subject: Tips On Purchasing The Proper Cable For Your Home Entertainment System [print this page] Having the correct cables to do the job might seem simple enough and might seem and easy thing to remember, but with so many kinds and brands and styles, it can get confusing for the average electronics owner. The thing to remember is that if you are going for a high definition entertainment system, then you have to use the cables designed for high definition.
This will start with the HDMI cable. There have been many kinds of cables over the years, each promising the best picture and sound, but with HD, HDMI is the only one that delivers. Your old S-Video cables and component cables won't do you much good with that HD television and Blu-ray player. There are two basic kinds of HDMI cables, a normal cable and a high speed cable. The High speed cable is for televisions with resolutions of 1080p.
The standard cable will be for anything else lower than 1080p. For most people, the difference will not be noticeable. But if you paid for the equipment and want the absolute best picture and sound, then you will want to know the difference. With the advances in picture quality and sound quality, including newer surround sound systems that offer 7.1 channel sounds, you will want to take advantage of the upgrades. Now the difference between brands might not seem so great, but the cost does make a difference in how satisfied you are.
Like almost everything out there, there is a difference in quality in brands and level of cost. But again, for the average user, they will never be able to tell the difference. You necessarily need to buy those cables that are over $100. But you might want to stay away from the absolute cheapest ones as well. Like almost everything else in life, somewhere in the middle will get you the best results. You want something that works well, but doesn't make you feel like a chump and that you were ripped off.
Most cables offer some sort of warranty and if you just do not like them or think that they aren't good enough, you can always take them back and upgrade to the next level, but if you buy something right in the middle, from a reputable brand, you shouldn't have any trouble. A very good cable should cost somewhere between $25 and $50. Any lower might be considered a budget cable and much more would be considered premium and unless you are running some sort of studio where you need this, it most likely is not needed.
