More on Why to Use Quality HDMI Cables

I keep harping on why to use quality HDMI cables. It’s because there is so much information on the web to the contrary and very little of it talks about real life experience. Working on consumer education with Monster Cable, and watching the testing, I am never disappointed at the verified quality of the cables. And quality is important to me. Again, if I’m spending money for better quality in a TV, I want it to perform at its best.
HDMI cable failed one day!
So, the HDTV LCD in my bedroom didn’t have near the quality of the other HDTVs in my house (yes, I have a few…I need them for testing). Then one day I turned it on and there was this weird solarizing effect. I didn’t touch it and it just appeared one day. A friend of mine had pictures like these too and I wondered if they were real. Well, they are. The cable just failed. Now I had to crawl around and replace it, and luckily I had a Monster cable to hook up. Night and day difference. So, that’s what the HD picture is supposed to look like! Using the cheap cable, I hadn’t even noticed that the TV could look better. Test all you want, it’s how the cable performs over time in my home that counts! And this is the second time that I’ve had a cheap cable fail (the other was installed by the Satellite company and it stopped working completely after less than a year).

Much better with a Monster HDMI
Lately I’ve been thinking about cables like car tires. When I go to buy new tires, the salesperson goes on about radials and tread patterns and lots of stuff that I don’t care much about. It’s when I hear the word “performance” that I listen. I have a decent car and live in the mountains so I want good handling. I’m not going to buy the cheapest tires, I want ones that will last, be backed by a reputable manufacturer and allow my car to handle to the best of its ability. And I know I wouldn’t buy the cheapest tires if I were to have a high performance car. The difference between cables and tires is that the price difference on quality tires is several HUNDRED dollars. The price difference for quality cables is at most a hundred dollars, and more likely only $50.

I don’t know about you, but I don’t want to rip my system apart to replace a cable that has stopped working, or worse, not realize that the quality has diminished and just complain that my TV isn’t looking so good.

I’m going to get it right the first time. And Monster has the Cable For Life, HDMI cable where I know I’ll never have to spend another dime for an HDMI cable if I get new equipment. Learn more about HDMI at the Monster HDMI learning Center .

Quality Cables Make a Difference-Why I believe Monster HDMI is worth it

Having worked first in film production, and spending 10 years in selling, training, reviewing, and consumer education in home theater, I am what most would call somewhat of a videophile. I love a good picture, that is crisp, detailed, and has realistic color. And I have grown to love audio that brings the musicians or the action into my room. Once high definition TV came on the scene, the picture and today’s higher definition TVs thrilled me and high def disc players are even more true-to-life, more detailed.

In the years on the sales floor selling home theater, I learned about Monster Cable and did my own blind tests (and continue to do so today). Often, I could see actual differences—better contrast, richer color, more details, less interference and artifacts—when I upgraded my cables and even when I couldn’t pinpoint it, I noticed a “feel” of more realism.

I have heard that digital cables are all the same, but have seen for myself and since learned by interviewing the engineers and inventors of HDMI, this is not at all true, particularly with advanced high definition TVs and sources. There is a lot of information being transferred over cables with higher definition video and uncompressed audio. Steps must be taken to ensure that all of the signal arrives at the right time without digital packets of information being dropped, or interference altering the packets and creating artifacts, digital snow, or other picture degradations. This is much more apparent on today’s big screen TVs.

A quality cable that has been tested to be sure that all of the signal arrives at the right time is essential to get all of the performance possible from the components and TV. First, being sure that signal is not lost via poor soldering of the connectors to the wires. And being sure that the cable does not lose signal or gain interference by having a well-insulated cable. And finally, choosing the cable that is speed tested to get me the best performance for the gear that I am connecting. If I am connecting a satellite or cable box with 1080i, compressed video, it’s appropriate that I buy a less expensive standard speed, quality HDMI cable. If, however, I want the best from my Blu-ray Disc player (that I may have spent $1000 for plus $30 per movie) I am going to want to get an ultimate high-speed, quality HDMI cable. And I’m even happier if I buy a “Cable for Life” so I don’t have to purchase another cable in a couple of years because technology has advanced. These are the quality features available on Monster Cables speed rated HDMI cables.

If I’ve spent thousands of dollars on a high definition TV and high def player, and I’m spending money each month for high definition programming, I don’t think skimping on cables for a one time, extra $50 to $100 is a wise decision. I bought a 1080p, FULL HD TV because I want that improved picture quality. A few more dollars to make sure that I get all that I paid for is worth it to me.

Barb Gonzalez
The Simple Tech Guru

Note: Because of my passion for home theater quality, I have decided to work with Monster Cable on consumer education. We are working together to simplify buying, hooking up and setting up home theaters through a book, Home Theater Made Simple, web education and the monstercommunity forum. Look for my blog and tips at www.monstercommunity.com.

The HDMI debate–Some facts

While I typically write simply for the technophobe, a recent post by Harryitguy, made me feel like I had a couple of things to say about HDMI. Harry and many of his commenters believe that there is no difference between cables when it comes to an HDMI cable. They claim that digital signals arrive at the TV just as they were sent from the source. And there are many complaints about high priced cables. I wanted to be sure that the facts were out there.

Recently I have done in depth research with HDMI, LLC (the HDMI licensing company) and a number of cable manufacturers for my column in Dealerscope magazine to come out in March.

Here are some facts about HDMI cables:
1. Digital may be digital, but 1s and 0s can be corrupted into bit errors
and
2. Bit errors cause video noise or other picture degradation
3. Bad Cable construction can make that video noise worse when the connectors have cheap solder points or weak solder points
4. Monster cable has a one piece connector that eliminates the bit error problems. Terk makes cables that have “noise traps” like you find on your digital camera cable, to capture any added interferance. And of course, any decent cable doesn’t want interferance to cause bit errors.
5. Really cheap cables can fall out of the connection, or bend pins.
6. Alterations in what material the cable is, and how it is twisted can affect the ability of the cable to transmit the highest quality picture.

Bottom line is, if you are spending a lot of money on a high quality flatscreen or any other high quality component, why would you skimp on cables to insure that quality is transferred and displayed?

In TV & Technology– Simplicity is believing

Something is wired in my DNA that allows me to take complex technology and break it down so even the most fearful novice can understand it. I’m able to look at technology with fresh eyes and see what’s confusing and then break it down into English. I guess that’s why I’m called the “Technology Simplification Guru”. I have great compassion for people who are not passionate about technology but find themselves in front of a TV or home theater with a dozen remotes and wondering “should I press TV power or system power or…??? I just want to turn the darn thing on!”

So I go out into the world of technology and look for products that make life easier. When products are confusing, I give tips to make them easier to understand and use. And I break down how to buy, hook up and use home theater and electronics like mobile phones and MP3 and video players so that people can know the tips & lessons that techhies forgot they ever had to learn (it’s common sense right?)

My first tip for those starting an adventure into the complex world of new technologies and innovations and fancy TVs and home theater (which means anyone who wants to control or put together the equipment that may already be in their living room!) is:

Simplicity is a state of mind. It’s a calm place where you are confident that what you are trying to put together or control is attainable. Simplicity is the opposite of confusion and overwhelm, where you tell yourelf you can’t figure this dang thing out and it’s never gonna work. No, when you believe something is simple, you move forward and see the bigger picture of how it fits together without your inner resistence. When you believe it’s simple, you make connections between words and it makes sense to you. You find the buttons and menus you are looking for. When you resist and think it’s too hard, it’s almost like what you are looking for has disappeared!

Start by realizing that many other people have learned to work their TVs or how could one account for the millions of TV viewers everyday if they hadn’t figured out how to use their TV? Maybe it is simpler than you think and it is possible for you to learn. Just entertain that possibility the next time you take on buying, setting up, or using technology. The right frame of mind begins to make anything easier.