OT - HDMI Cables
don (Calgary)
I am on my second hi def LCD panel and have quite an assortment of
component and HDMI cables.
Over the past few months I have had problems with my satellite
receiver. Bell eventually sent me one that comes close to delivering
the kind of picture the TV is capable of reproducing.
I am about to pick up a Blu Ray and over the course of my limited
research I was informed that I should use an HDMI 1.3 cable to receive
the 1080p picture with the deep colour. Samsung also told me my panel
needs the 1.3 cable for it to display its best picture.
I had never heard of the 1.3 designation before. And it goes without
saying I am very reluctant to drop the kind of money they charge for
Monster products on another cable, again. Yes I have one Monster HDMI
cable. It was a weak moment.
Further I don't even see a reference to 1.3 on the Monster cable
packaging.
OK so today I am in an electronic shop and find a Phillips HDMI cable
with the 1.3 designation for less than 1/3 of the price Monster
charges. I decide to throw a little money at yet another cable and all
I can say is WOW!
What a difference. The clarity, definition and colours have pop again.
I think I am ready for Blu Ray, next time I see one for a good price.
I have read on other forums there is not a significant difference
between Monster cables and their less expensive competition. At least
not enough to justify the difference in price. I don't know if the
value is there for Monster products, but I can say this 1.3 Phillips
cable provides a much better picture than my older Monster.
And just in time for me to watch Canada play Switzerland (World Junior
Hockey Tournament) this afternoon. :-)
Robert Bolton
wrote:
A good digital signal is great. My plasma is older generation
1024x768 though, so I need to upgrade one of these days. Those LED
LCDs have a pretty figure, and LCD uses much less electricity than
plasma, but I think plasma is still winning the picture quality
contest. I'll probably go green and get an LCD. Given the way the
Mrs abused Christmas this year (we won't talk about my guitar), the TV
won't be happening soon. Maybe when my mom's house gets sold later
this year.
I purchased a HDMI cable about a year and a half ago that runs from my
computer into my home theater receiver so I can view my computer on my
TV. The cable actually came from a third party that has Belden supply
their cables. It was basically impossible to get a future proofed 1.3
cable in the length I needed without resorting to in-line
amplification, so I just bought a 30 ft cable that was rated 1.3 Cat
II up to 25ft. Therefore, I don't have a 1.3 cable that is guaranteed
to pass Cat II but it just might, depending on equipment and signal
quality. It's a fat cable, being 11mm (7/16inch) diameter.
The original order was from Blue Jeans Cable -
30 feet for $85. The product description says -
"It is certified under HDMI 1.3a (CTS 1.3b and b1) at the longest
distances of any cable we know of -- 45 feet for Category I, 25 feet
for category 2."
My memory is not good, but I think the CTS 1.3b incorporates testing
requirements that help prevent the supplier from making claims that
aren't quite accurate. I think I did decided from my research that
while Monster is a decent cable, it's overpriced.
Crap!!!! I just googled wikipedia and see they now have HDMI 1.4
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HDMI#Version_1.4
It does say though, that CAT 1.4 is intended for use in digital
theaters. I guess we're OK for now.
It never ends,
Robert
don (Calgary)
Ten years ago no one would have understood a word of that. Now there
is only me. ;-)
Andrew
"Robert Bolton" <robertbo...@gci.net> wrote in message
news:uib2k5l1sckfcjr97...@4ax.com...
http://www.dealextreme.com/search.dx/search.hdmi%201.3
--
Andrew
00 Daytona
00 Speed Triple
05 Squiddo
CS
they spend more money on their stuff, you'll be happier.
If you want pretty, expensive cables that come in pretty, expensive
packaging, go Monster.
If you just want your shit to work, get the cheapest cables you can find.
CS
"don (Calgary)" <hd....@telus.net> wrote in message
news:3512k59dem07hqvae...@4ax.com...
Beav
"CS" <dont...@sears.com> wrote in message
news:hOadnYdBf90T7NzW...@linkline.com...
> Monster Cable is all about marketing. They want to convince folks that if
> they spend more money on their stuff, you'll be happier.
>
> If you want pretty, expensive cables that come in pretty, expensive
> packaging, go Monster.
Or Pear.
http://www.noiseaddicts.com/2008/11/most-expensive-speaker-cable-world-audioquest-audiophile/
--
Beav
VN 750
Zed 1000
OMF# 19
armpit
>
>
> And just in time for me to watch Canada play Switzerland (World Junior
> Hockey Tournament) this afternoon. :-)
They'll never get past Gordon Bombay & the Ducks. 8^D
don (Calgary)
wrote:
OK I had to look that reference up. I never saw the movie, but I will
say naming an NHL team The Mighty Ducks was dumb. I thought the next
NHL expansion franchise should have been called the Chiefs just to put
an end to naming pro teams after movie creations.
CS
I wonder if I should use the Pear cables for the Marty Robbins and Frankie
Laine CD's I just got.
CS
"Beav" <beavis....@ntlwoxorld.com> wrote in message
news:QNj0n.2177$yi1...@newsfe22.ams2...
Andrew
don (Calgary)
<yogig.nosp...@hotmail.com> wrote:
>
>
>"don (Calgary)" <hd....@telus.net> wrote in message
>news:2qt4k51m5n8347ulq...@4ax.com...
>> On Mon, 4 Jan 2010 09:49:37 -0500, "armpit" <armarm...@yahoo.com>
>> wrote:
>>
>>>
>>>"don (Calgary)" <hd....@telus.net> wrote in message
>>>news:3512k59dem07hqvae...@4ax.com...
>>>> The CRT is dead and we live in a world of flat panels these days.
>>>>
>>><snip>
>>>>
>>>> And just in time for me to watch Canada play Switzerland (World Junior
>>>> Hockey Tournament) this afternoon. :-)
>>>
>>>They'll never get past Gordon Bombay & the Ducks. 8^D
>>>
>> OK I had to look that reference up. I never saw the movie, but I will
>> say naming an NHL team The Mighty Ducks was dumb. I thought the next
>> NHL expansion franchise should have been called the Chiefs just to put
>> an end to naming pro teams after movie creations.
>
>http://spokanechiefs.com/
Major Junior A aren't they? Designated as Pro but a long way from the
NHL. Good hockey though. I played Junior B when I was in my teens.
That was before they had Tier one and Tier two Junior A.
I was thinking more along the lines of these Chiefs:
http://www.slap-shot.com/Hansons45.jpg
Dem's the Hanson Brothers!
And of course this guy
http://www.slap-shot.com/Reg3c.jpg
See he was more than a race driver.
From the movie Slapshot
http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/slap_shot/
Andrew
"don (Calgary)" <hd....@telus.net> wrote in message
news:hn45k55so2q7rc1eo...@4ax.com...
Yeah I knew what you were referring to, the infamous Charlestown Chiefs.
My favorite quote: "Oh this young man has had a very trying rookie season,
with the litigation, the notoriety, his subsequent deportation to Canada and
that country's refusal to accept him, well, I guess that's more than most
21-year-olds can handle... Ogie Ogilthorpe! "
don (Calgary)
<yogig.nosp...@hotmail.com> wrote:
Ya just gotta love the classics.
Polarhound
> "don (Calgary)" <hd....@telus.net> wrote:
>
> :I am on my second hi def LCD panel and have quite an assortment of
> :component and HDMI cables.
>
> Unless your HDMI cable is over 10 feet, the $4 cables work just as
> well as the $150 cables.
And if you only want and need a $4 cable, there is no place better than
Monoprice.com to buy it from.
I think I paid $8 total, including shipping, for the two HDMI cables for
my LCDs.
Beav
>I got a real kick out of the coat hanger vs. Monster Cable test.
>
> I wonder if I should use the Pear cables for the Marty Robbins and Frankie
> Laine CD's I just got.
Without a doubt. 21 thousand dollars for a 3 metre cable is a bargain.
Ben Kaufman
Here is some info on HDMI and the various specs.
http://www.bettercables.com/hdmi-cable-faq.aspx
If you are seeing a significant difference I would guess that your last cable
had problems.
Ben
S'mee
doll...@pobox.com> wrote:
> If you are seeing a significant difference I would guess that your last cable
> had problems.
See now that is something I've never quiet twigged to. HOW could a
cable that suffers no movement or enviromental changes go bad? micro
flaws that pass tech but eventually fail?
Aliens?
Men in black messing with your stuff?
Black holes?
Atomic degradation caused by cosmic rays?
That neighbors cat shitting in the flower beds?
WTF?
don (Calgary)
That's a possibility. It could have been damaged through repeated
connecting/disconnecting, when I hooked up various components.
More likely was it was not the 1.3 standard. It was a very old cable.
S'mee
> "S'mee" <stevenkei...@hotmail.com> wrote in news:940ebd4e-431a-4fd0-8fa7-
> 2bf2fd3d9...@35g2000yqa.googlegroups.com:
>
> > See now that is something I've never quiet twigged to. HOW could a
> > cable that suffers no movement or enviromental changes go bad?
>
> fail because of the acid in soldering flux.
who the fuck...strike that what IDIOT uses acid flux when making
electrical connections??? <BOGGLE> I've know better since I built my
first heathkit (remember them) am radio back in the early mid-70's.
That was when I learned the technical term "Smoke test" from the
engineer at the radio station my dad worked at... "well if it smokes
you did something wrong" 8^)
Ben Kaufman
wrote:
I read ahead before replying so in this case, Don had been manipulating the
cable. But a cable could go bad from shipping damage or oxidation on
connectors. Also, the problem might only manifest itself when approaching the
top end of its rated capacity and go unnoticed in less demanding applications.
Ben
S'mee
> "S'mee" <stevenkei...@hotmail.com> wrote in news:d96204a4-9934-442d-b81e-
> 52376c641...@j24g2000yqa.googlegroups.com:
>
> >> fail because of the acid in soldering flux.
>
> > who the fuck...strike that what IDIOT uses acid flux when making
> > electrical connections??? <BOGGLE>
>
>
> *ALL* flux has some degree of acidic quality to it... If it didn't, it
> wouldn't work. The reason you are using flux is two fold. Primarily to
> clean the contact area ahead of the molten solder. The secondary reason
> for using flux is to help carry the heat ahead of the solder.
>
> Flux used for soldering plumbing has a good deal of acid. Electronics
> soldering flux is typically referred to as "RMA" flux. "RMA" stands for,
> Rosin, Mildly Activated. The "activated" part is the acid. Regardless
> of the quality of flux used in electronics soldering, it is *ALWAYS* a
> good idea to wash the residue away[1] with 99.9% isopropyl alcohol
> (Technical Grade A) because if the acid don't get you, the dirt collected
> by the flux (and the moisture collected by the dirt) will.
>
> [1] Mass produced electronics are *rarely* cleaned after soldering.
I can't honestly recall EVER having it pointed out to me that rosin
core has acid in it (to some degree) hmm... Thanks.
S'mee
> "S'mee" <stevenkei...@hotmail.com> wrote in news:96eab81d-94f9-486b-b32f-
> 436ac4289...@v25g2000yqk.googlegroups.com:
>
> > I can't honestly recall EVER having it pointed out to me that rosin
> > core has acid in it (to some degree) hmm... Thanks.
>
>
> http://www.finishing.com/Library/flux.html
Thanks, I'll print and read that. I prefer such things in a easy to
read format and they aren't that easy to read on any monitor...no
matter the size (well allowing for a wall projector which I don't
have, yet)