cheaper hdmi cables in calgary?

[Russic]

Hi folks,

I've seen hdmi cables being sold at amazon for quite cheap (around 20$), but any stores around here seem to be 70$ +. Does anybody know of any stores in calgary that sell hdmi cables at lower prices?

Thanks guys!

[Burninator]

Check at memory express.

Otherwise if you can wait a couple of days order from monoprice.com. There is no place cheaper for cables.

http://www.monoprice.com/products/subdepartment.asp?c_id=102&cp_id=10240

[itcrossedtheline]

ACC Cables in the Northeast

http://www.cablesbyacc.com/products/default.cfm

HDMI cables i bought a couple of months ago were pretty cheap

[underGRADFlame]

ACC Cables in the Northeast

http://www.cablesbyacc.com/products/default.cfm

HDMI cables i bought a couple of months ago were pretty cheap

I concur, the cables are good quality and are quite the deal. My company gets all our cables from them.

[photon]

Superstore had some on sale for boxing day I think.

Otherwise, order from Monoprice, I've got a ton of cables from them, great stuff.

[return to the red]

I've seen some monster stuff at Princess Auto actually

[worth]

monoprice if you can wait.

[ken0042]

Superstore had some decent looking ones. $10. Doesn't get much cheaper than that.

[Rathji]

I was impatient with my HDMI cables. Memory Express has 3m Microyal cables for 35 bucks each

[FlamesKickAss]

we bought one in a pack at future shop, it was 119 and it had a power bar too. But then we got home and the shaw hd box doesnt have hdmi, its not the pvr one.

[GoinAllTheWay]

we bought one in a pack at future shop, it was 119 and it had a power bar too. But then we got home and the shaw hd box doesnt have hdmi, its not the pvr one.

Woh, what? To get HDMI outputs, you need to buy the HD box with a PVR?!?!

**edit**
Wow, apparently you do. Man, those things are just far to expensive.

[photon]

we bought one in a pack at future shop, it was 119 and it had a power bar too.

Wow, I can't believe how much they charge for that stuff.. I need to make out some cards with monoprice.com printed on them and just wander around FutureShop passing them out.

[Russic]

Thanks for the advice folks, greatly appreciated!

[Vulcan]

we bought one in a pack at future shop, it was 119 and it had a power bar too. But then we got home and the shaw hd box doesnt have hdmi, its not the pvr one.

The Shaw box should have a DVI outlet so take back the HDMI cable and go to somewhere else like that store in the NE and get a ' DVI to HDMI ' cable. DVI is the same thing as HDMI but without audio, so you'll also have to connect the red+white audio composite cables.
You can also use component cables in the meantime.

[Pagal4321]

Does it matter which of these HDMI cables I get from MonoPrice?

[photon]

Not really, they'll all work for shorter length runs (6 feet or whatever). If you are going for a long run like I did (35 feet) then a thicker wire should work better (lower #, 22AWG is thicker than 28AWG).

http://www.monoprice.com/products/subdepartment.asp?c_id=102&cp_id=10243

Get the HDMI 1.3a ones.

[Pagal4321]

And I'm going to use this to hook up my PS3 to my TV, so I assume I'm looking for male to male cords?

[photon]

Yup

[CRXguy]

My wife picked up 3 for me at Superstore on her way home from work. The PS3 HDMI cables were $6.99, I believe and they were 1.2. They had another brand for $10, but I forgot what version it is.

[Russic]

monoprice it is! I managed to get 3 hdmi cables for 20$ with shipping. I'm very pleased. My tv doesn't come in until the 10th, so I have a couple weeks.

Thanks again for everybody's help.

[photon]

Another convert. :)

[alltherage]

Best Buy now has Dynex brand for ~$39.99

[Russic]

Another convert. :)

lol, i've already told 3 friends about monoprice since yesterday . . .they're all incredibly interested. One guy actually has neglected moving his home theater around because he didn't want to have to buy longer cables so he's quite excited.

[Bobblehead]

Gizmodo did an interesting test of HDMI cables.
http://gizmodo.com/gadgets/hdmi-cable-battlemodo/the-truth-about-monster-cable-part-2-268788.php

[Russic]

thanks bobblehead, that was a good read. Interesting to see actual numbers related to quality with the cables. It would appear as though my 5$ cable will display 1080p just as a 100$ monster would. Looks like problems appear once we hit 1440p . . . I'm all for future proofing but frankly I think the 95$ difference is absolutely crazy. I might have to join Photon's "handing monoprice.com cards out at futureshop" movement.

[Rhettzky]

I know this thread is old, but I just wanted to echo what an awesome deal monoprice is for HDMI cables and the remote controlled switch boxes. I was looking at future shop and the 3x1 switch would have cost me $85... through monoprice I got a 4x1 switch and three HDMI cables for the same price with shipping. Completely insane, thanks for saving me a few hundred bucks!!

[Flames89]

Best Buy now has Dynex brand for ~$39.99

The only problem with cheap HDMI is that the connectors are not as well made. I had a Dynex, and the HDMI didn't snugly fit with my receiver, so had to get the $70 version.

Waste of cash, but worth it so I don't have to get up every 5 minutes and readjust the cable.


And for those who question PVRs ... they change your life ...

[Thor]

Wow, I can't believe how much they charge for that stuff.. I need to make out some cards with monoprice.com printed on them and just wander around FutureShop passing them out.

No kidding, so glad you guys told me about them :D

[Old Yeller]

Gizmodo did an interesting test of HDMI cables.
http://gizmodo.com/gadgets/hdmi-cable-battlemodo/the-truth-about-monster-cable-part-2-268788.php


In a similar vein:

http://gizmodo.com/363154/audiophile-deathmatch-monster-cables-vs-a-coat-hanger

I'm going to pin this article up outside of Futureshop.

[Bobblehead]

Not sure if this should get a new thread, but it is related to Monster Cable and a little dust-up with Blue Jeans Cable.

http://www.audioholics.com/news/industry-news/blue-jeans-strikes-back

A quick summary - Monster Cable is not only known for their outrageously priced cable (good cable, I'll grant, but overpriced by about 3 or 4 times what they should be priced) but they are also famous for being extremely litigious. They are more than willing to sue any company that tries to use the word "Monster" in any way.

Monster cable sent a patent complaint to Blue Jeans Cable about a type of connector being used. Interestingly, the head of Blue Jeans Cable was, in his previous job, a litigation lawyer. In his own words: In plaintiffs' practice, likewise, I was always a strong advocate of standing upon principle and taking cases all the way to judgment, even when substantial offers of settlement were on the table. I am "uncompromising" in the most literal sense of the word. If Monster Cable proceeds with litigation against me I will pursue the same merits-driven approach; I do not compromise with bullies and I would rather spend fifty thousand dollars on defense than give you a dollar of unmerited settlement funds.

This could get interesting.

[PowerPlayoffs06]

I just picked up a Shaw HDPVR on Wednesday and the guy tried to sell me some Monster HDMI cables. I'd heard from CP about what a rip off Monster princing is so I passed.

Are HDMI cables really necessary? What kind of difference do they make over component cables?

[Russic]

I just picked up a Shaw HDPVR on Wednesday and the guy tried to sell me some Monster HDMI cables. I'd heard from CP about what a rip off Monster princing is so I passed.

Are HDMI cables really necessary? What kind of difference do they make over component cables?


Good for you for passing on the cables. My advice would be to spend 5-10$ over at monoprice and pick up an hdmi cable and see the difference for yourself. You may find the quality difference large enough that it matters to you, or you may not. A write-up I found when googling:

So, which is better, DVI or component? HDMI or component? The answer--unsatisfying, perhaps, but true--is that it depends. It depends upon your source and display devices, and there's no good way, in principle, to say in advance whether the digital or the analog connection will render a better picture. You may even find, say, that your DVD player looks better through its DVI or HDMI output, while your satellite or cable box looks better through its component output, on the same display. In this case, there's no real substitute for simply plugging it in and giving it a try both ways.

[Draug]

The 3ft HDMI cable is the deal of the day at Monoprice today.

HDMI 1.3a Cable 28AWG - 3ft w/Ferrite Cores (Gold Plated Connectors), BLACK - $2.43 USD

http://www.monoprice.com/products/product.asp?c_id=102&cp_id=10240&cs_id=1024007&p_id=3871&seq=1&format=2

[PowerPlayoffs06]

Good for you for passing on the cables. My advice would be to spend 5-10$ over at monoprice and pick up an hdmi cable and see the difference for yourself. You may find the quality difference large enough that it matters to you, or you may not. A write-up I found when googling:

5-10$? That cheap, eh? Wow, the Monsters were a rip off. Thanks for the reply, I'll do some testing. =)

[Russic]

5-10$? That cheap, eh? Wow, the Monsters were a rip off. Thanks for the reply, I'll do some testing. =)

That's including shipment from California ;). In my experience it takes roughly 5-10 business days to arrive. This is the one I bought for 4$ http://www.monoprice.com/products/product.asp?c_id=102&cp_id=10240&cs_id=1024008&p_id=3992&seq=1&format=2

Spread the gospel, monster cable must be destroyed!

[LChoy]

1 more recommendation for mono cable. HDMI cable for $6 (plus $5 shipping + 2 week wait) vs $65 for Xbox HDMI cable

[Teh_Bandwagoner]

thanks bobblehead, that was a good read. Interesting to see actual numbers related to quality with the cables. It would appear as though my 5$ cable will display 1080p just as a 100$ monster would. Looks like problems appear once we hit 1440p . . . I'm all for future proofing but frankly I think the 95$ difference is absolutely crazy. I might have to join Photon's "handing monoprice.com cards out at futureshop" movement.


And really..how big of a TV to you need before you notice the difference between 1080p and 1440p? What like 70"?

P.S. I only ever buy cables from monoprice. They rock!

[photon]

By the time 1440p+ or higher becomes standard, you'll be able to buy cheap cables for it from monoprice anyway.

[ken0042]

^^ That is correct. However all the cool kids are mounting their TVs on the wall, so it might be handy to not have to worry about running the cable through again.

[Maritime Q-Scout]

I don't buy all my cables from Monoprice, but most. If I can find something relatively the same price locally, I'll get it and not suffer the waiting period for shipment. I find it takes me 2-3 weeks before I get my order. In fairness I don't live in Calgary but in Sydney NS so there's a delay factor there as well.

Actually the last HDMI cable I got was a 6 foot Belkin being cleared out at the Source by CC for $29.99. Couldn't really go wrong, however the Monoprice one appears to be a better cable (much thicker and sturdier anyway).

[@theCBE]

If my laptop has a DVI out.. and I use a DVI to HDMI converter to plug it into my tv how do I get audio. My hdmi doesn't have any audio inputs associated with it... only my DVI slot does.

edit.. monoprice rules. I orderd tons of cables from there for super cheap... they were too short but thats my fault. Takes a little while to ship but for $ you save its well worth it.

[ken0042]

If my laptop has a DVI out.. and I use a DVI to HDMI converter to plug it into my tv how do I get audio. My hdmi doesn't have any audio inputs associated with it... only my DVI slot does.

Most TVs I've seen (including mine) there is an HDMI input with a pair of analog audio in jacks. That is the usual way around your problem- not sure if they make a combiner cable; as the issue would be converting analog audio into digital; and it would take some sort of processer to accomplish that; like the type in a modern TV.

[Old Yeller]

If my laptop has a DVI out.. and I use a DVI to HDMI converter to plug it into my tv how do I get audio. My hdmi doesn't have any audio inputs associated with it... only my DVI slot does.


Do you have a receiver you can run it to? If not you should have some inputs on your TV that are for a generic L/R audio RCA jacks.

Should be able to just get a mini plug to RCA left/right audio and run that to the TV. That's how I've got mine setup.

[@theCBE]

Do you have a receiver you can run it to? If not you should have some inputs on your TV that are for a generic L/R audio RCA jacks.

Should be able to just get a mini plug to RCA left/right audio and run that to the TV. That's how I've got mine setup.

No receiver. I'll have to check out about the generic audio jacks. Its actually a TV I ordered from Dell (days of Dell sale) for my parents in Calgary, so I am only working on pictures that I downloaded online, judging from the pics it doesn't seem like it. Doesn't look like there are any analog audio inputs with the hdmi either. I guess its not a surprise as its not exactly a high end tv.
Asking my dad if it has any generic audio inputs would have the same result as asking him to explain to me how the hadron collider works. Absolutely useless with technology.

thanks for the advice though

[HotHotHeat]

Does anyone know what kind of cables Bell uses to run from the dish to the boxes? is it cat6?

[Vulcan]

Does anyone know what kind of cables Bell uses to run from the dish to the boxes? is it cat6?

It's RG6 co-ax cable.

[HotHotHeat]

It's RG6 co-ax cable.

Thanks. Any idea where I can buy it? Rona?

[Old Yeller]

No receiver. I'll have to check out about the generic audio jacks. Its actually a TV I ordered from Dell (days of Dell sale) for my parents in Calgary, so I am only working on pictures that I downloaded online, judging from the pics it doesn't seem like it. Doesn't look like there are any analog audio inputs with the hdmi either. I guess its not a surprise as its not exactly a high end tv.
Asking my dad if it has any generic audio inputs would have the same result as asking him to explain to me how the hadron collider works. Absolutely useless with technology.

thanks for the advice though

My 6 year old Trinitron TV has RCA input jacks for audio... I mean most TV's should come with them just for hooking in a old school VCR. Before I got my big screen I had my computer audio hooked in through where a VCR would be plugged in.

Who knows, maybe Dell TV's are horribly basic but I'm betting there's at least one set.

[Vulcan]

Thanks. Any idea where I can buy it? Rona?

Probably, even Walllmart carries it. Look for the more expensive kind with compressed fittings so you aren't up on the roof changing connections in the winter.

[@theCBE]

My 6 year old Trinitron TV has RCA input jacks for audio... I mean most TV's should come with them just for hooking in a old school VCR. Before I got my big screen I had my computer audio hooked in through where a VCR would be plugged in.

Who knows, maybe Dell TV's are horribly basic but I'm betting there's at least one set.

It has them .. but they are coupled with other video inputs (DVI or s-video) it just doesn't have them near the hdmi input. Does it not make any difference?

[ken0042]

Thanks. Any idea where I can buy it? Rona?

As mentioned, anywhere will sell it. Just make sure you get RG6 and not RG59. If anybody tries to tell you it's the same- it isn't. Satellite requires the higher grade cable because there is also power running along the same cable.

[Old Yeller]

It has them .. but they are coupled with other video inputs (DVI or s-video) it just doesn't have them near the hdmi input. Does it not make any difference?

Ahh right that's what I was forgetting. I ran an s-video to RCA video out on my computer to the TV... that's another way for him to hook the computer to the TV fyi, but yeah you probably need specific sounds jacks coupled with the HDMI hookup.

But it does seem really weird that if there's an HDMI input, there aren't associated sound jacks.

[@theCBE]

Ahh right that's what I was forgetting. I ran an s-video to RCA video out on my computer to the TV... that's another way for him to hook the computer to the TV fyi, but yeah you probably need specific sounds jacks coupled with the HDMI hookup.

But it does seem really weird that if there's an HDMI input, there aren't associated sound jacks.

I've been doing some digging and apparently the audio jacks for the DVI double as the audio jacks for the HDMI... well according to CNET.com.

[Hack&Lube]

Holy Thread Resurrection Batman!

I'm about to order a bunch of cables from monoprice, just wondering if anybody has come across any in town that I can pick up locally and therefore get soon that is even close to monoprice's prices ($3-$10 USD) for either a DVI-HDMI adapter or a DVI-HDMI cable.

[Flaming Choy]

Holy Thread Resurrection Batman!

I'm about to order a bunch of cables from monoprice, just wondering if anybody has come across any in town that I can pick up locally and therefore get soon that is even close to monoprice's prices ($3-$10 USD) for either a DVI-HDMI adapter or a DVI-HDMI cable.

I think monoprice is still the way to go. I just picked up a dvi cable for me mac, took about a week to get delivered, and works great. I also have a dvi-HDMI cable from them that I have no problems with.

[RW99]

I've been waiting just over a week for my monoprice order, I'll let you know how it goes (Toslink switch, 2 optical and 2 coaxial cables ordered).

[Shazam]

Zellers and RCSS have cheap HDMI cables. $10-$12 for six feet @ Zellers and RCSS. $22 for 12 feet @ Zellers. The Zellers ones are 1.3 certified.

[ken0042]

Holy Thread Resurrection Batman!

I'm about to order a bunch of cables from monoprice, just wondering if anybody has come across any in town that I can pick up locally and therefore get soon that is even close to monoprice's prices ($3-$10 USD) for either a DVI-HDMI adapter or a DVI-HDMI cable.

I may have one at home. I'll check- and send you info via PM.

[Bobblehead]

I've been reading that Monoprice has had some service issues lately, things like delivering the wrong cables. but for the price they are still the go-to people.

If you need something quickly, have you checked to see what Alberta Cable has available?

[I_H8_Crawford]

I ordered 3 HDMI Cables from monoprice Dec 23 and got them 1st week of Jan no problem. Love that company!

[Russic]

Zellers and RCSS have cheap HDMI cables. $10-$12 for six feet @ Zellers and RCSS. $22 for 12 feet @ Zellers. The Zellers ones are 1.3 certified.

That's not a bad deal ... doesn't beat monoprice but if you're in a hurry that's a pretty sweet alternative.

[RW99]

Zellers and RCSS have cheap HDMI cables. $10-$12 for six feet @ Zellers and RCSS. $22 for 12 feet @ Zellers. The Zellers ones are 1.3 certified.

Not bad, I can't get six feet for less than $50 where I live, The Source and an independent shop.

[blankall]

MONOPRICE.COM

edit: already well covered. Will read thread mroe thoroughly next time.

[Hemi-Cuda]

i'm disappointed in the HDMI cable i got from monoprice. i used it to hook up my PS3, and while the blue ray movies looked amazing on bright sections, when the lighting is a lot darker in a movie there is a lot of film grain and it flashes quickly, very distracting to watch. when i swapped it out with the more expensive cable i got at futureshop for my HD-PVR, the graininess disappeared. thinking it may just be worth it to buy the more expensive cable for the quality factor

[3 Justin 3]

i'm disappointed in the HDMI cable i got from monoprice. i used it to hook up my PS3, and while the blue ray movies looked amazing on bright sections, when the lighting is a lot darker in a movie there is a lot of film grain and it flashes quickly, very distracting to watch. when i swapped it out with the more expensive cable i got at futureshop for my HD-PVR, the graininess disappeared. thinking it may just be worth it to buy the more expensive cable for the quality factor

I am not crazily tech savvy but for the most part a $5 monoprice HDMI cable will be EXACTLY the same as a ######edly overpriced $150 Monster HDMI cable.

More expensive the cable doesn't mean better quality, it just means the price has been jacked up more, probably because of the brand name, ie. Monster. And if the cable is meshed, well add $30 right there because that looks "good"

Why the picture changed when you switched cables I don't know, but buying expensive cables is NOT the answer.

My $6 1.3a monoprice cable is just as good as a $120 Monster cable.

I don't know your cables, but the monoprice may be an old 1.2 HDMI, and the expensive one you have may be 1.3, or 1.3 Cat.2, or w/e, shouldn't make a difference still. But I don't know.

[Hemi-Cuda]

I am not crazily tech savvy but for the most part a $5 monoprice HDMI cable will be EXACTLY the same as a ######edly overpriced $150 Monster HDMI cable.

More expensive the cable doesn't mean better quality, it just means the price has been jacked up more, probably because of the brand name, ie. Monster. And if the cable is meshed, well add $30 right there because that looks "good"

Why the picture changed when you switched cables I don't know, but buying expensive cables is NOT the answer.

My $6 1.3a monoprice cable is just as good as a $120 Monster cable.

I don't know your cables, but the monoprice may be an old 1.2 HDMI, and the expensive one you have may be 1.3, or 1.3 Cat.2, or w/e, shouldn't make a difference still. But I don't know.

well i bought 3 HDMI cables from monoprice awhile back because they were so cheap, and i tried all 3 with the same result. plug the more expensive Rocketfish cable back in though and the problems go away. there must be some difference in the cables to account for the quality change

[dobbles]

i am not an expert myself, but there have been many more educated people than i that have explained why there is no difference in the cables. i believe it has something to do with the fact that the signal is digital the whole time, so its basically impossible for the cable to loss quality unless there is some problems with the connectors.

[corporatejay]

Gizmodo did some tests on this very subject which are contained in this thread here.

http://www.redflagdeals.com/forums/showthread.php?t=472597


it's worth a read....don't waste money on those overpriced cables...monster is way way overpriced and monoprice is cheap and quick. I got my stuff in a week.

[I_H8_Crawford]

i am not an expert myself, but there have been many more educated people than i that have explained why there is no difference in the cables. i believe it has something to do with the fact that the signal is digital the whole time, so its basically impossible for the cable to loss quality unless there is some problems with the connectors.
Yep any problems are at the connection points themselves.

Monster cables do not send better quality '0's and '1's to your TV/receiver/whatever.

Monster is the biggest scam out there; IMO even bigger scam than extended warranties.

[Old Yeller]

Yup, it's gotta be your connections or something Hemi-Cuda... although all the cables I've bought from monoprice have really good connectors on them.

But the actual HDMI cable isn't going to affect the flow of 1's and 0's. Essentially it'll either work or it won't.

That's why it's quite weird you're getting symptoms with some cables and not with others.

[Hack&Lube]

Yep, it's digital. The quality of cable should not be able to add artifacts to the signal unless the connection is physically loose or shorting out.

[corporatejay]

Read that gizmodo article, while I agree that monster is pure bullshart, the idea that they are just 1s and 0s seems to be slightly incorrect.

for the record i buy all my cables from monoprice.

[Rathji]

well i bought 3 HDMI cables from monoprice awhile back because they were so cheap, and i tried all 3 with the same result. plug the more expensive Rocketfish cable back in though and the problems go away. there must be some difference in the cables to account for the quality change

When I switched from DVI/HDMI with star choice to straight HDMI with my shaw PVR I did notice a longer delay (1-2 seconds) on the picture showing up when I turn my TV on. It was at that time I switched to the 2 buck cables from Monoprice ( Like you, I bought 4 of them since they were so cheap).

Is this the issue you are having? I always assumed it was a difference in the DVI and HDMI standard that caused the delay.

[3 Justin 3]

Like I said Hemi-Cude, maybe the Rocketfish is 1.3 and Monoprice cables are 1.2. I don't see this changing anything, but maybe? If you have anything else that accepts HDMI, besides what ever your currently using, try using the different cables, if you haven't already. Totally clueless as to why your having problems other than what I mentioned, which probably isn't even right anyway.

[Hemi-Cuda]

When I switched from DVI/HDMI with star choice to straight HDMI with my shaw PVR I did notice a longer delay (1-2 seconds) on the picture showing up when I turn my TV on. It was at that time I switched to the 2 buck cables from Monoprice ( Like you, I bought 4 of them since they were so cheap).

Is this the issue you are having? I always assumed it was a difference in the DVI and HDMI standard that caused the delay.

nope, i don't notice any delay. like i said in my first post, during bright parts of a movie or HDTV show the picture from the monoprice cable looks great, even a bit better than the Rocketfish one. but when the screen is forced to show dark colors (sports host in a dark suit, etc) a very noticeable film grain is present and it has a strobe light effect, flashing quickly. very annoying to watch, and it doesn't happen with the rocketfish cable. this occurs regardless of whether it's my PS3 or HD-PVR hooked up

[Shazam]

Walmart now has 12 feet HDMI cables for $10.

[Jedi Ninja]

I have to say, I've had some real dog products from Monoprice now, and am rethinking my attitude towards them. Their toolless CAT6 keystones all ended in the garbage, as did their RG6U-quad compression fittings, which did not fit RG6U-quad cable. I've also tossed out one component video cable so far.

You can start to see this stuff show up in the product ratings now (there were no ratings at the time I bought)

http://www.monoprice.com/products/product.asp?c_id=105&cp_id=10513&cs_id=1051303&p_id=1040&seq=1&format=2

http://www.monoprice.com/products/product.asp?c_id=104&cp_id=10424&cs_id=1042403&p_id=2978&seq=1&format=2

[Shazam]

How the hell do they screw up keystones? That's amazing.

[sclitheroe]

Read that gizmodo article, while I agree that monster is pure bullshart, the idea that they are just 1s and 0s seems to be slightly incorrect.

for the record i buy all my cables from monoprice.

There is no error correction in the HDMI spec, which means that in theory, if a cable were of sufficient length, or sufficiently poor quality, you can end up with (simplified explanation) issues where the voltage doesn't rise and fall to the values required to register as accurate data bits, doesn't rise and fall quickly enough, or the edges between the transitions get rounded off. You also get signal reflections (like echos) going back down the cable too, which can interfere. HDMI cables are twisted pair, which is supposed to control reflections and such, but the quality of twisted pair can vary quite a bit.

It works 99% of the time though, because it's a lot easier to distinguish between two states (digital) than accurately transmit and measure something that is infinitely variable (analog).

I'll wait now for an EE to chime in and correct my high-school level understanding of this stuff, but the short story is that it is possible that a cable could be sufficiently bad that the HDMI signal is barely in spec.

I am NOT however, advocating spending Monster Cable levels of cash on your HDMI cables though.

[luloo]

I guess I am a little late sometimes monoprice is good for stuff and sometimes dealextreme.com is better. DX has free shipping worldwide which is awesome!

[FurnaceFace]

I ordered a 6ft 1.3 HDMI off some company from Vancouver on ebay. $10 shipped. It's an HDMI cable, and it works.