Will I actually benefit from newer versions of HDMI cables?

Chuffy

I could do with a couple of inexpensive HDMI cables (less than £3), but a few I've seen at this price have been 'older' HDMI versions i.e. 1.1 & 1.2.
If I were to go for these cables, would there be any noticeable difference?
I've looked on Wiki, and to be honest, a lot of it made no sense to me.
I'd be using them to hook up a PS3 (both films and gaming) and a Home Cinema system (5.1 - quieter when running than the PS3, so fine for upscaling films) to a 720P 32" TV.

TIA

Marty_J

Here's what the different specifications mean:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HDMI#Versions

HDMI 1.0 supports 1080p and 8 channels of 192kHz/24 bit audio. If you're just using a PS3 and a home cinema system, it should be fine.

savemoney

Dont spend wads on hdmi cables they tested cheap and expensive hdmi cables on gadget show some weeks back and they couldn't tell the difference

thor

Home Bargains are doing some for £2.99. I don't know what version they are though. In fact I am having some trouble with my hdmi displaying my slideshow(see my earlier post) so I can't say how good it is or is not but it is cheap.

d900

over a certain distance i would choose expensive cables.

totalsolutions

I dont think so, NO
Had to write more as cannot just say NO, less than ten charachters. Get some nice finished ones in a nice blister pack, gold contacts and a pretty colour, but under a tenner. It will look good sound good and the electrons will be none the wiser.

ormus

http://www.richersounds.com/showproduct.php?cda=showproduct&pid=IXOS-XHT458-1100-BLU

a real bargain eh?:rotfl:

Domokun

I'll share my limited knowledge here on cheap vs. super expensive HDMI cables, though I don't know the exact ins and out. Hence the layman's terms.

HDMI cables carry a digital signal. This means, unlike analogue, it only carries 1 and 0s. While the signal is subjected to interference from the cable itself and outside sources, the source will send the 1s and 0s strongly enough to travel the average distance between your source and TV.

A rubbish cable and a brilliant cable will carry a digital signal far enough for the average user. You can buy an expensive cable that is highly shielded and retains the digital signal for longer, but it doesn't matter over short distance. At all. The 0s and 1s will still be well above the required 'power' for the TV to register them.

Don't waste your money on very expensive cables to carry digital signal over short distances. Same goes for Ethernet cable, and many others.

superscaper

Domokun wrote: »

I'll share my limited knowledge here on cheap vs. super expensive HDMI cables, though I don't know the exact ins and out. Hence the layman's terms.

HDMI cables carry a digital signal. This means, unlike analogue, it only carries 1 and 0s. While the signal is subjected to interference from the cable itself and outside sources, the source will send the 1s and 0s strongly enough to travel the average distance between your source and TV.

A rubbish cable and a brilliant cable will carry a digital signal far enough for the average user. You can buy an expensive cable that is highly shielded and retains the digital signal for longer, but it doesn't matter over short distance. At all. The 0s and 1s will still be well above the required 'power' for the TV to register them.

Don't waste your money on very expensive cables to carry digital signal over short distances. Same goes for Ethernet cable, and many others.

As Marty J said, the types of HDMI do make a difference. The more recent versions (1.3 etc) support more technologies, such as various surround sound standards, that earlier versions do not. If you want to make use of those standards and have a system (amp etc) that supports it then you would see a benefit to using the newer versions, depending on the individual set up and components.

Chuffy

I only need the signal to travel about half a meter so as far as I can tell v1.2 should be fine.
I looked in HB earlier today and they didn't have them (only the USB cables).

aliEnRIK

If your going to buy one you may as well make it a 1.3 so your covered for ANY tv source then.
For the record ~ MOST people will be happy with the very cheapest hdmi cables as the only way to tell ANY difference is through a real 'hifi' setup from a cheapie to the 'better' ones, of which I have tested myself. (For the record dearer isnt necessarily BETTER) and im REALLY into my hifi as opposed to most of the people that comment on this stuff without really having a clue.
But I do recommend a MOLAR hdmi ~ can get them for about 20 quid
Its amazing how quickly some of the cheaper cables (NOT all) have such a short span before they hit the 'cliff' (Point whereby the signal drops off completely)