I agree with all dick_grayson and jas722 on monoprice.com. Just bought a 3ft DVI-HDMI 24AWG with a net jacket for under $18 from them two weeks ago. If you need a longer cord and don't mind a lower guage wiring they have a HDMI DVI 28AWG 6ft (http://www.monoprice.com/products/product.asp?c_id=102&cp_id=10231&cs_id=1023101&p_id=2404&seq=1&format=2) for $6.44 and shipping is $3.85 (which should be $4.05 as the USPS Priority rate went up the other week).
Spiky
01-14-06, 10:40 PM
You should stay away from the 28AWG unless you are using a short cable. 3' ought to be ok, I probably wouldn't go above 12'. Actually, I personally would just always get the 24AWG, the small price difference at monoprice is worth it.
digitalfreaknyc
01-14-06, 11:38 PM
I just need a 12 foot cable.
RavenTwo
01-15-06, 06:11 AM
Thanks to the responders of this post I needed an HDMI to DVI cable and got it fairly cheap at monoprice. 24 AWG, 6ft for about $23 delivered. Thnaks again.
bdshort
01-18-06, 09:19 PM
I dont know if it's been mentioned already, but I would go with monoprice. ;)
Seriously, that's where I bought my DVI-HDMI cable I used to hook my PC to my HDTV.
Brian
Sdallnct
01-18-06, 09:48 PM
Those are some cheap prices! I'm thinking about running a S-video to my PJ (the only thing I didn't run when I installed). A 25ft one is only $5.15!
Mr. Cinema
01-19-06, 10:25 AM
Anyone used just a HDMI cable from monoprice.com? I bought a HDMI from Best Buy for $50. But if these are good quality, I'll get one there instead. MUCH cheaper.
Also, has anyone ever encountered a popping sound using HDMI? Last week, I got a Sony upconvert dvd player and tested it out with the HDMI. Every time I started a movie, it made a pop sound. I took it back because I didn't detect any picture quality difference, but I'm not sure if it was the player or the HDMI cable that caused the sound noise.
Spiky
01-19-06, 11:19 AM
I have a 25' 24AWG HDMI cable from monoprice. Works great, no sparklies. $34 + shipping. Don't use audio through it.
Mr. Cinema
01-19-06, 07:34 PM
The HDMI I got from Best Buy is made by Acoustic Research. It was either this brand or paying $125 for Monster.
Is this brand any good?
Also, if I just use component, is my HDTV converting it to 480p? The Sony I have uses a 1080i display. HDMI provides 1080i, correct?
BSTNFAN
01-19-06, 08:41 PM
The HDMI I got from Best Buy is made by Acoustic Research. It was either this brand or paying $125 for Monster.
Is this brand any good?
Also, if I just use component, is my HDTV converting it to 480p? The Sony I have uses a 1080i display. HDMI provides 1080i, correct?
Acoustic Research is OK, but still overpriced, just not as much as Monster. The HDMI cable will output whatever is put into it including 480i/p, 720p and 1080i, but so will component cables. Most upconverting DVD players will not put 720p/1080i over component, but that is for copyright purposes. HD cable boxes will put 720p/1080i over component just fine.
Spiky
01-20-06, 11:31 AM
Just watch for sparklies, tiny dots of white in the picture that don't belong. This is the artifact that poor HDMI cables cause. If you don't have sparklies, you should be just fine. If you have a 6' cable, probably any undamaged HDMI cable will work. Once you need a longer one you need to be a bit more careful with the shopping.
Mr. Cinema
01-21-06, 10:45 PM
I'm back and forth on this issue.
Will HDMI provide a better 1080i display than Component? I'm just wondering if it's worth the extra $7 a month to have the DVR with HDMI compared to saving that money and just using the regular HD box with Component. I'm not even getting the DVR to record shows, it's just that is the only box Time Warner has with the HDMI connection.
I'm thinking I don't need that because I didn't notice a difference with the HDMI I was using with the Sony upconverting player I tried out a couple of weeks ago. But that wasn't producing a true 1080i signal like the cable broadcasts will provide. Plus, returning that $50 HDMI cable would allow me to get another 360 game instead. :)
Spiky
01-24-06, 10:38 AM
No, not worth the difference for HDMI since there probably won't be one. But it would be for the DVR, IMO.
Mr. Cinema
01-25-06, 09:30 PM
I have a 25' 24AWG HDMI cable from monoprice. Works great, no sparklies. $34 + shipping. Don't use audio through it.
I may now get the DVR and HDMI just to try it out. I would only need a 6' cable. What is wrong with using the hdmi for audio as well?
Also, were you saying the DVR would benefit from HDMI, moreso than component?
DJ_Longfellow
01-26-06, 07:55 AM
Thanks for the monoprice.com site. I just ordered TWO optical cables for $10 (I got 12' just in case)
Mr. Cinema
01-26-06, 09:10 AM
I ordered the 6' 24AWG HDMI last night and it shipped this morning already. :thumbsup:
What's the best optical to get? I have a monster coaxial that I'm going to use with my DVR. It was hooked up to my dvd player, but I'm gonna use the optical for that.
how about this: Toslink to Toslink M/M OD:5.0mm, Assembly Type, Metallic Body - 6ft
only $5.25
I just need 6'. I'm guessing the shorter the cable you need, the better?
Spiky
01-26-06, 11:13 AM
I may now get the DVR and HDMI just to try it out. I would only need a 6' cable. What is wrong with using the hdmi for audio as well?
Also, were you saying the DVR would benefit from HDMI, moreso than component?
The nice thing about most cable companies is that you aren't signing anything long term. Try it for a month, send it back with no penalty most likely.
I was saying the HDMI probably won't be much of an improvement compared to component. But the DVR would be a definite improvement over no DVR.
Spiky
01-26-06, 11:21 AM
Optical is optical. If it works, you are good. If it doesn't work, it must have severe physical damage. Monoprice should be good, or Parts Express.
Mr. Cinema
01-26-06, 06:03 PM
Thanks. The cable guy is coming Saturday with the DVR.
DJ_Longfellow
01-26-06, 09:32 PM
I realized I needed a few more cables....dang. I just placed my second order with Monoprice. I did not have a DVI-I cable (I had the other kind). Oh well. I got 12' cables basically since 6' ma have been cutting it close
Mr. Cinema
01-27-06, 07:55 PM
I have gone back and forth about DVR. I was all set to have this hooked up tomorrow. However, I googled the brand I was getting, a "Scientific Atlantic 8300". Every place that mentioned this box basically said it was a complete piece of garbage. Stating it was very buggy, etc. People also had big problems with the HDMI connection in that unit.
That's enough for me to cancel my delivery tomorrow. I'll just wait until they get a better box. I have a regular HD box from Pioneer, who is a brand I trust. Why don't they use a name brand DVR like they do their other boxes? Before getting this HD box, I had a regular digital box and it was also Pioneer.
soheilm3
01-28-06, 01:28 AM
I have gone back and forth about DVR. I was all set to have this hooked up tomorrow. However, I googled the brand I was getting, a "Scientific Atlantic 8300". Every place that mentioned this box basically said it was a complete piece of garbage. Stating it was very buggy, etc. People also had big problems with the HDMI connection in that unit.
That's enough for me to cancel my delivery tomorrow. I'll just wait until they get a better box. I have a regular HD box from Pioneer, who is a brand I trust. Why don't they use a name brand DVR like they do their other boxes? Before getting this HD box, I had a regular digital box and it was also Pioneer.
i have the sa8300 and it works good. i used a hdmi to dvi cable and the set works fine, apparently issues if you hdmi to hdmi.
--soheil
dick_grayson
01-28-06, 12:32 PM
I've had some problems with my SA8300 but nothing too bad. The worst is just that, every once in a while, I have to unplug it and re-establish the connection. That only happens once every few weeks, so it's not that big a deal. I think it more has to do with connection traffic rather than the box iteslf. I'm using hdmi from it to my 50" panasonic plasma and the picture makes the minor inconvenience worth it. The hd-dvr is pretty cool, too.
Spiky
01-30-06, 11:00 AM
SA is a big brand name for cable boxes. Motorola is the other main supplier of DVRs to cable companies.