The great HDMI cable scam - what you NEED to know

I learned a valuable lesson over the years - people are afraid of what they don't understand, and if they are concerned about something they don't understand (typically something newfangled), people throw money at what they don't understand, overcompensating to lay their fears to rest. All too often, however, this is a mistake. Case in point - HDMI cables. If you've been buying computer or A/V gear for very long in either the professional or consumer space, you've seen things like Monster Cables - which I won't bother linking to since they are the most horrible, ridiculous ripoff of all cabling time. It isn't that they are bad cables - they're actually quite nice. But they are RIDICULOUSLY OVERPRICED, to the point that my Alesis Monitor One manual (my nice, professional studio reference montiors (that's speakers to everybody else)) specifically went out of their way to point out you DO NOT NEED MONSTER BRAND CABLES. They are typically over-specced, which isn't a bad thing, but are waaaaaay overpriced as I mentioned.

Case in point - I goofed when ordering my HDMI switch (more on him later), and got the wrong mix of cables - I need another HDMI to HDMI, but I have an HDMI to DVI. Drat.

So I figured I'd run up to my local Radio Shack and get one, knowing it'd be overpriced but in my hands. Little did I realize...even the non Monster Cable 6 foot HDMI to HDMI cable was $50. Holy crap. The Monster brand cable was either $80 or $120, I was so appalled I don't recall the price.

Jumping on Amazon, how much are they? As little as $3 and change ($3.12, new). I've three coming with overnight shipping for less than Radio Shack would charge me for one.

Quality cables are worth having - when I was shopping for my big long 50 footer, I got a big thick fat one. But as a rule, Monster Brand cables are to be avoided like a tax audit - they will do you no good and hurt a LOT.

As a general rule of thumb for DVI, HDMI, FireWire, USB, etc. cables, look for thicker rather than thinner cables, look for stout reinforcements around the connector, look for sturdily built stuff that can take getting stepped on and yanked around. But walk right past Monster, they are worse than Microsoft in terms of FUD and price gouging. And the kicker? THEY DON'T WORK ANY BETTER. Your picture will NOT look better, your audio will NOT sound better. This is ESPECIALLY true with cables for digital gear like DVI, HDMI, toslink, etc. They typically work or they don't, and it is incredibly rare for image quality to be affected.

Now analog cables, such as for RCA plug audio, component/s-video/composite, or speaker wire? Get thick stout robust cables or wiring....at Fry's, Altex, or somesuch. Off brand speaker wire is JUST FINE if it is of sufficient gauge. Check your manual or your audio buddies for what is appropriate. I go to Altex Electronics in town, they carry stout but generic and inexpensive stuff and it all works fine for me.

So remember - that $120 Monster HDMI cable will work exactly as well, generate the EXACT SAME PICTURE as that $9 one online. Stores like Best Buy ONLY carry Monster Brand, and I wouldn't doubt it if they make more profit off the cables than they do some of the electronics they sell for the cables to go with. I know that was the case for printer cables back in the early 90s - printers were the loss leader, the cables for $50 cost $2 in bulk...

-mike