CBC Marketplace compared Monster cables with a midrange and a $12 HDMI cable. Both to the naked eye and to a computerized hardware test all the cable performed flawlessly. The only difference was the price. [CBC Marketplace]
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@homerjay: Spitzer is no doubt going to write a book and biography -- probably something called "Why I Did It: and the Moments Leading Up to my Resignation - An account of former New York Governor, Elliot Spitzer" and all the media outlets are going to publicize it. One way or another, everything eventually becomes good publicity.
Anyways, good to see some computerized hardware testing on this issue.
Almost all name brand connecting cables (PC, audio, video, etc) have a fairly high mark-up. Just buy the generic brands. And for ethernet cable, just make your own. Buy the cable in bulk, buy a crimper and some connectors, download instructions from the net, and you're all set. You can even make/sell cable to your friends to recover your initial costs.
Is beating on Monster Cables the next thing after beating on Best Buy? Not that either is unjustified, it's just now it seems like the new thing is to prove Monster Cables are overpriced.
Oh, and before anyone else.... monoprice FTW!
How about the expensive digital cables that claim better sound reproduction? Uhhh... I guess someone doesn't understand the idea behind DIGITAL? It either works, or it doesn't. There's not a lot of in-between (except for it works sometimes).
monoprice.com is all i have to say. they have the "generic" cables on their site for $10 or less. They are 24 gauge, gold plated, ferrite core, insulated cables that I have NEVER had a problem with. There is absolutely no reason to use a more expensive HDMI cable when it is exactly the same materials for 1/10th of the price.
@bdsakx: Not to mention, Spitzer's wife will now be seen as a potential congressional and presidential candidate!
and damn, AlteredBeast JUST beat me to it. monoprice rocks. buy all your cables through them.
*yawn*
Strictly speaking (but NOT practically speaking), digital cables *can* screw up, and quality *can* matter. But... it's not realistic. If you start to drop data due to cable problems, you have the same problems with bandwidth as you do on the internet, except instead of "buffering" slowing you down, all that data is just skipped, i.e., lost. Maybe DirecTV is a better example, if you know what I mean. In any case, You're not happy, and the cables are crap. But... if the cables aren't defective, this won't happen to you. Just pointing out that "digital" doesn't automatically mean quality; the cables do still have to work. But if they work, they work. They work.
screw monster cables. I got a decent 35FT HDMI cable from Blue Jeans Cable for $80, which was $220 bucks cheaper that a shorter cable I was offered at a retail store.
I'm curious...has anyone ever demanded an in-store demonstration? I'm almost tempted to go into Best Buy and have them show me, side-by-side, the two different cables.
...in fact, I wonder what cable they use to hook up all their TV's in-store...I bet you dollars to donuts that it's not Monster!
I saw a presentation on HDMI cables a couple weeks ago by a fellow from Belden who knows his cable. There are significant differences between cheap cables and properly engineered ones, but even his biased assesment was that for short runs - particularly between components in your home theater setup which are easy to replace - go with the cheapest cable that works.
If you are going to bury it in a wall (where it's hard to replace), or run 50+ feet of it, make sure it's good cable with proper shielding, etc.
Cheap cables often suffer from timing and interference issues. These are often corrected in digital devices, but only if the errors don't grow too large.
In my opinion, if it's a cable you have to touch frequently (say you swap between a lot of FireWire drives), well-designed connectors and shrouds make a difference, even if the cable performs the same as one a couple bucks cheaper.
@PDX909:
Blue Jeans Cable has some great, high-quality cables. Custom built, and reasonably priced - what more could you want?
@bdsakx: "Spitzer is no doubt going to write a book and biography"
Does the "Son of Sam" law cover hiring hookers?
No, "beating" on Monster Cables became the next thing eons ago, back when they gained a reputation for being one of the biggest collective bunches of douchebags around. Google "Snow Monsters", "Monster Vintage", or "Madmartian" +cables for reference.
Insanely stupid overpricing aside, why anyone would buy a Monster Cable product after their long run of well-known PR fiascos (even if the complaints were later dropped or settled), is far beyond my comprehension.
[www.monstergreed.com]
[www.madmartian.com]
[www.durangoherald.com]
[ridingsun.blogspot.com]
Let's get this straight. HDMI is not a cable, like 18AWG. Nor is it a connector, like RCA, BNC and 1/4". Unlike most cable, which is named by its gauge, number of conductors or connectors, HDMI is a STANDARD. Which simply means that the cable must meet the standard to have the HDMI groups name on it. So, all HDMI cables meet or exceed that standard by definition. So if you want to pay 2,000% Mark up for the same thing, go right ahead.
We are making too much fuss ofer one of the simplest electronic devices. Give the connector a tug and if it doesn't come off in your hand, the cable is probably good enough.
If it works it's good
@bdsakx: Not to mention that Ashley "musician" with probably write one too and it will sell.
If only this mattered. I remember back when an exposé was done on Empire Carpet a few months before my brother used them. Talked about how they screw everyone and use subpar product.
My brother asked the installer if it affected their business and the guy told him that after that thing ran they had more business from Empire than they could handle.
All publicity is good publicity.....well, unless you're Elliot Spitzer.