Upgrade HDMI cable

**Stephen W** · 14-09-2008

I've read that the SKY provided HDMI cable is not of a particularly high quality and that the picture quality could be improved by a better one - is this right and, if so, what make should I go for? Thanx.

**PaulR** · 14-09-2008

No, it's not true.

HDMI is a digital format, which means that the signal is either there or it isn't. You either have a picture or you don't, except on the edge of losing the picture when it will break up into blocks - not something that you could mistake for a poor picture.

So, providing you have a picture, then changing the cable will no difference whatsoever except to relieve you of some money!

If the picture is poor then it's probably your TV at fault.

**Stephen W** · 14-09-2008

Thanks. No, the picture looks to me to be OK. It was just what I had read elsewhere that it could be even better with a higher quality connection between the SKY HD box and the TV. I will stick to this forum in future and not get my head full of nonsense!!.

**PaulR** · 14-09-2008

You could end up paying a lot more if you don't watch out. This was in the Feedback section of New Scientist of 23 July 2008.

The $500 cable

EAGLE-EYED readers have pointed us to an intriguing offer. The US website for Japanese electronics giant Denon is inviting consumers to pay $499 for what appears to be a 1.5-metre network cable of the type that usually costs only a few dollars. So what's so special about Denon's AK-DL1 patch cord?

According to Denon's website it has "woven jacketing to reduce vibration" and the cable structure is "designed to thoroughly eliminate adverse effects from vibration". In addition, "signal directional markings are provided for optimum signal transfer". Plus, the AK-DL1 is made from "high purity copper" which "will bring out all the nuances in digital audio reproduction".

As puzzled as our readers, we emailed Denon via the website to ask for an explanation of what causes vibration in a network cable, what the adverse effects are, why signal directional markings optimise signal transfer, and how high-purity copper wire brings out the nuances of a digital signal.

Within minutes an email winged back that failed to answer any of our questions. Although the AK-DL1 may look like an ordinary ethernet cable, it told us, "the similarities end there... the cable is designed in such a way that vibration is all but eliminated so that sound being passed is as pure as possible... That being said, this cable is not going to provide you with much of a difference unless used with top of the line equipment across the board."

Denon helpfully gives some examples of such equipment, including a DVD player that costs $3800 and an amplifier costing $7000. So all we have to do to check Denon's claims for the $500 cable is pay $10,800 for something to plug it into. Isn't that nice?

Shortly after this exchange with Denon, we came across an item on the BoingBoing gadget site at _www.cablereviews.notlong.com. It quotes "brilliant" reviews of the Denon cable from what BoingBoing describes as "perhaps the best amazon [reader] reviews page of all time". Our favourite is this: "A caution to people buying these: if you do not follow the 'directional markings' on the cables, your music will play backwards."

Original here _http://www.newscientist.com/backpage.ns?id=mg19926662.400

gunn1e · 16-09-2008

The Sly stock HDMI cables will be no worse than a £100 monster cable unless you want to use it for a skipping rope and then still expect it to work afterwards.

When it comes to digital signals along a 1 meter run then one make of cable will be just as good as another.

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