Does Expensive HDMI Cable Mean Better Picture?

General Chat
1

Or is it just a myth ?

Thanks

1 Like
2

As far as I understand it’s a myth…

This was shared with me previously.

2 Likes
3

It doesn’t need to be expensive but check the exact specification as you need a particular cable if you want 4K, etc. It’s too do with the transmission speed that’s supported.

There should be no difference in sound or picture quality whether you use an expensive cable or one from the pound shop :smiley:

3 Likes
4

Usually, No.

The important thing is to look at the specifications for the cable, not the price.

Frequently what you’re paying for with expensive cables is the aesthetics - plated metal bits, fancy weave on the cable, ostentatiously designed plugs (or the opposite, stylistically minimal plugs). But none of that affects the basic job of the cable, for carrying a signal from one place to another.

4 Likes
5

It’s largely a myth, however you do need to make sure you get a cable with the correct hdmi version. And there are some cheap cables out there that basically lie about the specs.

DisplayPort for comparison does have some bad cheap cables that don’t actually work properly, similar issue with versioning, get the right version.

6

Yes, always buy the most expensive cables you can for everything, they will give you the best sound and audio you can possible get.

7

You are relentless :joy:

2 Likes
8

But it’s true though :roll_eyes:

9

I hear Platinum braid, titanium coil, with diamond encrusted end tips are THE best… although I know some people swear by gold cables (gold braid, gold wire, gold connectors).

10

I remember when Comet used to try so hard to sell you scart cables like tgis. They were like ÂŁ60-70 and weighed a ton! The most over engineered products in the world.

1 Like
11

I got these, they are too cheap though.

2 Likes
12

I’m still looking for a SCART / HDMI convertor…:thinking:

13
1 Like
14

Blast !!!
(And there’s me hoping that such a thing didn’t exist😏)

(Note to self: check Amazon first next time)

(But thanks anyway :joy:)

2 Likes
15

Good opportunity to give Linus more views :laughing:

More expensive HDMI cables are just snake oil :slight_smile:

5 Likes
16

Wow! I was just scrolling to see if someone posted this because I was going to!

1 Like
17

HDMI is a digital system, so data is encoded in a string of 0’s and 1’s.

There will be interference along the way, so your 0’s might become 0.1’s, or 0.05’s. And your 1’s might become 0.99’s, 0.93’s, etc.

BUT. This interference doesn’t matter, because your TV/display will guess that anything over 0.5 is meant to be 1, and anything under 0.5 is meant to be a 0.

If the signal becomes so bad that you can’t tell the 1’s from the 0’s, the whole thing stops (like when your freeview TV picture freezes). Digital signals will never look “badly tuned” in the way a crappy VHS video might, or an old analogue TV signal would. Nor could digital radio ever crackle and hiss like a badly tuned FM radio.

Tl;dr, if you’re hdmi cable is working, a more expensive one won’t make any difference

1 Like
18

Top tip: put that tl;dr at the TOP of your posts :stuck_out_tongue_winking_eye:

2 Likes
19

I get my hdmi cables from asda :rofl: they’re as good as any others with the same version number

20

Check this beast out, supposed to be all singing and dancing but the picture is identical to any other hdmi!
image