2 metre HDMI cable €5.99 in Lidl. from 28th of january

Copper_pipe

http://www.lidl.ie/cps/rde/xchg/lidl_ri_ie/hs.xsl/index_28014.htm

To Alcohol

Copper_pipe wrote: »

http://www.lidl.ie/cps/rde/xchg/lidl_ri_ie/hs.xsl/index_28014.htm

Can you only imagine the quality of that ****e.:pac:

Keano

And one costing 50 euro would be better? Think not...

gerryk

To Alcohol wrote: »

Can you only imagine the quality of that ****e.:pac:

I have bought HDMI cables for .99c delivered, and they work every bit as well as something 10 or 100 times the price.

phog

To Alcohol wrote: »

Can you only imagine the quality of that ****e.:pac:

I'm no expert on HDMI cables but from some reviews I've seen the quality of a €6 cable v a cable costing 10 times that is negligible to most users. Could be worth a punt for normal use.

Oracle

€1.49 for a 1 meter HDMI cable in Dealz: http://www.dealz.ie/product-range/a-z/signalex-hdmi-cable-for-home-entertainment/

smilgy

I was in Dealz the other day and saw that they have HDMI cables for 1.49. Don't remember the exact length though.

Outkast_IRE

I tend to only buy braided hdmi cables now , after a few cheap ones breaking after a year or two.

Access

gerryk wrote: »

I have bought HDMI cables for .99c delivered, and they work every bit as well as something 10 or 100 times the price.

Totally agree... I would rather spend between 99 cent to €2 delivered from china on ebay than €5.99 anywhere for a 1.4v HDMI cable to be honest.

Never had an issue with any i have got.

Access

AND... anyone who thinks "gold plated" on HDMI or scart or headphones makes any positive advantage to it needs a kick in the nuts.

phog

Outkast_IRE wrote: »

I tend to only buy braided hdmi cables now , after a few cheap ones breaking after a year or two.

Depends on how much usage ( plugging in and out) you'd have for the cable. If it was permanently in position then a cheap one could last years, even then if you were getting 2 years for a cheap cable can you really have a complaint.

stimpson

Access wrote: »

AND... anyone who thinks "gold plated" on HDMI or scart or headphones makes any positive advantage to it needs a kick in the nuts.

You can really see the difference with a gold plated HDMI once they have been run in properly.

Kevin!

stimpson wrote: »

You can really see the difference with a gold plated HDMI once they have been run in properly.

No, no you can't - it's digital signal it either works or it doesn't at lengths of 2m

stimpson

Kevin! wrote: »

No, no you can't - it's digital signal it either works or it doesn't at lengths of 2m

I find the contrast to be far more dynamic. TBH, gold plated is fine for most people but silver-palladium is really where is at.

Access

stimpson wrote: »

I find the contrast to be far more dynamic. TBH, gold plated is fine for most people but silver-palladium is really where is at.

Oh sweet jesus! in fairness, the difference wouldnt be visible to the naked eye!

I feel sorry for the guys that go into the likes of PC world or harvey normans and spends €50+ on the likes of a "monster" branded HDMI cable.

Cheap HDMI version 1.4 cables are fine for any home setup of HTPC or Bluray or Sky HD etc.

danthefan

Access wrote: »

Oh sweet jesus! in fairness, the difference wouldnt be visible to the naked eye!

I feel sorry for the guys that go into the likes of PC world or harvey normans and spends €50+ on the likes of a "monster" branded HDMI cable.

Cheap HDMI version 1.4 cables are fine for any home setup of HTPC or Bluray or Sky HD etc.

Went to buy a HDMI cable in PC World a few months back, went for the cheapest one, was told by one of their sales staff that he "didn't reckon that cable could carry a HD signal". I didn't really know what to say. Well I didn't know what to say that wouldn't have resulted in me being kicked out of the shop.

Nonoperational

A real money making con for gullible people are HDMI cables. The signal either reaches the source or it doesn't...

Can I interest anyone in some magic beans?

Red Alert

As an electronic engineer I can assure you that in almost all normal domestic and commercial use cases, a 99c Hdmi cable will work just as well as a 100 euro one.

Ant

danthefan wrote: »

Went to buy a HDMI cable in PC World a few months back, went for the cheapest one, was told by one of their sales staff that he "didn't reckon that cable could carry a HD signal". I didn't really know what to say. Well I didn't know what to say that wouldn't have resulted in me being kicked out of the shop.

I was told (with even greater certainty) the same thing in their alternatively branded Currys when I bought a €7 cable to got with a new TV a few weeks ago. I was tempted to ask what he thought the HD in HDMI stood for but it was close to 6 so I didn't bother.

I'm also an electronic engineer and as other posters above have stated, not only would the eye not distinguish the difference, there is no actual difference between short (less than 5m) length HDMI cables for the eye to distinguish. The only reason you'd pay extra is for build quality if you thought you might be regularly plugging the cable in and out of different devices.

I laughed at the bullshít Monster used with when selling analogue hi-fi interconnects and speaker cables but it's even more farcical that the industry would try the same shít with digital cables.

From http://www.techradar.com/news/video/why-you-dont-need-to-spend-more-than-2-on-an-hdmi-cable-1071343

"Will using a £5,000 USB cable make your printer better?"

paddy147

danthefan wrote: »

Went to buy a HDMI cable in PC World a few months back, went for the cheapest one, was told by one of their sales staff that he "didn't reckon that cable could carry a HD signal". I didn't really know what to say. Well I didn't know what to say that wouldn't have resulted in me being kicked out of the shop.

Currys are way overpriced for most things.:(

33 euro for a basic 2 meter long 6 gang extension lead...no fecking way.:eek::mad:


Went to Argos and got 4 of them (Masterplug surge protected 6 gang extension lead) for 7 euro each.Bought them for my 2 large aquariams.

Happy days.:D

paddy147

I have a 30 meter long HDMI FLAT LEAD here sitting in a box.

I bought it in to run under upstairs floor boards,but never got around to installing it.

I just used 2 Cat5e cables that were allready installed under the floor,and were sitting behind the TV as spares and used those (combined with 2 Cat5e to HDMI adaptors) as a HDMI cable/signal instead.

Simples.:)

Headshot

You still see people buying those Monster branded HDMI cables and the prices they pay for them is ridiculous

StaticNoise

I'm going to leave this here...

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Ex-Pro%C2%AE-ULTRA-Cable-Ethernet-support/dp/B003RI7BZE/

... and then this:

http://www.expertreviews.co.uk/home-entertainment/1292371/expensive-hdmi-cables-make-no-difference-the-absolute-proof



Thanks OP!

WildCardDoW

To all the EE's, where do you work and any jobs? :P



I delight in telling customers that the cable they bought is no better than one for a tenth of a price (I've never come across someone who spent more than €30, or maybe they wouldn't admit it). What concerns me is that...most of them talk about how it makes the audio better. Sigh.

Of course we should all point out, a cheaper cable does mean cheaper build quality.

stimpson

Nonoperational wrote: »

A real money making con for gullible people are HDMI cables. The signal either reaches the source or it doesn't...

Can I interest anyone in some magic beans?

Magic listening beans? I'll take a dozen!

paddyp

Access wrote: »

AND... anyone who thinks "gold plated" on HDMI or scart or headphones makes any positive advantage to it needs a kick in the nuts.

A fool and his money...
Reminds me of an indonesian guy in singapore that bought solid silver hdmi cables then spent 6k on solid silver cable to hook up his 2k speakers to play his 256k mp3s and itunes aac file through :rolleyes:
He still couldn't see the point when I pointed out that for an extra $500 he could have had a powered version of the same speakers thus eliminating the speaker cable entirely.
Then again he made more in a month that I did in a year so I suppose another way to look at it is that he was keeping someone elses family in (gourmet) food and (designer) clothes

Sofiztikated

paddy147 wrote: »

I have a 30 meter long HDMI FLAT LEAD here sitting in a box.

I bought it in to run under upstairs floor boards,but never got around to installing it.

I just used 2 Cat5e cables that were allready installed under the floor,and were sitting behind the TV as spares and used those (combined with 2 Cat5e to HDMI adaptors) as a HDMI cable/signal instead.

Simples.:)

Are those Cat5e to HDMI adapters something like €30 a piece tho?

dodzy

None of yis have a clue.....

Just bought 2 of these. The dogs bollix apparently.

http://www.amazon.com/AudioQuest-Coffee-12m-Braided-HDMI/dp/B003CT5KMO/ref=sr_1_9?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1336413133&sr=1-9

Even with the import taxes, its still a great deal.

MoodeRator

dodzy wrote: »

None of yis have a clue.....

Just bought 2 of these. The dogs bollix apparently.

http://www.amazon.com/AudioQuest-Coffee-12m-Braided-HDMI/dp/B003CT5KMO/ref=sr_1_9?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1336413133&sr=1-9

Even with the import taxes, its still a great deal.

Love the reviews!!!

Benny_Cake

Cracked did a piece on high-tech rip offs a while back which included digital cables. Unlike most of you here, I'm not an electronic engineer but something in my gut tells me that a cable shouldn't cost more than the TV did. Thanks for spotting this OP, I've been meaning to pick one up.

Fanny Biscuit

Don't judge me but i bought a HDMI cable in Dealz for €0.99. I have it connected between my HD satellite box and HD tv. I've no problems with the picture or sound.

Korvanica

Fanny Biscuit wrote: »

Don't judge me but i bought a HDMI cable in Dealz for €0.99. I have it connected between my HD satellite box and HD tv. I've no problems with the picture or sound.

.99 cent cables are perfect, I use them too. I wouldn't pay more than €2 for a HDMI cable. Unless I need one longer than 2 meters.

HDMI is digital, it either works or it doesn't.

There is nothing I hate more than seeing a sales person in the likes of Harvey Norman trying to sell some poor chap a €90 Monster gold plated HDMI cable. And i've actually said it to a few people too after the sales rep left them.

BeanFlicker

101110110100001111101010011011000010111111

:pac:

Notch000

2E shop all thae way, buy a spare one if your dubious about one breaking after a couple of yrs

Tony

"There are only 10 types of people in the world. Those that understand binary and those that don't."

BeanFlicker wrote: »

101110110100001111101010011011000010111111

:pac:

paddy147

Sofiztikated wrote: »

Are those Cat5e to HDMI adapters something like €30 a piece tho?

I get them for free,as I work in the IT/Construction sector.:)

dodzy

paddy147 wrote: »

I get them for free,as I work in the Photography sector.:)

FYP Paddy

Kenny Logins

stimpson wrote: »

You can really see the difference with a gold plated HDMI once they have been run in properly.

I honestly thought you were taking the piss...

slave1

I've a €4k home cinema and used cheap generic HDMI cables, even at 10 meters I still only spend around £10-15 max and no problems.

Capt'n Midnight

Gold plated optical cables is where it's at.

And yes they actually exist :eek:

Bottom line to avoid thermocouple effects / galvanic corrosion etc. you should match connectors. If the equipment has gold connectors then consider using gold cables. If the equipment doesn't have gold connectors then it's almost certainly using nickel plated connectors and so should any cables you use with it.



The other one that gets my goat is oxygen free copper.

To get rid of impurities like phosphorous that drastically affect electrical conductivity you refine copper by electrolysis. This also removes oxygen. The only copper that you don't need to do this with is the stuff you use to make pipes out of or use for coins/brass/bronze.
It's like buying a car and the salesman assuring you that the bodywork is made out of mild steel rather than cast iron.

/RANT

Cantona's Collars

Korvanica wrote: »

There is nothing I hate more than seeing a sales person in the likes of Harvey Norman trying to sell some poor chap a €90 Monster gold plated HDMI cable. And i've actually said it to a few people too after the sales rep left them.

I've done the same:D

Cheap HDMI cables are no different from the expensive ones.The most I've paid for HDMI cables was €7 for a pack of two & this was before they became readily available in €2 shops,never had a problem with them.

bmaxi

Am I mistaken or are there swivel connectors on this cable? If so it would probably make it worth the €6, I priced a 270 deg. adapter on Amazon for approx €8 +P+P.

oldyouth

Euro Giant have them for €1 in some shops, €2 in others. My young lads use them without complaint and they are in constant use.

Cmar-Ireland

bmaxi wrote: »

Am I mistaken or are there swivel connectors on this cable? If so it would probably make it worth the €6, I priced a 270 deg. adapter on Amazon for approx €8 +P+P.

Yeah, these have swivel and rotatable connectors. So are worth a the money if space is tight behind your equipment.

stimpson

Kenny Logins wrote: »

I honestly thought you were taking the piss...

I was

The only connectors I recommend people paying for is decent multi strand speaker cable. Especially over long runs eg. for surround sound rear speakers. The resistance of a few meters of cable can affect the frequency response curve of the speaker. Thick (>1.5 mm dia.) multi strand cable will have much lower resistance (impedance actually) and will have much less impact on the signal. Then again you can get 20 metres of cable for less than a tenner on eBay.

Access

stimpson wrote: »

I was

Oh no you weren't! (he shouts in a pantomime voice)

Catmologen

Got one today, 2m cable and swivel connectors on the back. Happy with it!

smellsfunny

Anyone want to come into business with me and start selling HDMI cables? Here is my business plan.

1) Buy 200 HDMI cables for 99c each. Cost 198 euro
2) Buy 5 cans of Dutch Gold spray paint. 20 euro
3) Spray the ends of the leads gold
4) Sell each one for 500 euro on amazon.
5) Profit 100,000 euro.

Success

bmaxi

Bought one myself. These are a far superior piece of kit to the run of the mill Euro shop stuff, not so much for signal transmission as for convenience.
I have a flatscreen tv which I have to lay face down to access the hdmi socket and even then it is difficult to get it in straight, with this, you just bend the connector in whatever way you want. Well worth the €6, this is what they're going for on Amazon http://www.amazon.co.uk/Accell-B122C-010B-Supreme-Ethernet-Connectors/dp/B0042JGLIU/ref=sr_1_65?ie=UTF8&qid=1359408879&sr=8-65

wait4me

or you could spend $4.30, wait a little while and get one of these HDMI swivel. Handy for those awkward sockets.

Luckycharms_74

They have HDMI cables here that have 1 x 90° connector (which is all you need really).
Prices are the following for the different sizes. There are also many more sizes available.

1 Mtr = £1.85
2.5 Mtr = £2.60
5 Mtr = £4.99
10 Mtr = £7.49

Use Parcel Motel for free delivery