serious do recommending you to understand my statements here before you commenting relating to computer monitor, which is not my point of statements at all. Oh yes, some companies do pay good $$ for gettng review. Try do researches into SimPlay Labs website to see which cables had been certified.

I do stand to be corrected.

This post has been edited by Vistatic: Sep 3 2008, 11:28 AM

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ur 7.1 will b completed.. ..