Warning

 

Close

Confirm Action

Are you sure you wish to do this?

Confirm Cancel
BCM
User Panel

Posted: 1/15/2011 7:59:31 AM EDT
There are a bunch.  I'm not sure which one to get.



I need to connect a laptop with an HDMI slot to our new 42" plasma TV.



From the looks of it, all HDMI cables are not created equal.

.

I'm not sure which one I need.  I want to use the TV as a monitor, watch Hulu and streamed TV etc.



The TV does not have a VGA port.  I knew that when I bought it.



Which HDMI cable do I need?


Link Posted: 1/15/2011 8:02:09 AM EDT
[#1]
Monoprice.com

Fwiw I bought a monster cable one before I knew about that website and cant tell any difference at all.
Link Posted: 1/15/2011 8:02:17 AM EDT
[#2]
The cheapest one you can find. It is a digital signal, so either it works, or it doesn't.
Link Posted: 1/15/2011 8:05:07 AM EDT
[#3]
Quoted:
The cheapest one you can find. It is a digital signal, so either it works, or it doesn't.


Sort of.....


Monoprice.com or Bluejancable.com.  Blue Jeans can make some nice cables for you.
Link Posted: 1/15/2011 8:05:15 AM EDT
[#4]
Quoted:
The cheapest one you can find. It is a digital signal, so either it works, or it doesn't.


The absolute cheapest one you can find for the length you need. I bought 4 of them from Amazon.com two years ago. They each cost about 16 cents a piece (no I am not exaggerating). I think the cheapest on Amazon right now is $2.00 or so. People don't seem to understand that with HDMI, you either have a signal or you don't. There is no in between quality spectrum like Monster would lead you to believe. If you are paying more than $2-$3 for a six foot cable then you are significantly over paying. That bluejeancable website someone suggested is way overpiced. Here are the cables I bought Amazon.com Cables and it includes free shipping.
Link Posted: 1/15/2011 8:05:48 AM EDT
[#5]
Monoprice.

HDMI is HDMI.  Don't buy a Monster cable or God himself will make fun of you.

Link Posted: 1/15/2011 8:09:53 AM EDT
[#6]
Quoted:
Quoted:
The cheapest one you can find. It is a digital signal, so either it works, or it doesn't.


The absolute cheapest one you can find for the length you need. I bought 4 of them from Amazon.com two years ago. They each cost about 16 cents a piece (no I am not exaggerating). I think the cheapest on Amazon right now is $2.00 or so. People don't seem to understand that with HDMI, you either have a signal or you don't. There is no in between quality spectrum like Monster would lead you to believe.


Not exactly.  There are sets of standards for these cables.  You can run into issues with dirt cheap stuff.  Depending on what the use is and how long of a run you are doing.
Link Posted: 1/15/2011 8:11:09 AM EDT
[#7]



Quoted:






Don't buy a Monster cable or God himself will make fun of you.





But I wannabe cool and trendy.  



Thanks guys.  Cheep HDMI cables it is.



 
Link Posted: 1/15/2011 8:12:14 AM EDT
[#8]
Quoted:
Quoted:
Quoted:
The cheapest one you can find. It is a digital signal, so either it works, or it doesn't.


The absolute cheapest one you can find for the length you need. I bought 4 of them from Amazon.com two years ago. They each cost about 16 cents a piece (no I am not exaggerating). I think the cheapest on Amazon right now is $2.00 or so. People don't seem to understand that with HDMI, you either have a signal or you don't. There is no in between quality spectrum like Monster would lead you to believe.


Not exactly.  There are sets of standards for these cables.  You can run into issues with dirt cheap stuff.  Depending on what the use is and how long of a run you are doing.


Ok, let me rephrase. I have used 4 of these cables, my parents have 5, my neighbor has 3, and my brother has 4....and NONE of them have failed for the past two years. You be the judge. You could by 5 of the cheap ones and still get a better price than the name brand ones.

Link Posted: 1/15/2011 8:21:43 AM EDT
[#9]



Quoted:



Quoted:


Quoted:


Quoted:

The cheapest one you can find. It is a digital signal, so either it works, or it doesn't.




The absolute cheapest one you can find for the length you need. I bought 4 of them from Amazon.com two years ago. They each cost about 16 cents a piece (no I am not exaggerating). I think the cheapest on Amazon right now is $2.00 or so. People don't seem to understand that with HDMI, you either have a signal or you don't. There is no in between quality spectrum like Monster would lead you to believe.




Not exactly.  There are sets of standards for these cables.  You can run into issues with dirt cheap stuff.  Depending on what the use is and how long of a run you are doing.




Ok, let me rephrase. I have used 4 of these cables, my parents have 5, my neighbor has 3, and my brother has 4....and NONE of them have failed for the past two years. You be the judge. You could by 5 of the cheap ones and still get a better price than the name brand ones.





HDMI is not subject to "signal quality".  Buy them for flexibility, length, fit and color.  DO NOT buy them for "signal quality" because that is absolute bullshit.

 



Hear me?  BULL SHIT.




Anyway, you can get the same ones you would get from the fag-audio boutique on Amazon for about a buck each.  If you are worried about getting a bad one.  Get TWO for a dollar each.
Link Posted: 1/15/2011 8:21:52 AM EDT
[#10]
Quoted:
Quoted:
Quoted:
Quoted:
The cheapest one you can find. It is a digital signal, so either it works, or it doesn't.


The absolute cheapest one you can find for the length you need. I bought 4 of them from Amazon.com two years ago. They each cost about 16 cents a piece (no I am not exaggerating). I think the cheapest on Amazon right now is $2.00 or so. People don't seem to understand that with HDMI, you either have a signal or you don't. There is no in between quality spectrum like Monster would lead you to believe.


Not exactly.  There are sets of standards for these cables.  You can run into issues with dirt cheap stuff.  Depending on what the use is and how long of a run you are doing.


Ok, let me rephrase. I have used 4 of these cables, my parents have 5, my neighbor has 3, and my brother has 4....and NONE of them have failed for the past two years. You be the judge. You could by 5 of the cheap ones and still get a better price than the name brand ones.



I'm not recommending "name brand ones."  Connecting a TV set to a Blue Ray player or Cable box sitting under it is not rocket science.  But when you start doing remote located components with screens 35' - 50' away, $10 cables are probably not what you want anymore.  Especially when you are talking about meeting certain video and audio standards and not having a ton of "sparkles" all over the screen.
Link Posted: 1/15/2011 8:38:51 AM EDT
[#11]
buy a cheap one.  Digital signals are all or none. if it works its GTG. There is no half way with hdmi.
Link Posted: 1/15/2011 8:41:32 AM EDT
[#12]
I like Blue Jeans Cable more than Monoprice.  BJC are more flexible and better looking than Monoprice.  Either or both are top quality and work well.
Link Posted: 1/15/2011 8:45:56 AM EDT
[#13]





Quoted:



I like Blue Jeans Cable more than Monoprice.  BJC are more flexible and better looking than Monoprice.  Either or both are top quality and work well.



Damn.  This is getting to be like Glop vs 1911 or 9 v 45.  Time for Old Painless to shoot some cable to see which one is best?





The TV is nine viewing feet away.  Figuring for bends and turns I need about 15? or so.


Off to the store.





 
Link Posted: 1/15/2011 8:51:38 AM EDT
[#14]
Quoted:
buy a cheap one.  Digital signals are all or none. if it works its GTG. There is no half way with hdmi.


One again, it is more complicated than that.  You can experience drop out that causes "sparkles" as well as a few other errors that can result from certain pieces of info not making it through.  It's not just one signal going through one run of wire that we are talking about.  For most cases this is a non issue, but for the sake of correct info I am pointing this out.  This is especially important for long runs of HDMI that go into walls.  Unless you ran conduit to pull the cable latr on, you can really screw up by using a cheap, cheap cable.
Link Posted: 1/15/2011 9:07:45 AM EDT
[#15]
Quoted:

Quoted:
I like Blue Jeans Cable more than Monoprice.  BJC are more flexible and better looking than Monoprice.  Either or both are top quality and work well.

Damn.  This is getting to be like Glop vs 1911 or 9 v 45.  Time for Old Painless to shoot some cable to see which one is best?

The TV is nine viewing feet away.  Figuring for bends and turns I need about 15? or so.
Off to the store.
 





Do not spend $100 on a cable, buy more mags.
Link Posted: 1/15/2011 11:25:57 AM EDT
[#16]
0000 and 11111's= cheapest




you should pay between $2-5

some audiophile tested them all for a TV show and found they are all the same with digital
you can find the video on youtube


yes maybe for real long runs you could get a $20 cable

but for 99% of uses the cheap ones will work perfect
Link Posted: 1/15/2011 11:27:08 AM EDT
[#17]
Quoted:
Quoted:
The cheapest one you can find. It is a digital signal, so either it works, or it doesn't.


Sort of.....


Monoprice.com or Bluejancable.com.  Blue Jeans can make some nice cables for you.


This.
Link Posted: 1/15/2011 1:38:47 PM EDT
[#18]
Quoted:
Monoprice.com

Fwiw I bought a monster cable one before I knew about that website and cant tell any difference at all.


First post nails it as usual.

Other places to go are Bluejeanscables.com and Parts-Express.com
Link Posted: 1/17/2011 8:05:14 PM EDT
[#19]
Quoted:
The cheapest one you can find. It is a digital signal, so either it works, or it doesn't.


That is true. I've bought expensive ones and cheap $11 ones... Can't tell a difference. And all of them work.
Link Posted: 1/18/2011 9:07:42 AM EDT
[#20]
Everyone here seems to be right and wrong. Longer runs definitely need to be certified to higher stanards if you expect them to pass the higher bandwidth. For what the original poster is using it for, a cheaper cable will do. If he wants to pass anything over 1080p,  (which I know he won't) he may have problems By saying "a $1 cable is as good as a $50 cable" you're wrong, unless you add that you have to limiit its use. On top of this, now you have to add 3D, ethernet over HDMI and ARC, requiring more bandwidth. All this being said, I also believe that generally speaking, Monster Cables are overpriced.
Link Posted: 1/18/2011 11:15:27 PM EDT
[#21]
if it's not solid Gold/titanium/silver lined/plated oxygen  permeated PVC
woven with the finest martian ballsack wool; then it will overheat and burn down your house
Link Posted: 1/19/2011 8:15:36 AM EDT
[#22]
Harbor Freight.  When I bought my 6' cables they were on sale for like $6.  I think they are $9 normally.  I haven't had a single issue with them.
Link Posted: 1/22/2011 2:45:26 PM EDT
[#23]



Quoted:



Quoted:

buy a cheap one.  Digital signals are all or none. if it works its GTG. There is no half way with hdmi.




One again, it is more complicated than that.  You can experience drop out that causes "sparkles" as well as a few other errors that can result from certain pieces of info not making it through.  It's not just one signal going through one run of wire that we are talking about.  For most cases this is a non issue, but for the sake of correct info I am pointing this out.  This is especially important for long runs of HDMI that go into walls.  Unless you ran conduit to pull the cable latr on, you can really screw up by using a cheap, cheap cable.


This has been talked about here half a dozen times and they never learn. Besides, you want to waste all the time and money marketing companies have put into training people that "digital" is automatically superiority-infallible?



As example, I have sex in digital... it is ALWAYS the best, even if I have a bad cable or she has interference.



 
Link Posted: 2/1/2011 7:41:42 PM EDT
[#24]
Pretty much all the same unless you are running a long distance.  http://reviews.cnet.com/hdmi-guide/
Close Join Our Mail List to Stay Up To Date! Win a FREE Membership!

Sign up for the ARFCOM weekly newsletter and be entered to win a free ARFCOM membership. One new winner* is announced every week!

You will receive an email every Friday morning featuring the latest chatter from the hottest topics, breaking news surrounding legislation, as well as exclusive deals only available to ARFCOM email subscribers.


By signing up you agree to our User Agreement. *Must have a registered ARFCOM account to win.
Top Top