Quality of HDMI Cables...

[Shimmishim]

This is something that has been bothering me for a while and thought I might get the communities input.

My cable box has a DVI output and my HD LCD TV has a HDMI input. So I purchased a 10 feet long DVI -> HDMI cable from monoprice a while back.

I find the quality of the picture better using this cable rather than component. I've also noticed when using component that the tv has this tendency to show a very very slight pink banding issue (that's a separate issue all together).

What I've noticed is that every so often (very random) the signal gets lost and then comes back.

Now I'm trying to determine if the problem is the cable (because it's a cheaper one from monoprice) or if it's the cable box... or possibly the tv.

Is there any way to isolate which it might be?

I read someone post about having sync issues using a DVI->HDMI cable.

Thanks

 

[vi edit]

I'm guessing you have a handshake problem on the HDMI connection. It's one of the major complaints about HDMI and the immature status of it's implementation.

 

[DaveSimmons]

My Samsung upconverting DVD player does this with my Samsung DLP all the time, but my PS3 never does. Both use identical Monoprice cables attached directly to the TV.

With the DVD player it's almost always when first siwtching to it as the input, I sometimes have to switch away and back to get a clear picture. I've never had this happen with the PS3.

 

[Shimmishim]

Originally posted by: vi edit
I'm guessing you have a handshake problem on the HDMI connection. It's one of the major complaints about HDMI and the immature status of it's implementation.

Intersting. I've never heard about this problem.

So you guys don't think its an issue of DVI->HDMI?

I will see if I can get a nice good connection and see if that fixes the problem.

 

[Odeen]

Motorola cable boxes traditionally have a poor reputation for HDCP support. I'm willing to bet that the cable box is at fault.

By and large, all HDMI cables < 15 feet, when not operating next to a nuclear reactor or an aluminum smelter work just fine. It's when you get into HEAVY EMI or extended cable lengths that more expensive digital cables show a measurable difference.

 

[erwos]

Originally posted by: Odeen
Motorola cable boxes traditionally have a poor reputation for HDCP support. I'm willing to bet that the cable box is at fault.

By and large, all HDMI cables < 15 feet, when not operating next to a nuclear reactor or an aluminum smelter work just fine. It's when you get into HEAVY EMI or extended cable lengths that more expensive digital cables show a measurable difference.

And, really, if you're running a truly extended cable length, you should be using CAT5e/CAT6 extenders anyways.

 

[sdifox]

Originally posted by: Shimmishim

Originally posted by: vi edit
I'm guessing you have a handshake problem on the HDMI connection. It's one of the major complaints about HDMI and the immature status of it's implementation.

Intersting. I've never heard about this problem.

So you guys don't think its an issue of DVI->HDMI?

I will see if I can get a nice good connection and see if that fixes the problem.

You have been extremely lucky if you never had handshake issues. HDMI=fail. I think you have to turn on display before source.

 

[s44]

HDCP handshaking sucks, particularly on cable boxes. Yet another reason to get a Tivo (seriously!).

 

[Odeen]

Originally posted by: s44
HDCP handshaking sucks, particularly on cable boxes. Yet another reason to get a Tivo (seriously!).

Y'know, I've never had HDMI handshaking issues on my Dish Network satellite boxes.

My setup has a Dish Network VIP622 going to a Samsung HL-T5687S 56" DLP via HDMI. No issues, even though the receiver stays on all the time and I turn the TV on and off as needed.

The ONLY time I have an issue is when I have my bedroom TV turned on (connected to component out on the SAME VIP622), and I turn on the Samsung, the picture on the bedroom TV stutters for a fraction of a second (presumably as the HDCP handshake is made). Then both TV's work normally.

 

[Baked]

I use a DVI > HDMI cable to connect my cable box to HDTV. HD channels are fine, but SD channels are all off center, like way off center. I got the cable from monoprice. No big deal though, I only watch the HD channels.

 

[artist99]

why not buy a premium cable at a nearby retail store and try it out? you can take it back after you determine if that's the problem.

buying cheap junk from garbage holes like monoprice to save a few dollars is like buying used toilet paper. you can get top quality name brand cables for very little if you keep an eye out for them. i've gotten super high quality cables for almost the same price as the garbage cables.

the reality: is your time worth anything? even at minimum wage, the time and effort to isolate a problem caused by putting used oil in a new ferrarri must be entertaining, or why would anyone want go through it?

 

[DaveSimmons]

cheap junk from garbage holes like monoprice

The experience of 99.9% of Monoprice customers disputes your assessment of their products. Next you'll be posting that Newegg shipping is slow.

 

[Rio Rebel]

Originally posted by: artist99
why not buy a premium cable at a nearby retail store and try it out? you can take it back after you determine if that's the problem.

buying cheap junk from garbage holes like monoprice to save a few dollars is like buying used toilet paper. you can get top quality name brand cables for very little if you keep an eye out for them. i've gotten super high quality cables for almost the same price as the garbage cables.

the reality: is your time worth anything? even at minimum wage, the time and effort to isolate a problem caused by putting used oil in a new ferrarri must be entertaining, or why would anyone want go through it?

Clearly, you have absolutely no idea what you're talking about. Buying a "name brand" cable at a local retailer with get you NOTHING over a monoprice cable. NOTHING, NADA.

 

[DaveSimmons]

You mean gold-plated Monster USB cables don't let me print faster and with richer colors?

 

[pennylane]

Originally posted by: artist99
why not buy a premium cable at a nearby retail store and try it out? you can take it back after you determine if that's the problem.

buying cheap junk from garbage holes like monoprice to save a few dollars is like buying used toilet paper. you can get top quality name brand cables for very little if you keep an eye out for them. i've gotten super high quality cables for almost the same price as the garbage cables.

the reality: is your time worth anything? even at minimum wage, the time and effort to isolate a problem caused by putting used oil in a new ferrarri must be entertaining, or why would anyone want go through it?

Have you ever used monoprice cables?

 

[sdifox]

Originally posted by: artist99
why not buy a premium cable at a nearby retail store and try it out? you can take it back after you determine if that's the problem.

buying cheap junk from garbage holes like monoprice to save a few dollars is like buying used toilet paper. you can get top quality name brand cables for very little if you keep an eye out for them. i've gotten super high quality cables for almost the same price as the garbage cables.

the reality: is your time worth anything? even at minimum wage, the time and effort to isolate a problem caused by putting used oil in a new ferrarri must be entertaining, or why would anyone want go through it?

Would you be interested in some prime real estate on the moon?

 

[sdifox]

Originally posted by: Rio Rebel

Originally posted by: artist99
why not buy a premium cable at a nearby retail store and try it out? you can take it back after you determine if that's the problem.

buying cheap junk from garbage holes like monoprice to save a few dollars is like buying used toilet paper. you can get top quality name brand cables for very little if you keep an eye out for them. i've gotten super high quality cables for almost the same price as the garbage cables.

the reality: is your time worth anything? even at minimum wage, the time and effort to isolate a problem caused by putting used oil in a new ferrarri must be entertaining, or why would anyone want go through it?

Clearly, you have absolutely no idea what you're talking about. Buying a "name brand" cable at a local retailer with get you NOTHING over a monoprice cable. NOTHING, NADA.

Not True! He will definitely be poorer. Not necesarily wiser, but definitely poorer.

 

[JesseKnows]

Originally posted by: Baked
I use a DVI > HDMI cable to connect my cable box to HDTV. HD channels are fine, but SD channels are all off center, like way off center. I got the cable from monoprice. No big deal though, I only watch the HD channels.

A different cable will not change the placement of SD video. The difference between cables would be in signal integrity (so with a bad cable you could get dropouts, HDCP errors, maybe even pixellation) but not a geometry difference.

Try to find firmware updates for the TV and/or the box, maybe they fixed it?

 

[alfa147x]

Originally posted by: artist99
why not buy a premium cable at a nearby retail store and try it out? you can take it back after you determine if that's the problem.

buying cheap junk from garbage holes like monoprice to save a few dollars is like buying used toilet paper. you can get top quality name brand cables for very little if you keep an eye out for them. i've gotten super high quality cables for almost the same price as the garbage cables.

the reality: is your time worth anything? even at minimum wage, the time and effort to isolate a problem caused by putting used oil in a new ferrarri must be entertaining, or why would anyone want go through it?

hahaha your next to dead

 

[cubby1223]

The dvi output on my cable box sucks, I'm sure that's why Comcast doesn't officially support it, they have an entirely different cable box for hdmi.

 

[Modelworks]

hdmi is 100% digital.
It has built in error correction so if you see a picture then that is going to be the best picture you can get with any hdmi cable.
There is a few different versions of hdmi and sometimes the revisions don't play well with each other.

I have a hitachi set that will sometimes shift the picture to the left for about 3 secs then switch it back to the right.
Its due to the set using 1.1 and the device feeding it 1.2

 

[punchkin]

Originally posted by: alfa147x

Originally posted by: artist99
why not buy a premium cable at a nearby retail store and try it out? you can take it back after you determine if that's the problem.

buying cheap junk from garbage holes like monoprice to save a few dollars is like buying used toilet paper. you can get top quality name brand cables for very little if you keep an eye out for them. i've gotten super high quality cables for almost the same price as the garbage cables.

the reality: is your time worth anything? even at minimum wage, the time and effort to isolate a problem caused by putting used oil in a new ferrarri must be entertaining, or why would anyone want go through it?

hahaha your next to dead

YGPM

 

[UnbalancedCheckbook]

I just want to confirm that HDMI handshaking sucks. My HTPC won't recognize the HDTV attached to it unless it's already on when the HTPC boots and the receiver is set to the proper input.

Annoying.

 

[yours truly]

dont wanna rock the boat here, but

i did notice a difference between a cheap logik hdmi cable over a chord silverplus cable

the logik picture quality looked slightly fuzzy

 

[Rio Rebel]

Originally posted by: hopeless74
dont wanna rock the boat here, but

i did notice a difference between a cheap logik hdmi cable over a chord silverplus cable

the logik picture quality looked slightly fuzzy

No rocking the boat at all. While I don't believe there's a repeatable, measurable difference between cables (once they hit a certain quality threshold), some people I respect are convinced otherwise.

In the comment above, though, he was talking about Monoprice cables, which I am familiar with, and "premium" cables. There is no difference between Monster and Monoprice. There are certainly differences between a high quality cable and a very low quality or high gauge cable. Most of us are simply saying that once a cable meets a certain quality threshold, and are the appropriate gauge wire, there is no noticeable difference.

I always accept that some tiny percentage of the population may have sensitivities in their vision or hearing that *may* justify audiophile/videophile cables. Since I'm not one of those people, I can't make legitimate claims about what they may be able to see or hear. But when someone compares "premium" retail store cables to Monoprice or some other decent quality non-branded cables, then I can speak to that and call it bullshit. (And we have to call it bullshit quite often, because Monster, Bose, etc. have impressive marketers.)