Those who think digital is either it works or not should think twice regarding HDMI cable. Unlike digital audio running on coax or toslink, the bandwidth requirement for HDMI is high. Don't buy cheap cable if you run at longer length than 3m. Check out this article:
http://www.audioholics.com/education/cable...ble-bench-tests

actually toslink cables make a different as well...

my colleague whos been borrowing my cheap Choseal toslink cable for his PS3, recently bought a Philips toslink cable (much thicker and about RM199) and he says the difference is HUGE.

Line attenuation is notorious for lengthy cables, but for lengths of 1M and shorter, there are virtually no difference between Monster Cables and ultra-cheapos from Monoprice.

As long as built to standard there would be perceivable way that better cables would make a difference. Digital is already extremely error resistant as it is.

I'd stick to cheap hdmi cable for short lengths like stringfellow said. For longer lengths, it's a whole new ball game. I personally still find it pointless to spend so much on getting those really expansive (Monster comes to mind) HDMI cables.

mine alcheapo 10m hdmi cable looks fine to me

Excellent article. Will buy the most el cheapo cable available since running 720p only.

There was a few challenges issued on Engadget/Gizmodo regarding claims of supposedly higher end(read: expensive) cables outperforming the cheaper ones, and the end result was there are no such thing. Doesnt stop the supposedly premiere cable providers from continuing to insinuate such claims. Get a cheap one will do, but make sure the build quality isnt suspect.

Agreed.

But it's a whole different story for analogue cables. When I upgraded my speaker cables, the difference is very big, even my wife is saying that it sounds much better now.



This post has been edited by aiman04: Jul 9 2008, 11:54 AM

I always squeeze for some OK branded cables when I change hardware...so no need to buy cable one....

peasant mar..what to do..save RM1 is RM1

one can buy cheap HDMI cables but not the bad cable

the difficulties is , how do we know if there are not bad cable

I am using the cheap one also, 1M long. And PQ looks fantastic.

Lengthy HDMI cost a bomb in bolehland, which I still think it is not worth the money. A 10M entry level HDMI from any reputable brand will set you back RM800 easily. As rx330 mentioned, his HDMI works fine.

I have tested my HDMIs before (Audioquest (2m) , Pioneer (free gift - 1m), Panasonic (1.5m) and cheapo 5M HDMI from online shop). Frankly speaking, nothing happens that caught my eyes. Same PQ

This post has been edited by htkaki: Jul 9 2008, 11:50 PM

What is important is the build quality. Normally higher gauge wire with good shielding will be consider good build quality. Just don't buy untested unknown origin cable. One of the good source for cheap and good cable is blue jeans cable. I think they mostly use belden cable (reputable cable manufacturer).

I love my QED Performance HDMI. Very well built and purple in color (I like purple hehe)

Can I see any difference from my other 3 cap ayam HDMI cables??

NOPE!

Hi.

If you are looking for cheap genuine monster cable, then check out this post:


1. Monster S-Video Cable
http://forum.lowyat.net/topic/742712


2. Monster Ultra 800 HDMI Cable
http://forum.lowyat.net/index.php?showtopic=756134

This post has been edited by DigitalTech: Aug 6 2008, 02:37 PM

bro,your hdmi cable not that 'cheap' la

digital no need this high end la.either you get the signal or not.



p/s : not from net,but from my own work experiences

Mind telling me how much and where you buy? I might need one now coz i decided to move my HTPC back to the living room and need to connect my main rig to the LCD TV. I need about 12 feet i think.

Thanks.

---

Added on August 6, 2008, 9:16 amHarvey norman sell for RM1K+++!!!! Wah lau...really monster cable...eats your $$$...even RM300++ still expensive for me.

I'll rather build another cheap HTPC and put it straight in front of the TV...

This post has been edited by Matrix: Aug 6 2008, 09:16 AM

That is why I always prefer digital connection whenever possible.You don't have to worry about upgrading the cable (until it is broken ).

hmmm.. how about component cables? old dvdp currently using the composite to plasma. i know pq will be better with component, but will the cheap ones do well?

Unless your old dvdp able to output 720p or 1080p via component, else it is still std def PQ.

Yes, Cheap component will better than expensive composite.

---

Added on August 6, 2008, 2:00 pmHtkaki bro, how about the sound quality? Did you compare different Brand hdmi sound quality in you new hdmi AVR?



This post has been edited by kkthen: Aug 6 2008, 02:00 PM

matrix, i think htkaki for some for sale, u try check with him

The above statement is the same as telling people this -

"No need to drive expensive car la, as long as it reaches my destination"

And yet you still see many people drive luxury cars around.

It's all about quality and affordability.

When you mentioned "bro,your hdmi cable not that 'cheap' la", is merely based on your own personal affordability.
But, I am comparing with current market price, ie Harvey Norman.

kkthen, the Audioquest and Panasonic HDMI perform the same in terms of audio (at least to my ears).

frankly speaking... we need good cable not expensive cable

digital is digital

else just cabling for data centre can COST a BOMB

Kekeke... When u pay RM200 for a 1.5m HDMI, psychologically will sounds better than a RM45 HDMI cable. Kekeke...

Anyway, enjoy la.

As long as you think what you paid is worth the money. For me, digital is digital.

How can digital signal gets deteriorated? My believe is when you send 101010, you'll receive 101010. If not, picture-wise, it's like you'll see dead pixels on screen when 101010 becomes 10101.

I can agree about bandwidth issues with longer cable, but the effect should not be picture quality, instead maybe just distortion like Astro while raining (I made that up, ).

How quality cable affects signal quality is true for analogues, but not digital (though there are some strange cases with digital coaxial, when sometimes cheaper cables not sounding as good).

Correct correct correct...

hmm..i don't know about HDMI, my first HDMi cable is alrd Monster cable..dun have the "cap ayam" one before, but for coaxial cable I really can notice big improvement from my Monster cable over my rm30 coaxial...even my friends and my brother can notice that the sound quality r actually better with Monster coaxial..

HDMI just a copper based cable carry highbandwithd signal

nothing fanci....

i work-d for enterprise storage b4..this kind of similar cable nothing fancy... used to transfer high cap. data at high speed

I've ordered a MONSTER S-video cable for my Astro

RM55 shipped for a 2M Ultra THX certified cable...OK boh??

Wow. That's cheap bro.

I use s-video to connect my Astro to my AVR and upscale to 1080i. If not using that, I only use the normal RCA direct to my TV.

---

Added on August 7, 2008, 8:14 amThat's what I meant. I've read few times that digital coaxial giving different results with different cables. Strange.

But not with HDMI though, should be just the same.

This post has been edited by aiman04: Aug 7 2008, 08:14 AM

Anyone selling cheap TOSlink cable?

Monster THX Optical Cable (1M)
http://forum.lowyat.net/topic/864993

Monster M1000HD HDMI cable (8ft)
http://forum.lowyat.net/index.php?showtopic=756134

This post has been edited by DigitalTech: Mar 10 2009, 03:28 PM

if u use cheapo HT setup.. why bother with good HDMI cables??

but if u already spent a bundle on your HT, y skimp on the cables??? (already bought cow but can't afford the rope??)

the cow could be well trained....no need rope...wireless HT...hehehe

wife already difficult to train lest a cow
or maybe it is easier to train a cow .. .ahahahaha

This post has been edited by ronnt88: Mar 10 2009, 04:28 PM

hopefully your wife will never see that....... maybe, unknowingly your wife is the one doing the training...hehe

fingers crossed

just pop by lowyat. plenty around. for me i bought one at allit, about rm21 for a 1.5m optical cable. works fine. good luck.

This post has been edited by eye: Mar 10 2009, 08:01 PM

i am not here to spoil your sale.. but your example of driving a cheap car to the destination is a bad example.. some ppl like fast cars bcoz of the power.. some ppl like super expensive comfortable cars... they can reach their destination in a diff way compared to a kancil... but in the case of hdmi its like u can buy a cheap car as fast as a ferrari and as luxurious as a maybach for a price of a rm30k kancil then y not? i dont think there is anything wrong with buying an expensive hdmi cable and feeling good abt it.. but i do think it is wrong to tell others that branded hdmi provides better picture..

so personally i feel monster cable is a luxury item that MIGHT last longer, looks better (for sure) but works the same as my blu jean.. oh i 4got to mention it costs a few times more than my blu jeans

This post has been edited by mys_terious: Mar 12 2009, 03:17 PM

I think we should be careful when choosing a cheap and no brand HDMI cable.
I got one cheap HDMI cable 1.5M long.
It looks good when I first plug into my dvd player.
After I switch resolution to 1080P and the picture start pixeling.
Buy another branded cable works fine
That cable only works on 1080i, 720p or 720i or lower resolution.
I think that cable just simply not meet the V1.3a standard.
The shop jusy cheap selling old cable.

This post has been edited by hih: Apr 8 2009, 07:50 PM

http://www.audioholics.com/education/cable...ble-bench-tests

Digital Is Digital, Right?

Unlike the mumbo-jumbo surrounding TOSlink and coax optical cables, HDMI is a little more complex. When the specification is a constantly-moving target, as HDMI has proven to be - and this has been fueled by a willing consumer electronics industry - things get a little hairy. It's important to understand just why, with HDMI, you can't just say "digital is digital, it either works or it doesn't." As we referenced in detail in our article 'HDMI - It's All in the Bitrate,' HDMI has progressed (evolved) from a simple 720p/1080i 8-bit per channel signal to the current 1080p 12-bit (or more) per channel signal it is today. Just what kind of bandwidth is being sent over the cable depends on the source electronics and the capability of the display, but the potential has vastly increased since the debut of HDMI in 2003. As these signals got higher in resolution and bit depth, the amount of bits per second traveling through the HDMI cable increased. When that happened (and most recently culminating in the release of HDMI 1.3) the tolerance requirements for HDMI cables changed as well.

By way of example, with a digital audio coax cable you are dealing with a required maximum bitrate of just over 3 Mbit/s. For a S/PDIF connection, be it TOSlink or digital coax, this is chump change. The specification for that digital connection hasn't changed since ~1997 and the demands made on the cable are far less than the cable's potential capabilities. Now let's look at HDMI. A massive bundle of 15 cables (not including drain wires) - some insulated, all fairly important. In order for HDMI to remain practical, and avoid unnecessary interference, the cable has to be made, at least partially, out of stranded wire, lest 15 solid cables render the cable more of an unbendable, unwieldy stick than a cable. Additionally, the amount of information necessary to transmit the incredibly high resolution video and 8-channels of uncompressed digital audio far exceeds that of the typical DTS or Dolby Digital compressed traffic which meanders through a S/PDIF audio-only connection.


So How Do Cables Differ?

Aside from cost, HDMI cables differ in many ways. Some real obvious differences include the gauge of cable used in construction, stranded versus solid cable pairs (which greatly affects flexibility), and flat versus round. These physical differences are significant, but not nearly as important as whether or not the cables are rated to carry a particular signal a stated distance. Many cables are certified by one or more companies who provide specifications and/or speed ratings to cables. Simplay, for example is a wholly-owned division of HDMI Licensing, LLC that charges large sums of money to test cables and consumer electronics for compatibility and interoperability. Another company coming online is DPL Labs which rates cables on a 1-5 rating. It's a bit redundant since it should be pretty obvious that the Category 1 and 2 specs should be easy enough to certify and uphold. We're more concerned with manufacturer being honest than whether or not some third party certifies them or gives them a sticker. After all, nobody expects every AV receiver to be certified by a third party for exact power ratings (the FCC notwithstanding, but they hardly do more than ensure the product doesn't emit radiation).

Specific problems arise in a couple of areas. First, the equipment required to test HDMI cables is very expensive. We're talking over $200,000 for a basic setup including source generator, scope and calibrated HDMI "probes". This is obviously cost prohibitive for smaller companies to do much more than rebrand someone else's manufactured cables that have already been certified. If they choose the right manufacturer this isn't a problem, but some don't.

You can predict cable integrity and performance fairly accurately by doing the math on the cable geometry and modeling the results. This isn't easy, however (at least not for mere mortals) and we opted to use the measurement methodology instead. For a great (though very technical) article on HDMI cable modeling, please see Eugene Mayevskiy's writeup, which comes from an engineer who worked with Tektronix to deal with these very issues.

This post has been edited by DigitalTech: Apr 12 2010, 10:55 AM

haha..
personally.. i experienced the difference upgrading from normal s-video to monster s-video.. smoother movement, less noisy picture, and sharper edge (might not be a good thing.. sharp edges looked digital.. ) but the pro's outweights the cons, and im satisfied for the price i paid (was second hand tho.. )

i will be getting monster hdmi later.. but that's not my priority right now.. next yr perhaps?

HDMI: Need for Speed

Believe it or not, HDMI cables are not all created equal. Some can handle video from DVD players just fine, but if you connect a Playstation 3 to them and try to play a game, you might be in for a shock – the video might not display at the maximum resolution of your television, for example, or might not work at all. So read on, and learn all about how our cables to meet – and exceed – industry specifications so that you can enjoy your home theater to its potential.

This diagram illustrates the progression of complexity that occurs when you’re going from a simple DVD signal to that of devices such as the Playstation 3 – and beyond. Rich video (such as that created by 120HZ displays running at a resolution of 1080p) and complex audio (such as Dolby DTS 5.1 surround sound) require much more bandwidth than a basic DVD signal with stereo sound and require a much more sophisticated cable. If the cable you’re using isn’t up to the task of pushing enough data, your player may downgrade your signal to a lower resolution, or visual artifacts such as colored spots may appear on your video.




http://www.monstercable.com/hdmi/hdmi_spee...cable_speed.asp

Well constructed chart with each elements shown clearly.
Well users to decide then..

This post has been edited by sKyWiR3pT3lTd: Apr 16 2010, 10:12 PM

Explaining 3D Formats
Due to the high speed of the 1920 x 1080 signal at 120Hz, extra care must be taken in cable bandwidth, connections, crimps and bending to introduce bit errors.

By George Walter
March 18, 2010
http://www.cepro.com/article/explaining_3d_formats/D1/


Extraordinary 3D is all about creating the best environment and equipping it with powerful 3D displays capable of delivering a truly immersive experience.

In the world of 3D entertainment, the believability of the experience is everything.
Let's take a look at the more advanced levels of 3D display technology available for home use.


Low Tech: 3D via Anaglyph 3D

Due to the limited number of true 3D TVs currently in homes, the delivery of television-based 3D content has had to rely on the anaglyph 3D process.

Viewed in 2D mode, the images look like "double vision" with one image having a cyan tint and the other image having a red tint. Anaglyph content is viewed using matching glasses, which have a cyan filter as the lens for the left eye, and a red filter as the lens for the right eye.

Through the anaglyph viewing process, the cyan content is only seen by the viewer's left eye and the red content is only seen by the viewer's right eye. This is the simplest and least expensive 3D delivery method and provides the least dynamic 3D experience.

The cyan and red filters tend to distort the color accuracy of the 3D content. Thus, while anaglyph 3D technology does allow 3D content to be delivered to any television in any home, it is generally considered to provide a 3D experience that is far from state of the art.


Mid Tech: 3D DLP for TVs

The first 3D DLP consumer displays were introduced in 2007 as rear-screen single-chip TVs. Using the inherent speed of the DLP's micro mirrors technology, the displays transmit left and right eye imagery separately for stereoscopic imaging with high-quality 3D glasses.

Consumer-level 3D DLP TVs enlist a specific technology referred to as checkerboard imaging. For example, the red squares of the checkerboard represent the right eye, and the black square represents the left eye. In this fashion, full 1080p images can be displayed without the need for expanded bandwidth.

The images are displayed 60Hz right eye and 60Hz left eye (equivalent to 120Hz). Since every other pixel is dedicated to either the left or the right eye, the resolution of each single eye image is only half the native resolution of the 3D television. While this does sacrifice image quality, no additional system bandwidth is required to support signal distribution.

The high-speed LCD shutter glasses allow the appropriate left eye information to transmit to the left eye and right eye information to transmit to the right eye. Thus, total left and right eye signal can equal full 1920 x 1080, if that is the native resolution of the 3D TV.


High Tech: Active 3D Projectors

The latest 3-chip 3D projectors use a more advanced technology capable of supporting full Active 3D whereby a 120Hz signal is fed to the projector (full 1920 x 1080 60Hz, left; full 1920 x 1080 60Hz, right), and the right eye and left eye are displayed sequentially. Once again, high-speed LCD shutter glasses are used and synchronized with the projector via an IR emitter, blocking the right eye when left eye content is displayed, and vice versa.

The signal requirement is that you either need a high-speed dual link DVI cable to transmit 120Hz full HD signals to the projector from the source or two standard DVI/HDMI cables - one for the right eye content, one for the left eye content.

HDMI 1.4 looks to reduce this to a single cable. Due to the high speed of the 1920 x 1080 signal at 120Hz, extra care must be taken in cable bandwidth, connections, crimps and bending so as not to introduce bit errors.

There are several DLP two-piece consumer projection systems and flat-panel displays that advertise 3D capability, but they do so only at reduced resolutions. By reducing the resolution, the electronics and response times are greatly simplified. Most gaming flat panels are maximum 1680 x 1050, and many of the single-chip 3D projectors present a maximum of 1024 x 768 resolution.

There are a number of ways to create 3D with DLP systems. There are also numerous ways of generating 3D material, so the possible outcomes are limitless!

Woohoo...

Cant believe anyone still interesting in debating the difference with branded and cheapo cables even if its for HDMI. If your pocket allows, go with whatever you BELIEVED in. Dont bother.

Its more of comparing differences rather than debating. Thick wallets / thin wallets doesn't matter.

Like you said , if pocket allows the minimal, go for the one minimal price..otherwise get the costly ones for a sake of brand.

I'm not against any brand here, even i admit that i've bought Monster and i regret. Now im using a 1.3b RM15 cable , a happy man i am.

i dunno the details of HDMI cable that u guys discussing.
for me it just same whether i use cheapo or monster HDMI cable.
no difference at all... and i feel cheated after bought the expensive cables...

really r bro?thinking of getting a monster cable

Meant please buy cheap cable if you run at shorter than 3m.