Panasonic Introduces Handy Swiveling Head HDMI Cables
Posts with tag HDMI
Don't Spring for $50 HDMI Cables --Those $10 Ones Are Just As Good
by Terrence O'Brien, posted Apr 7th 2008 at 4:21PM
In fact, the tech site CNET has been using "high-end" $20 cables from Monoprice in its labs for testing top of the line TVs from companies such as Samsung and Sony. And trust us, CNET abuses those cables more than you ever could in your standard home theater set up.
The truth of the matter is that as far as digital signals are concerned, the quality of the cable matters very little. Used in HDTV and most satellite and cable systems these days, digital signals don't degrade as quickly and aren't subject to interference the same way that analog signals are.
So, unless you plan on running 20- and 30-foot cables around your house, or are building an audio or video production studio, you can stick to those cheaper $10 HDMI cables and will still get nothing but a top quality image.
From CNET
Related Links:
Westinghouse Takes HD Wireless
Of course, no home theater system would be complete with out a surround sound system. And what would a fancy wireless TV be without a fancy wireless audio system? Westinghouse will also be showing a wireless receiver and speakers that have a range of 65-feet and introduce no latency (which can be an issue with wireless) so that the image and audio are always perfectly in sync.
We're looking forward to seeing these wire-free Westies in action to see if they live up to the hype -- check back over the next few days for our hands-on impressions.
Related links:
Electronics Retailer Busted in Video Cable Quality Hoax
Monster Cable makes some great looking cables. In the world of connectors, the cable manufacturer's color schemes and aesthetics are unmatched. But do they actually make your television signal look better and your stereo signal sound better?This claim (by Monster itself) been a point of contention that many have attempted to prove, but a little scam found at a certain unnamed electronics retailer shows that some are being a little dishonest in attempting to show that supposed difference.
The above picture from CrunchGear shows a setup where people are asked to see whether they can see the difference between high-priced Monster Cables and the lower-priced alternatives you can buy online at places like monoprice.com and bluejeanscable.com. However, this is far from a fair test. Where the "Monster" image is run through one of the company's HDMI cables, offering a high-definition digital picture, the other image is run through a set of low-definition composite cables.
It's a cheap trick, definitely. Don't fall for it yourself. In general, the cheapo cables are just fine for typical home theater setups -- any place where you're running less than six-feet worth of cable. It's only when you're running long lengths of cable, the sort you might install in your walls, that you may just want to think about upgrading.
And if you're a serious high-end sound buff, you already knew all this and have your own favorite silver-lined, oxygen free cables anyway, right?
From CrunchGear
Related Links:
How to Hook Up Your New HDTV
Now that you've shelled out for a nice new HDTV, it's time to learn how to get the best possible sound and video out of it. Switched explains just what all of those inputs on the back of your set are for, how to connect them, and which ones will maximize your home theater experience.
Related Links:
Low-End Vs. High-End HDMI Throwdown
In the world of home theater and stereo enthusiasts there are two camps: Those who pay top dollar for fat, gold-plated cables claiming vastly improved picture or sound quality, and a second group that laughs at the first while using cheapo wires they claim deliver the same results. Which group is right? For the answer, you might want to check out Gizmodo, which is addressing this very issue in an upcoming HDMI cable comparison. The site has ordered in a $220 HDMI home theater cable from high-end cable maker Monster Cable, as well as budget $20 version from discount cable shop MonoPrice.com. We'll bring you the results when they're in.
We were at the Monster demo the other day in which the cable company demonstrated the difference between cheap HDMI cables and Monster HDMI cables. In the live Monster demo, the cheap cables gave out, resulting in no picture or lots of video noise, particularly with longer 10-foot cables transmitting 1080p video. We've never experienced that kind of drop-out with our non-Monster HDMI cables, but we haven't done extensive testing with 1080p signals, either. (We also haven't found any particularly cheap HDMI cables-- with the exception of XTreme Mac's $20 HDMI cables, they're all pretty pricey.)
Though in the past these comparisons have been done again and again, always with similar results -- that you don't get what you pay for or that it doesn't make a difference-- we look forward to seeing what side of the fence Gizmodo parks itself on.
From Gizmodo
Related Links:
Xbox 360 Gets Better, Darker
White may be the trendiest of all colors when it comes to gadgets these days, but Microsoft apparently decided it's time to go back to its darker gaming roots for the Xbox 360 Elite. The matte-black Elite may be a step back in terms of color, but it's definitely a step forward in other areas. Engadget is reporting (after correctly predicting) that the new model will have a 120-gigabyte hard drive perched on top, a full six times bigger than the existing Xbox 360 Premium's measly 20 gigs. It will also offer digital audio and video output via HDMI (High-Def Media Interface) to better support the latest HDTVs and home theaters in lieu of the analog, component video output found on current 360's. The 360 Elite will run you $479, settling in at $80 higher than the current Premium and a rather sizable $120 less than Sony's upper-tier 60 gig PS3.
What does this mean for gamers? Well, not an awful lot, actually. Microsoft recently launched an online video store that enables gamers to rent or purchase high-definition movies and TV-shows and download them directly to the 360's hard drive. 20 gigs doesn't leave an awful lot of room for high-def video, but given that rentals expire within a few days and you can re-download purchased videos as many times as you like, you can get by with it. The bigger hard drive will definitely be a bonus if Microsoft delivers on promises of adding IPTV functionality to the 360, effectively turning it into an Internet-driven cable box and DVR, but nobody's talking on exactly when that'll be.
Likewise, though HDMI has become the standard input for high-definition displays going forward, right now it doesn't add much value, offering a minimal (at best) boost in visual clarity over the 360's current component or VGA offerings. HDMI can handle both digital video and high-quality uncompressed audio, potentially meaning fewer cables cluttering up your entertainment center, but unless you have a fancy new audio-video receiver with HDMI inputs you'll still need to run separate audio cables.
Finally, and perhaps most importantly if you're thinking of upgrading, Microsoft isn't saying how or even if you'll be able to transfer your saved games from your current 360 should you decide to upgrade to this black beauty. Should none of that discourage you, start saving your pennies now, because it launches in North America on April 29th. No word yet on European or other territory launches.
From Engadget
