Monster Cables??

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mjob217

Nov 7, 2007 - CST 6:43 PM

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Hello everyone, I recently bought an HD dvd player, however my plasma only has one HDMI connection, so I had to buy an HDMI splitter( the terek-HDMI smart switch). Now I have 3 HDMI cables, one running to the TV, one for the cable box and one for the DVD player. I have one that is a monster cable(going into the tv) and the other two are the cheaper DYNEX version they sell at best buy....I have noticed that since I have hooked all this up that the picture quality is not even close to how it was before, in fact it is very grainy...could this be becuase I do not have all monster cables? or that there is too much cables going into the one system?

posters5

Nov 7, 2007 - CST 6:55 PM

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no, a pure digital signal doesn't require you to pay a bazillion dollars for an hdmi connection. it's likely the fact that you are using a splitter rather than sending the signal directly to the tv that is hurting the image.

try connecting the individual players directly to the tv using the cheaper cable, then try using the monster version. see if it matters. (it probably won't unless the cable is inherently bad.)

StevePro

Nov 7, 2007 - CST 7:33 PM

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Try running the cable box directly to the tv with composite cables you'll still get full hd and you won't have to deal with the hdmi switch which is probably degradeing the signal. Use the hdmi for the HD DVD to the tv only. If you have a receiver, you can run an optical cable from the cable box to the receiver for 5.1 broadcast and an additional optical from the HD DVD player to your receiver for amplified sound.

Eddie is correct, hdmi cables cost MUCH too much and are generall a rip off. You are wasting money by buying Monster or other mega buck brands unless you have a very long run.

Steamwalker

Nov 7, 2007 - CST 9:37 PM

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As stated in a previous post, I don't buy Monster Cables as I have a personal boycott against the company. But, if looking for cables, I'd recommend http://www.monoprice.com which are very affordable and have been tested against monster cables before. They also sell HDMI splitters as well, but I can't make any statements about the quality of those as I have never tried them.

Scionguy05

Nov 7, 2007 - CST 9:46 PM

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monster cables are the biggest rip off ever! Ive been suckered by best buy into buying them when i first got into the hd market but the cheaper cables do just has good, and i have noticed no difference in PQ using other brand cables. Also i have read alot problems with hdmi spiltters

kucoloco

Nov 7, 2007 - CST 11:42 PM

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i bough like 10 cables online. so i sell them to people when they need one in rush, and they dont wanna get them from the store.

the retail stores are bastards.

[Post edited by kucoloco on Nov 7, 2007 - CST 11:42 PM]

Love Hendrix!

Nov 7, 2007 - CST 11:58 PM

says... Thanks for visiting DVDTOWN, and enjoy the news!

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As I've stated before, monoprice.com is excellent, and I've ordered from the 4 times now (over the last 2 years), and received within 3-4 days later (by Priority Mail).

I have both my HD-DVD and PS3 going to one of their $18, 2-1 HDMI splitters [1080i max output], as my Sharp Aquos LCD from 2005 has only one HDMI input. The image quality looks identical to when plugging each directly to the TV's HDMI input.

I like the monoprice HDMI splitter (above) because it does not have to be plugged in to an AC socket [powered by the HDMI cord]. It doesn't have a remote, but it's easy to choose either source 1 or source 2 when viewing either player.

-Love Hendrix! (The Loverboy)

dguisinger

Nov 8, 2007 - CST 3:45 AM

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Good call Hendrix.

I agree with the other comments, digital doesn't lose quality of a signal if the cable is crap.
However, if you have a crappy cable, the longer the cable, the more signal noise you have, the more signal noise you have, the more chances of misplaced bits.

However in that case you probably won't see anything, as highspeed serial links (which I beleive HDMI is), use encoded clocks in a 8b/10b encoding. That means the bits as they come out at the other end must be exact for even the clock signal to be extracted. If you have interference, instead of a color being out of place, the entire signal is corrupted, doesn't pass the clock decode stage, and then the CRC checks on actual data (since the data is no longer aligned on a proper clock) will fail, causing the receiver to cut out completely.

So todays lesson: It still matters in Digital, but only if its really, really bad. Digital usually has several layers of protection (large enough voltage swings between 1 & 0, CRC checks, etc) that 99.9% of people with lousy cables wouldn't have a problem.

Tim Raynor

Nov 8, 2007 - CST 7:57 AM

says... It puts the lotion in the basket . . .

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KungFuTaco

Jun 11, 2008 - CDT 1:23 PM

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I have a friend that works for best buy that told me they are told to push the expensive cables on people. They tried it to me and I explained to him why I didn't need it loud enough for some one else considering buy monster to hear me.