Does HDMI, S-VIDEO, DVI,COMPONENT brand name cables make any difference? will they all give the same quality?

Question

Or do you see a difference if you buy a brand name cable such as Monster THX, or just a regular brand like acustic research?

Answer 1

For S-video and Component video where you are transmitting analog signals, transmission properties of the cables (resistance, capacitance, inductance) can affect the signal. Some are actually better than others. Whether you need the top of the line from Monster or their bottom of the line, they is another matter. But I have gotten improved quality versus the cheap / free cables that come with the equipment.

For HDMI and DVI digital signals, the brand of cable doesn't really matter. If a sales person tells you that Monster or any other brand enhances the quality of the picture on a digital cable, they are selling you a bunch of manure. There is no way to enhance a one or a zero. It is either one or zero. It is possible that one cable may be more or less susceptible to electrical or magnetic noise which would corrupt the bits. But in my experience to date, it hasn't mattered. A $12 - $20 DVI to HDMI cable works just fine with no picture degradation.

Answer 2

There are 2 types of connections - analog and digital.

Analog cables include s-video, component, RCA, composite, speaker wire, etc.

Digital cables include HDMI, DVI, optical.

On digital cables, you are essentially transmitting 1s and 0s (digital information) and getting an expensive, fat beefy cable isn't necessarily any better than a cheaper, thinner cable *as long as you are not running super long cable lengths*.

On analog cables, sometimes it is helpful to have better quality shielded cables to prevent interference and degradation in signal strength. Thicker, higher quality cables are also necessary when you're running long distances or if you have a bunch of cables all snaked together.

That said, I NEVER buy expensive cables such as Monster, etc. I typically stick w/ decent but cheap cables such as the mentioned Acoustic Research and stuff from Radioshack. Just pick something that isn't too wimpy looking and you will be fine.

It has been demonstrated time and time again that people cannot tell the difference between a cheap, *decent* quality cable vs. a super expensive high end cable when compared on a true doubleblind test.

Additionally, some people have disassembled the super expensive cables (those costing some ridiculous amount like $2000 for a meter of component cables) and have found that they are not made any better than the cheap stuff. It's basically all snake oil.

I'm sure there will be others who will completely disagree with me and that's fine. What I can guarantee is if you have a choice between spending $500 in cables paired to a $500 receiver vs. spending $100 in cables paired to a $900 receiver, the system with the more expensive receiver will always provide a much greater improvement in sound, picture quality, etc. than spending an extra $400 in cables paired to a cheap component.

My recommendation is to buy cheap but decent quality cables. Stay away from the super cheap and thin stuff and you'll be OK.

Answer 3

certain- there's a distinction. A $10 HDMI cable is offered affordably with the aid of the indisputable fact that's made affordably. It doesn't go by skill of an same assessments, inspections or high quality administration as a extra acceptable made cable. subsequently you may want to finally end up with a cable that has copper contacts truly of gold, plastic snaps truly of metallic clasps or something that in simple terms breaks in 0.5 or stops operating altogether after a year or 2. So in case you could arise with the money for the better high quality cable, there is easily no reason you ought to skimp on it. surely, people spend thousands of greenbacks on extreme-end equipment and for some reason omit out on the little information like a strong high quality HDMI cable, element cable, speaker twine, surge protector, etc. and do not even comprehend the favourite degrades by skill of the use and they get used to it. also, each and each and every time you spot a $100 HDMI cable in a save, you're positive to discover it on line for fifty% of extra off, besides. So if so, would you truly purchase a cheap $10 cable, or a $100 cable on sale for $40?

Answer 4

The brand name cable is usually better, but often you dont need the improvement.
Best thing is to see if the cheap one will do.

Note that own made cables beat any pre made.