HDMI Cables - worth the extra $$?
- Thread starter TXEric
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whoaru99
Epic Member
FWIW, I ordered a Monoprice Cabernet series active/Redmere HDMI cable to give it a try. A 35-footer for $30. It's 7.5mm diameter vs. the 11 or 12mm diameter of the BJC.Series 1 I have and it claims to be High Speed/18Gbs rated at that 35ft length.
The BJC cable works fine but figured I'd check out the Redmere thing. Unfortunately the real thin ones with Redmere stopped at 15ft but, still, down to 7.5mm from 11 or 12mm is a nice reduction in cable size.
The BJC cable works fine but figured I'd check out the Redmere thing. Unfortunately the real thin ones with Redmere stopped at 15ft but, still, down to 7.5mm from 11 or 12mm is a nice reduction in cable size.
These guys?
https://www.monoprice.com/category?c_id=102&cp_id=10243&cs_id=1024001
I don't like 'em. My stuff is in an open back rack and every time I want to fire up something connected to receiver with HDMI (cable box, PS3, etc.) I have to get back there and jiggle stuff. Next order I place I'm getting some of these
https://www.monoprice.com/category?c_id=102&cp_id=10243&cs_id=1025502
which I have been using as my "go to" since and have had only one problem with (one got flaky after 2-3 rearrangements, the rest are all good, and I've used loads of them.)
Do let us know how that works out as I was considering getting a 40 footer to allow moving the monitor in the bedroom without having to completely rearrange everything.
Dennis Gardner
Jazz Nut
You won't have any issue with the Bluerigger cables at all! I have used them on many installs over the last few years without issue. Great value!!
cr4zyg047
New Member
When you buy more expensive cables - you generally get one of three things:
The first two are definitely solid reasons to spend more than the bargain basement price - the third is niche. But either way, I wouldn't go crazy and buy nonsensical "audiophile" or "theater grade" wiring unless it's reasonably priced and you get the aforementioned benefits.
- Improved wiring gauge - improves signal to noise over longer HDMI runs (over 10-15ft)
- Improved construction - so you don't have the connectors spontaneously snapping off the ends of the cables if torqued
- Proprietary technology (like Redmere) which uses integrated ICs to actually improve the signal to noise ratio over longer distances by conditioning the signal at both ends.
The first two are definitely solid reasons to spend more than the bargain basement price - the third is niche. But either way, I wouldn't go crazy and buy nonsensical "audiophile" or "theater grade" wiring unless it's reasonably priced and you get the aforementioned benefits.
eljr
Koyaanisqatsi
Great post. Generally speaking people post that all wires are the same or that expensive cables make a world of difference.... then fight.
The truth always lies in the middle (in all aspects of life) and you have done well to clarify that in this post.
Lesterbest
Super Member
Unless you have long cable runs, inexpensive cables are as good as mega buck HDMIs. With long runs Blue Jeans & Monoprice will be fine. Worst case scenario, you add an inexpensive HDMI extender. If you want audiophile jewelry cables, ante up.
whoaru99
Epic Member
N8Nagel said:
I am currently watching the second movie using the Monoprice Cabernet series, 35-ft cable.
Plugged it in being sure to put the display end to the TV (note it is a directional cable due to the Redmere thing) and it worked fine sending 1080p with Deep Color enabled and DTS HD Master 7.1 audio.
Fired up Netflix using the smart TV app and no problem sending Dolby Digital 5.1 from the TV to the processor via HDMI ARC.
Here's the comparison (from left to right): Monoprice Cabernet (~8mm dia), BJC Tartan (BJC's budget line) (~10mm dia), and BJC Series 1 (their current "best" cable) (~12mm dia).
The pictures really do not do justice to how much bigger the Series 1 cable is compared to the Monoprice cable.
Thanks for letting us know. I was wondering about ARC on Redmere if that would work or not, I guess it does. Are you using 1080p, 4k, deep color? Just wondering how demanding your application is. I tend to overbuy on stuff like this (spec wise) because I tend to buy a LOT (I literally have six systems right now, it's kind of a thing, all the guest bedrooms have a good receiver, BDP, and monitor in them - why? I like audio <G>) so I'd like it to be somewhat future proof...
whoaru99
Epic Member
1080p, with everything turned on, including Deep Color. Although, it's my understanding Deep Color is (or at least last time I checked) not used on BD anyway.
The reason I ended up with the BJC Series 1 is because when I upgraded from 720p TV to 1080p TV, I was getting dropouts and sparklies in the picture using the BJC Tartan cable. Later I was informed just to turn off Deep Color because it is a bandwidth hog despite apparently no use on actual BD. As soon as I turned off Deep Color, the Tartan cable worked fine. But, I already had received the Series 1 cable and had it routed to the TV so I just kept and used it. That one works with Deep Color turned on (as does this Monoprice Cabernet).
The reason I ended up with the BJC Series 1 is because when I upgraded from 720p TV to 1080p TV, I was getting dropouts and sparklies in the picture using the BJC Tartan cable. Later I was informed just to turn off Deep Color because it is a bandwidth hog despite apparently no use on actual BD. As soon as I turned off Deep Color, the Tartan cable worked fine. But, I already had received the Series 1 cable and had it routed to the TV so I just kept and used it. That one works with Deep Color turned on (as does this Monoprice Cabernet).
Oddly, my one cable failure myself was with a Tartan cable. It just didn't work out of the package. Since you can't see the cables in most of my installations, I just went all Monoprice even though they look a little cheezy I've never had a failure with a 3' or 6' "metallic" series cable and they are cheap and cheerful. I like BJC's philosophy and no-BS attitude, but I probably wouldn't actually buy their HDMI cables unless I was concealing, due to cost. And I wouldn't buy the Tartan ones again as I don't see the increase in quality vs. price over Monoprice, I would buy "real" BJC.
Since you're using almost the exact same application I am I'll throw a 40 footer on my next (likely very soon) Monoprice order, thanks for the follow up.
Since you're using almost the exact same application I am I'll throw a 40 footer on my next (likely very soon) Monoprice order, thanks for the follow up.
whoaru99
Epic Member
A little sideline here, but I've been living at my GF's place since about last July. I still have the "big" HT setup at my house, but rarely go there anymore. Damn...I'd forgotten just how good this Panasonic plasma looks playing a BD. 
Have a decent LED at the GF's that I've gotten use to and thought it looked good. It does, but damn.. this is the shizzle.
Should though, I suppose, for roughly 4x the price.
Have a decent LED at the GF's that I've gotten use to and thought it looked good. It does, but damn.. this is the shizzle.
Should though, I suppose, for roughly 4x the price.
standuffer
Home of R&R
How does one "turn off" Deep Color?
whoaru99
Epic Member
Should be a setting in the source/BD player.
standuffer
Home of R&R
OK. now I'm confused...
you say...
"Although, it's my understanding Deep Color is (or at least last time I checked) not used on BD anyway."
If BD doesn't use Deep Color, why is there a setting to 'turn it off'?
you say...
"Although, it's my understanding Deep Color is (or at least last time I checked) not used on BD anyway."
If BD doesn't use Deep Color, why is there a setting to 'turn it off'?
whoaru99
Epic Member
OK. now I'm confused...
you say...
"Although, it's my understanding Deep Color is (or at least last time I checked) not used on BD anyway."
If BD doesn't use Deep Color, why is there a setting to 'turn it off'?
You're not alone in confusion. Look around the Internet, lots of questions about it.
HDMI 1.3 standard added support for Deep Color. But again, as far as I know, it hasn't been actually implemented in the Blu Ray standard.
It's largely a matter of two different standards. To be HDMI 1.3 (or newer) compliant a piece must incorporate support for Deep Color. However, the HDMI standard does not/cannot force the Blu Ray or other standards to make full use of what HDMI can support.
So what happens is Blu Ray content has 8 bit per channel (R-G-B) color depth (24 bit total) and Deep Color essentially opens up as much as 16 bit per channel (but more typically 10-12 (30-36 bit total) pipeline. Big pipe that's only partially full, so to speak. The 30-48 bits wastes bandwith for something that isn't there in the first place; at least not at present.
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