Cables For Lcd Tv

[walker1]

Asking some advice from those who have done the BIG TV thing. Have a 52" Sharp Aquos LCD landing in about a week and the PVR/Bell Satellite ready to roll. I know a bit about this tech stuff, but am asking those who bought the MONSTER cables or what others bought for the HD experience.

 

A lot of reviews I read say many people can not tell a difference between middle of the road stuff and the high ends.

 

The price is insane for the cables but I am not going to cheap out after paying $$$$$$$$$$$ for the tube.

Peoples thoughts?

Thanks in advance.

[Tpetey]

I agree about not wanting to cheap out after dropping the wad on the TV, but I did!

I find it hard to stomach paying $200 for the monster cable HDMI when the same thing, non monsterized, is $70 at the bay for a cable twice as long.

Bottom line is it shouldn't be noticably worse with the "cheaper HDMI cable" (still better than component cables), but if your already in 4K for the TV and PVR, whats another $100 +/- to remove all doubt from your mind?

[fishinhogdaddy]

Asking some advice from those who have done the BIG TV thing. Have a 52" Sharp Aquos LCD landing in about a week and the PVR/Bell Satellite ready to roll. I know a bit about this tech stuff, but am asking those who bought the MONSTER cables or what others bought for the HD experience.

 

A lot of reviews I read say many people can not tell a difference between middle of the road stuff and the high ends.

 

The price is insane for the cables but I am not going to cheap out after paying $$$$$$$$$$$ for the tube.

Peoples thoughts?

Thanks in advance.

I have a 50" Panasonic plasma coming in this weekend. I was at Home Depot yesterday. They have sets of cable that are alot cheaper than the TV shops made by "Brand Name" makers. I would also suggest you get a high quality voltage/lightning/surge suppressor. They do come with computer hook-up jack/multiple recepticles/built in protection lights/meters and coax cable inputs. In the stereo shops they can be quite $$. Look in XSCargo, Wal-Mart and buy something that has a guaranteed replacement value if in fact something does get through and damage your equipment. Some of the "gold" cables are good, if you want to pay big $$ for them. You should be able to make out just fine with some less expensive ones.

Pop the corn...and enjoy! FHD

[walker1]

Thanks to both of you.

TPetey, what kind did you buy at the Bay/ would you consider them good?

[Weedy1]

If you can see the stars 500 billion light years away with your naked eye in daytime and hear a pin drop on the moon then get the monster cables otherwise don't waste your money. By a Sage instead.

[reevesr1]

I build recording studios,broadcast facilities and other high end electronic systems..Monster cable is a complete blow job!!!

Wonderful. Where were you last year??

[Nick0Danger]

If you got to B and E electronics they will have a number of HDMI and component cables in stock, and can have them custom made, best value in the city, we use them when we install home automation equipment.

 

http://www.be-electronics.com/

[walker1]

Thanks again all. Nick0, I will go check this out for sure. I was suspect of the Monster brand as many said they were good, but way overpriced.

BTW Weedy1, I hear ya, and I own 3 Sage's already, but could always find someplace for the $$$ I plan to save in cables at the local fishin shops!

[LynnF]

You get what you pay for in most cases, but I agree the monster is way overpriced. We got one with our 46 inch Aquos LCD last March - but got a 'deal' on it considering our whole purchase. You should negotiate that with your purchase and there should be no questions asked. HDMI is the ONLY way to go....wouldn't do anything else now.

 

Hope you shopped at Visions on McLeod - I can't speak highly enough of that place - and that's alot coming from me.

[PeteZahut]

I have used Acoustic Research cables and find them to be good. Compared a composite signal using cheap ones versus this and could see a difference (though minor and could have been because I was looking for it).

 

Lynn, question about HDMI, are you talking HDMI from your cable box to the TV? If so, are you using the audio on the TV or through a receiver? I run composite from PVR to my LCD (Sony XBR4 and all I can say is wow for the picture on that thing!!!!) and then optical for the audio from the PVR to the receiver. This works fine for me, HDMI cables seem to be crazy expensive. I bought a cheap one to run from my upconverting DVD player as i could not stomach paying the $200 price tag for a monster HDMI cable.

[LynnF]

I have used Acoustic Research cables and find them to be good. Compared a composite signal using cheap ones versus this and could see a difference (though minor and could have been because I was looking for it).

 

Lynn, question about HDMI, are you talking HDMI from your cable box to the TV? If so, are you using the audio on the TV or through a receiver? I run composite from PVR to my LCD (Sony XBR4 and all I can say is wow for the picture on that thing!!!!) and then optical for the audio from the PVR to the receiver. This works fine for me, HDMI cables seem to be crazy expensive. I bought a cheap one to run from my upconverting DVD player as i could not stomach paying the $200 price tag for a monster HDMI cable.

 

We run cable from the receiver (an Onkyo if that means anything to you) which means that in order to watch TV you have to have the receiver on. Got one of those Polk Audio sound bars that sit underneath the TV and separate subwoofer that is supposed to give you the "surround sound" experience without all the speakers. I don't know that I agree with that (our surround sound in our basement is better IMHO) but it sure does kick ass for watching movies. Listening to the IPOD or the stereo doesn't cut it on that though so we'll be shopping for new speakers come Boxing Week. I digress (I get so excited when I talk about our system!). I don't know that I really like the fact that the receiver has to be on all the time to watch the TV because, frankly, it's become our main TV and it's just not necessary to be watching Naruto or Family Guy in surround sound. Plus the electricity bill is WAY up with everything on and when it's not on, it's on standby power. I'm astounded at the increase in the monthly bill since we installed all this

 

I guess the bottom line is that if we didn't spend so much on the system and get such a good deal on the HDMI cable, I probably wouldn't have done it. But it's sure nice looking at the back of the cabinet where all those wires used to be!!

[walker1]

Lynn

Could not ask for the deal with the HDMI and tv as I got the TV for a great discount knowing someone from Sharp Canada.

Still looking into what/where I will buy the HDMI.

Thanks

[LynnF]

Lynn

Could not ask for the deal with the HDMI and tv as I got the TV for a great discount knowing someone from Sharp Canada.

Still looking into what/where I will buy the HDMI.

Thanks

 

Yer gonna love the Aquos.....we did a ton of comparison shopping between all brands and this one was the winner hands down. Congrats on your purchase and good luck finding an HDMI cable that won't cost you more than your TV!

[Nick0Danger]

Lynn your TV or sat box should do compent out as well so you can use that for normal TV. If you purchased a Plasma TV that would be a big reason why your Electricity bill is way up, other that than if your bill is that large something is sucking power when it should not, and probably should be replace weather its the SUB, or receiver or whatever those items dont suck that much power.

[MMAX]

Now I'm confused. I purchased a 42" plasma early this year from Best Buy. The salesman told me the HDMI is the way to go. They were sold out so he sent us to Future Shop and I almost *hit myself when I saw the price. I bought my satellite reciever from The Brick and the salesman there told me that the HDMI cables were a rip off and to just buy a set of monster cables. I went with the monsters and the HD was a good quality. I experienced screen burn-in on my tv and when the repair man brought it back after fixing it he asked me where my HD cables were. I told him I had monster cables and he said I wasn't getting the high end HD with them. WHO DO I BELIEVE???

[LynnF]

MMAX: From what I read and what I was told (after a month of research before buying), HDMI is simply the best (right now) high definition cable there is. And it costs big right now, but the price will come down as it always does. I don't know about these "monster" cables (I thought that was a brand name and assumed that's what we bought).

 

And Nick - thanks. I know I could bypass the receiver but it would involve new audio and video cables and, frankly, it's just too difficult to get to the ports on the TV now that it's hanging on the wall. And I found out afterwards that the standby on flat screens sucks a big amount of power (even though we bought an LCD). Funny they never mention that when they're selling them to you.

[walker1]

Yes, Monster is a brand name and does make HDMI. I am buying HDMI, but not spending it on monster.

[lethfisher]

First off that is awesome that so many people have the Sharp Aquos LCD's. I have a 37" Aquos and I love it. I bought a cheap HDMI cable to connect up my PS3 to watch Blu Ray and it seems to work pretty well and it is really sharp. That being said I have never compared it to a high end cable so it's hard to tell if you are getting the best picture possible without buying a high end cable.

[walker1]

I decided that I would give the cables I got with the PVR a shot when the TV lands. You are right, hard to tell if you can't compare both.

I did a lot of research when I chose this TV. My wife says I did more here than when we built a house 5 years ago! It is a 2007 model and has the highest rated frame speed which will come in handy for watching sports especially hockey. ( Go Habs Go) Better be good for the price tag!

[PeteZahut]

The comparisons between tvs and cables is an interesting one and whenever I think I have it figured out something changes. Anyways, as for the argument of composite versus HDMi, I think a lot depends on the source and sink of the signal as well as the cable. Composite being analog will have issues that the digital cable (HDMI) might not have. But with a fairly good quality cable and a TV with a good analog to digital converter you won't see a difference. I have read a lot on this and it will really come down to user preference. I compared on my TV and I did not see a difference between HDMI and composite going from my PVR to my LCD. And because of that, I don't feel it necessary to spend the money on another HDMI cable.

 

As for my view on the LCDs, I am biased to Sony. I did a fair bit of research on this and I am still of the opinion that Sony is putting out the highest quality LCD at the moment. My XBR4 does have the 120Hz rate along with the highest true and dynamic contrast range of any LCD. Does that make it better? I don't know. But that is how I justify paying that amount of money. I do think that Sharp probably provides the best bang for your buck though. So I guess it is a question of wanting the best tv for your money or the best tv period. Let the onslaught of opinions commence!

 

In the end much like the cables, it is all a matter of opinion and what you like best when you look at it.

[Tpetey]

I decided that I would give the cables I got with the PVR a shot when the TV lands. You are right, hard to tell if you can't compare both.

I did a lot of research when I chose this TV. My wife says I did more here than when we built a house 5 years ago! It is a 2007 model and has the highest rated frame speed which will come in handy for watching sports especially hockey. ( Go Habs Go) Better be good for the price tag!

 

Walker, I find it very easy to spend other people's money, but try to get me to spend my own....

The cables that will come with your PVR, assuming that you got the Shaw HD PVR, and not the regular digital PVR, are component video cables (red,green,blue).

This is the same technology that has been used to get maximum picture quality from DVD players for 5+ years.

You will see an increase in picture quality vs using RCA cables (red, yellow, whie) and even a s-video cable.

To get the "true" HD picture you will have to use a HDMI cable.

As I said before there are probably 100 different brands that will make this cable, 95% of which will all have higher, noticiable in my opinion, quality than the component cables. The brand that you select is up to you and how much you want to spend, but after buying the TV and the PVR, I think you'd be a fool to cut the last corner and not pick up the HDMI cable.

 

On a second note when you get the PVR installed, try running a comparison between the 1080i signal and the 720p signal from the PVR.

The upper tier tv's are all rated for 1080p but the shaw box does not send a 1080p signal.

I found the 720p signal from the shaw box to be higher quality.

 

I don't think it really matters how you set everything up, the habs won't look good in any format....GO FLAMES!

[walker1]

You can't go wrong with the Sony you bought. 3 different salesmen told me they would rate it first. The Sharp I bought is an 07 and also has the 120hz. and 4m/s. I went with the Sharp as it is also highly rated and I knew someone at Sharp Canada ie.( discount)

[walker1]

Tpetley

The PVR I have is a Bell as I have 2 dishes through Bell already. It comes with a HDMI. It also has the cables you mentioned.

GO HABS GO!

 

Differnece between flames and a bra. Bra has 2 cups!!!!

 

Being an Easterner I love the ol habs but do cheer and tip one back for the flames!

[Tangledlines]

I bought HDMI cables from Memory Express for like 30 bucks each... if you look around you can find them without paying the hundreds of dollars that places like Future Shop wants. You need to go HDMI though to really get the benefit of the HD, as well if you are using an upconverting dvd player, the upconvert will not work without using the HDMI.

[PlayDoh]

Heres some info from 'highdefforum'

 

HDMI stands for "High Definition Multimedia Interface". It is the latest standard which integrates the same digital video bitstream as DVI-D (Single Link) with up to eight channels of high-res digital audio. What's more, it is a two-way communicating bus, allowing a source and display device to "talk" to each other. For example, a display device (eg Plasma screen) can tell your source devcie (eg DVD) what format it wants to run in, and the DVD can output the appropriate signal. This is of course reliant on the manufacturers making their firmware compatible with this capability. It's essentially the modern-day SCART cable, containing both picture and sound.

 

The picture quality of DVI-D and HDMI will be identical, assuming the same standard of cable is being compared, as the video signal/bitstream is the same. HDMI differs in that it also contains audio, has communications ability, and takes up less real estate on a device's connections panel.

 

A "Single Link" DVI connection contains three data channels for digitized RGB information (called "Transition Minimized Differential Signaling"), offering a bandwidth which can support up to 1920x1080 HD progressive resolution. "Dual Link" has a secondary parallel connection of the same digital RGB "T.M.D.S." data channels, increasing bandwidth to a supported resolution of 2048x1536 progressive.

 

It's important to first note that "DVI" (Digital Video Interface) refers to the connector, or interface, only. It's application can vary. There are three main types of DVI; DVI-I, DVI-D and a third one which is rarely mentioned, DVI-A. This latter one is DVI "Analogue", which is quite obviously analogue only. This is essentially VGA (RGB-HV) in a different plug. DVI-D is at the other end of the scale, being pure Digital video only. DVI-I combines the two, containing both analogue and digital cores.

 

DVI-I does NOT convert ananlogue to digital. Rather it just provides a convenient connection to offer analogue or digital in the one cable. DVI-I and DVI-D can be distinguished by the presence (DVI-I) or absence (DVI-D) of four extra pins - two above and two below the flat horizontal location pin.

 

As for "Monster Cable" its a waste of money. Unless you have a very long distance to travel or watch TV with a microscope, any decent cable will do. If you run optical audio to a receiver, then you can use a DVI-D cable to the TV for Video only. If your PVR system is HD, then you need HDMI or DVI-D, or you may as well get a SD TV since you wont be veiwing HD. As stated, Composite (RGB RCA connectors) is Analogue and although it will look better then S-video its not HD.