HDMI cable scam.

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kylebisme

Diamond Member
Mar 25, 2000
9,396
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The one thing to watch out for particularly on cheap cables is poor construction quality. Even cheapest cables will generally work just as good as the most expensive cables on day one. However, I've seen more than a few cheep cables stop working right after being tugged around a bit. The fancy stuff like Monster usually has excellent construction quality, but cables like the ones Monoprice generally sells endure more abuse than pretty much anyone would ever put a cable though anyway, and at a fraction of what the fancy stuff costs.
 

nitromullet

Diamond Member
Jan 7, 2004
9,031
36
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Originally posted by: edplayer
Originally posted by: MTDEW
Worst part is, even if you KNOW there is no difference, getting the cheaper cables just isnt as convienient as it should be.


I think its just right. I would not want stores to be forced to carry government selected items at predetermined prices.

I don't think anyone is proposing government intervention... The point is that if you are smart and prepared, you can save a lot and not any sacrifice quality by buying cheap cables online.

I also don't think it's completely fair to compare online prices to any brick and mortar prices, since part of what you pay for is convenience with a brick and mortar. The ability to provide you with cables on the spot in a showroom costs money that online retailers don't have to spend.

IMO there is nothing wrong with BB selling you a cheap Dynex branded HDMI cable for $30-40 when you can get the same cheap cable online for $12. The problem is that their sales staff is telling people that the $150 Monster Cable is better, when it's simply not true.
 

Leyawiin

Diamond Member
Nov 11, 2008
3,204
52
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Monster is a complete rip off. Heck, almost any cables you can buy at places like Circuit City or Best Buy are rip offs. The $20 Philips cable I bought from Amazon.com is every bit as good as the $90 - $100 Monster cables at the Best Buy in my town - and people fall for the scam.

I actually had a salesman at Office Depot tell me (and I already knew) to buy mine online if I could wait a couple days vs. buying at a brick and mortar store. I had just bought a monitor there with an HDMI port (but no cable included). Since Office Depot didn't sell them he had no vested interest.
 

ultimahwhat

Member
Aug 13, 2008
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Originally posted by: hclarkjr
i just bought a HDTV at best buy few weeks ago, they also tried to get me to buy one of these cables too. another lie best buy likes to push out is that all the TV's are playing in HD mode even though they are all hooked up via a regular cable TV connection. i pointed that out and asked how it is in HD if it is not hooked up via a HDMI cable and was told that the signal was still HD.

I can get 720p and 1080i signals with an antenna through a coaxial cable...unless you consider anything below 1080p not HD. I remember reading an article somewhere that explained the capabilities/limitations of the different types of cable hookups...
 

Cookie Monster

Diamond Member
May 7, 2005
5,161
32
86
I remember reading about a store selling this Ethernet cable for $500, 5ft length. Its as worse as people who go buy monster cables. Even the professors at my university makes fun of such existence of cables, and people who believe such products do work.
 

Keysplayr

Elite Member
Jan 16, 2003
21,209
50
91
Originally posted by: Cookie Monster
Ah thats the one. This is the best part:

bring out all the nuances in digital audio

Somthing about this just.. :laugh:

LOL! Nuances eh? Let me see what kind of nuances can be had from digital audio:


100101011010010101101011110000101010110010010110010101001010010
100100100101101011001001010110010100101101010010100101010100101

Not much. It either does, or doesn't. Is or isn't. hehe.
 

Roland00

Junior Member
Dec 26, 2008
17
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I am currently using monster for all my analog video sources.
I am currently using belking for my dvi video sources.

The reason why I work at a retail outlet as an employee thus with my limited store discount per year I can get products at cost+10%. Cables and accessories is pretty much the only thing my discount is good for ;)

Now while their is no difference between the lower quality digital cables vs the high quality in signal, there is a difference between the high end and the low end in construction quality. The monsters are a better design cable and is tighter round than a cheap brand. It is not worth the money though.

All you need is an OEM cable, for example my work sells the Shaxon hdmi 6" cable for less than 10 bucks. But they sell it in the component department and not the tv or computer department.
 

WraithETC

Golden Member
May 15, 2005
1,464
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My drug store sells hdmi cables for $10.00 regularly. I work at a circuit city and even after massive discount I wouldn't buy monster cable. We throw away DVI cables and VGA cables we sell for like $30 luckily I snag some before they hit the trash (brand new btw). Many of the other employees actually believe monster cables are better.


 

cyphilis

Senior member
May 7, 2008
454
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I found this out when Direct TV came and did an install at my house. The installer kept telling me he has hundreds of cables, but I insisted that I use the HDMI cable I bought at the store for $60. Well it wouldn't get a signal, ended up my $60 cable was no longer working after just a few weeks. His cheapo looking HDMI cable worked great, and he left me a couple extra.
 

AlexWade

Member
Sep 27, 2003
89
0
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Monster is so full of crap. I want them to explain to me how you can improve an all-or-nothing signal.
 

AmberClad

Diamond Member
Jul 23, 2005
4,914
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Originally posted by: PC Surgeon
Although thats a better choice than B&M stores, I recommend buying your cables from the one and only cable shop worth mentioning, Monoprice.com
Monoprice has some great deals, even for non-cable items, like cable ties ($1-2 for a bag of 100 ties) and cable sleeving kits.

A couple of other sites I've bought from in the past when I just needed one or two cables are PCMicroStore and Buy.com (for the free shipping).
 

phillyman36

Golden Member
Jun 28, 2004
1,762
160
106
+1000 for Monoprice.com I dont remember who on anandtech pointed me to monoprice but every cable i buy i get from them.
 

TridenT

Lifer
Sep 4, 2006
16,810
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Originally posted by: phillyman36
+1000 for Monoprice.com I dont remember who on anandtech pointed me to monoprice but every cable i buy i get from them.

Yeah, they are super cheap! It's crazy! :D
 

kylebisme

Diamond Member
Mar 25, 2000
9,396
0
0
Originally posted by: cyphilis
Well it wouldn't get a signal, ended up my $60 cable was no longer working after just a few weeks.
Yep, poor construction quality. Like I said above, the pricer stuff is usually well built. However, some charge quite a bit for junk.
 

Wreckage

Banned
Jul 1, 2005
5,529
0
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I bought the second cheapest HDMI cables they had on Amazon. They are actually pretty good quality. The only reason I did not buy the cheapest is, they were sold out.
 

Zap

Elite Member
Oct 13, 1999
22,377
2
81
Originally posted by: MTDEW
You want the $12.00 cable, you have to order online and wait for it to ship/arrive.

Walmart or Big Lots. Heck, how about Radio Shack?

Originally posted by: keysplayr2003
Don't forget, this is a scam that TV makers are a part of. Why not include a DVI cable with a new LCD monitor? Why not include a HDMI cable with a new 2000.00 LCDTV? What's it to them to include an extra 12 dollars to the overall price? Why?

Actually, BFG includes an HDMI cable with some higher end cards (along with a DVI-HDMI adaptor and an SPDIF cable for audio passthrough).
 

mb

Lifer
Jun 27, 2004
10,234
2
71
Originally posted by: keysplayr2003
Don't forget, this is a scam that TV makers are a part of. Why not include a DVI cable with a new LCD monitor? Why not include a HDMI cable with a new 2000.00 LCDTV? What's it to them to include an extra 12 dollars to the overall price? Why?

I'm gonna have to go ahead and disagree with you on this one. The manufacturers don't provide cables because it would be a waste for them to. Not everyone is going to use the same type of cable and especially not the same length. Why should Samsung spend $5 to put a 6' HDMI cable in the box when I need one that is 25' for in wall installation? Or why should Sony give out HDMI cables when many peoples HD boxes still only have component outputs?

Also, a lot of people already have the cables that they need. I have several HDMI cables of various lengths that I ordered from monoprice already. If I bought a new HD TV I certainly wouldn't need a cable to come in the box.
 

cmdrdredd

Lifer
Dec 12, 2001
27,052
357
126
Originally posted by: VirtualLarry
Originally posted by: cmdrdredd
I've never bought a cable from BB or any other B&M store. Anything that says Monster on it doesn't go on my equipment simply based on the fact that you're buying the same piece of copper with a name stamped on the shielding.

It's not just the same piece of copper, it's actually worse!
http://ca.youtube.com/watch?v=...zESWzs&feature=related

In the A/V industry it's well known that copper wire is only manufactured at a few locations. These locations sell the bare spools to Monster Cable, Radioshack, Acoustic Research, Momoprice etc. Then they have the wire cut to length and it's then shielded and ends are soldered/crimped on. So each piece of material comes from the same place regardless of the name stamped on.
 

Nemesis 1

Lifer
Dec 30, 2006
11,366
2
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I won't try to defend Monster cable pricies . But! That test was not Apple to Apple.

First of all I may be mistaken . But I don't recall an audio test performed.

Second The differant length cables is an issue. I would like to see test run Cheap againt quality using the same length as Monster Cable in the test. Not saying to buy Monster . But quality on legth should be considered. $200+ for hook ups lol.
 

rbV5

Lifer
Dec 10, 2000
12,632
0
0
Originally posted by: hclarkjr
i just bought a HDTV at best buy few weeks ago, they also tried to get me to buy one of these cables too. another lie best buy likes to push out is that all the TV's are playing in HD mode even though they are all hooked up via a regular cable TV connection. i pointed that out and asked how it is in HD if it is not hooked up via a HDMI cable and was told that the signal was still HD.

Well.....If the TV has an internal ATSC tuner, the coax (regular cable TV connection) is the defacto connection that carries ATSC HD broadcast video from their antenna.

edit; :| Dammit, am I in the video forum...