HDMI

[CleBrownsfan]

I buying a TV in a couple weeks and need to know what I'll need to hook up my Direct TV, Xbox360 and PS3 with (HDMI)

Will these work? Or better suggestions?

PS3:Mediabridge Ultra Series - 6ft High Speed HDMI

XBox360: Xbox 360 HDMI Cable

Or will this work for both?

Direct TV: HDMI (2 meter) 6 foot cable HQ 1080P



Im new to the HDMI scene so I really appreciate any assistance.

Thank you thank you!

[gstelmack]

Don't get ripped off buying brand-name cables or cables specific to a console. You pay a premium on the 360 one because it's green, for example.

The last HDMI cables I bought were Amazon.com: AmazonBasics High-Speed HDMI Cable (6.5 Feet/2.0 Meters) [Amazon Frustration-Free Packaging]: Electronics. Your last cable up there is probably fine. There is no reason to pay anything over $10 for an HDMI cable (and certainly not the $30 on up you see in the retail stores!). There are sometimes minor differences related to the connectors, and yes you want enough quality to handle the bandwidth needed for the high resolutions, but these are a commodity these days and hard to go wrong.

[CU Tiger]

monoprice

[Logan]

.com

[CleBrownsfan]

So if I buy 3 of the AMAZON HDMI cables they will work for all three units (Direct TV, XBox, & PS3)?

[Fidatelo]

Originally Posted by CU Tiger

monoprice

+infinity

[cartman]

Originally Posted by CleBrownsfan

So if I buy 3 of the AMAZON HDMI cables they will work for all three units (Direct TV, XBox, & PS3)?

It all depends on how many HDMI inputs your TV or receiver has. Yes, the cables themselves will be fine, but you will need three HDMI inputs to have all three connected at the same time. If not, then you'll either need to manually swap the cable, or pick up an HDMI switch.

[CleBrownsfan]

The TV I'm looking at will have 4 HDMI inputs. I didn't know if the PS3/XBOX/Direct TV needs a specific HDMI - or will that Amazon cable work for all three. But from what Cartman is saying that one cable will be compatible for all three of my units.

[MizzouRah]

HDMI is the same accross the board.

My X360 is hooked up via component cables, but I don't have the elite.

Your direct tv receiver needs to be HD in order to connect via HDMI.

[CleBrownsfan]

Originally Posted by MizzouRah

HDMI is the same accross the board.

My X360 is hooked up via component cables, but I don't have the elite.

Your direct tv receiver needs to be HD in order to connect via HDMI.

Got it - my Direct TV receiver is HD.

Thanks for your help guys...

[cartman]

Originally Posted by CleBrownsfan

The TV I'm looking at will have 4 HDMI inputs. I didn't know if the PS3/XBOX/Direct TV needs a specific HDMI - or will that Amazon cable work for all three. But from what Cartman is saying that one cable will be compatible for all three of my units.

Yep. If your TV has 4 HDMI inputs, then pickup three of those cables and you are set.

[gstelmack]

Originally Posted by CleBrownsfan

I didn't know if the PS3/XBOX/Direct TV needs a specific HDMI

The HDMI connectors on both ends are the same no matter what. Where cables can sometimes differ a bit is in the quality of the wire itself. Basically any signal travelling along any cable loses strength as it goes, and can introduce errors. The more signal loss and the more errors you get, the lower your effective bandwidth. So, for example, you need a better beefier cable for your cable TV if your hose is set back from the street and needs a longer run (like my house does). Or if you want to run ethernet over a certain distance. Or really any cable.

Where HDMI differs from early versions is making sure the cable has enough signal strength / quality to send the bandwidth needed for a potentially 1080P signal between the device and TV. This is where you'll see lots of cables advertising "HDMI 1.3" or "1.3b" support: that means they can reliably transmit 1080P signals. There is a new 1.4 coming out for 3D that has higher bandwidth requirements. Many old cables may well be built good enough to support those requirements, maybe some won't, hard to say at this point.

But the reality is even the cheapest can handle the bandwidth requirements over the 3-6 feet most HDMI cables are going to actually run inside a house. Maybe you want higher quality if you're running a 25' line or something, but at these short lengths the cables are a commodity.

And all of this is why those $60+ Monster cables or the $30+ brands in the retail stores are a complete ripoff.

[Icy]

I was going to write exactly what gstelmack did.

When i purchased the Ps3 around 2 years ago, i bought also the best hdmi cable i could find for like $60. Later i learned that it doesn't matter at all for the small cables we usually use in an standard home setup, so for the rest of hdmi devices in my house i just bought $10 non branded ones and i can tell you there isn't any difference between the image quality or lag or anything.

[Alan T]

Originally Posted by gstelmack

But the reality is even the cheapest can handle the bandwidth requirements over the 3-6 feet most HDMI cables are going to actually run inside a house. Maybe you want higher quality if you're running a 25' line or something, but at these short lengths the cables are a commodity.

Even 25 feet, usually cheap hdmi cables can work fine in most cases. Anything over that though you likely need a different AWG rated hdmi cable. That said, you can still find a very thick 50 foot HDMI cable for cheaper than what monster cables are sold for in best buy.

[MizzouRah]

My step dad paid $100 for monster HDMI cables - needless to say, he now has some that cost $9.

[Sun Tzu]

looks like monoprice is down for maintenance for a week or two...bummer.

Newegg has decent prices on cables actually. I just picked up a 10 foot HDMI 1.3 for $10.

[Fidatelo]

Wow, monoprice is down for more than 'maintenance': Monoprice Not Taking New Orders During Fraud Investigation - The Consumerist

[DanGarion]

Originally Posted by Fidatelo

+infinity

Monoprice can't sell anything right now. They are being investigated.

[CleBrownsfan]

Thanks again guys.

So I got one of these for my Direct TV

And two of these - one for my Xbox and one for my PS3.

The price is right - especially when priced against Best Buy.

[Fidatelo]

They aren't 'being investigated', they are investigating their own systems in relation to credit card frauds that have occurred to customers over the last couple weeks, and have kindly closed things off so more people aren't at risk. Seems like they are being pretty forthright and prudent to me, I know a lot of local businesses that got hacked and it was never disclosed until months later, when the banks would replace all the customers cards.

[stevew]

dupe

[stevew]

One thing I was going to say is that if you buy an ultra thin Samsung LED TV you just need to make sure that the connectors on the end of the cables are not too fat. I think those look okay.

If not, you can get some right angle adapters for a few bucks a piece.

[CU Tiger]

Originally Posted by stevew

You gotta watch HDMI with "fat" ends, as there is not much wiggle room with a Samsung LED or any other ultra thin models. I think those will be fine though.

Originally Posted by stevew

One thing I was going to say is that if you buy an ultra thin Samsung LED TV you just need to make sure that the connectors on the end of the cables are not too fat. I think those look okay.

If not, you can get some right angle adapters for a few bucks a piece.

[stevew]

lol, that's what i get for posting on my BB, and not hitting send, then posting when i get home, and then forgetting that I'd posted and hitting send on my blackberry