It has been widely debated whether it is worth buying expensive Monster HDMI cables that can cost up to $120 for 2 meters compared to some generic brands that cost much less. The same goes for dvi-hdmi, dvi-dvi, or dvi-vga cables. In this article we will mainly focus on hdmi cables and their profitability.
Most of the debates surrounding the value of expensive hdmi cables lead to some technical details that many consumers find boring or too difficult to understand. As a result, most consumers are unclear on this matter.
Many of us buy cheap HDMI cables thinking that expensive cables are just a hoax and that we are not losing much in the digital signal. Others buy the expensive cables, like monster cable, hoping that we made the right decision and did everything we could to ‘buy’ our way to high-definition heaven. After all, who said that quality is cheap?
Well, I am one of those consumers who wants the best in image quality without compromise. At the same time, I don’t want a solution that burns a hole in my pocket but is still good enough to whet my real appetite for 1080p HD.
I took it upon myself to do some research and in the process found compelling data in favor of more expensive monster hdmi cables.
Monster says that bandwidth is king and it’s the 1080p signal and its requirements that set Monster’s cables apart from imitations. When you’re trying to push high bandwidth to acquire your desired signal, the performance Monster cables offer can’t be matched by cheap generic cables.
The connectors on expensive Monster cables are also designed to withstand constant wear and tear, while cheaper cables may not perform as well. This concept is well understood by many musicians where the output of their equipment can suffer over time due to shorted connection cables.
Also, even if a cable has an hdmi-style connector, that doesn’t mean it’s HDMI certified. Look for the HDMI logo, which stands for HDMI Licensing Authority Certification. Only high-end cables like Monster HDMI cables actually certify speeds of 1.3a and higher.
The length is also an important factor. The longer the cable, the greater the signal loss. That signal loss on the hdmi cable is mitigated as we move up the quality ladder. High-end cables show much less signal deterioration with increasing cable length. Whenever possible, use the shortest cable length possible to minimize signal loss.
With this information in hand, I realized that I certainly wanted a high-end cable for a true HDMI experience without compromise. But, being the one who “always” looks for deals online, I took it upon myself to do some comparison shopping for the monstrous hdmi cable.