which hdmi cables do you use ?

got to decide which hdmi cable(s) i am going to plump for now as got to get the cables run under floorboards etc asap need a 10metre hdmi cable from the lounge sky hd box to the dining room 50inch lcd tv & another 10 metre hdmi/dvi cable(think thats correct cable) from laptop position 1 side of kitchen to again the lcd tv in diner.. obviously seen ie labgear hdmi leads at scewfix £25 approx good reviews & also similar on amazon..what do you guys use and reccomend cheers + any more suggestions for any more cable leads i should maybe consider cheers again

I have no problems using cheap ones. Such a long length may benefit from decent quality though.

Click here as an example of what not to get. Only £828 for 10 metres. Snake-oil abounds there...

2 dear

HDMI cables are built to the specification set out by the HDMI organisation which sets out strict controls over performance. What that means is that any HDMI cable that has been certified (That is, any cable being sold by a reputable retailer) will work. There will not be any improvement in picture quality by spending more on a cable. The data delivered by a cheap cable is identical to the data carried by an £800 cable. Therefore, buy the cheapest cable that you can find from a decent retailer. The picture will be every bit as good as the most expensive cable.

When you install the DVI - HDMI cable, remember that DVI does not carry audio. If you want an audio signal from the computer, make sure you install an additional stereo audio cable to carry the sound. Most televisions have at least one HDMI input that has an alternative audio input for just this type of connection.

what type of audio cable 3.5mm jack..

The audio cable depends on the connectors needed at each end. If you need a 3.5mm jack at both ends you will need to get hold of a 10 metre jack to jack lead. As the cables will not be easily accessible once they are installed, don't be tempted to use multiple shorter cables as you will end up with connectors that may fail and you won't be able to get to them to repair.

Unlike HDMI cable, the audio will be analogue and can suffer from interference from other sources. Therefore, you need to use a good quality cable with good screening. If you can't find a good quality pre-made cable, an alternative is to get one made up using professional audio patch cable or a foil screened installation cable. The cable will need to have two cores plus a screen. Soldering the connectors to the cable is relatively straightforward if you have access to a good quality soldering iron. Alternatively, most AV companies or audio specialists will be able to make one up for you. Getting a cable made for the job also means that you can specify the length you need rather than a standard length that may be longer than you actually need.

When you install the audio cable, try to keep it at least a few inches away from the HDMI cable if possible. The same applies to mains cables that are parallel to the audio cable.

Hopefully this will get you sorted but feel free to ask for clarification if you are still unclear about it.

Cheap HDMI leads are fine, I buy mine from the dreaded bay at whatever price is best, I have two 15 metre cables for my projectors which perform faultlessely, I think they cost about £10 each, the cables not the projectors

There was a tes recently, I think by Which, and the cheap cables gave exactly the same results as the very very expensive versions.

Best regards David

boxbrownie said:

There was a tes recently, I think by Which, and the cheap cables gave exactly the same results as the very very expensive versions.

Click to expand...

Of course they do. It's a digital signal, unless you're running a significant length or dealing with extreme interference, a 0 is a 0 and a 1 is a 1.

Monkeh said:

boxbrownie said:

There was a tes recently, I think by Which, and the cheap cables gave exactly the same results as the very very expensive versions.

Click to expand...

Of course they do. It's a digital signal, unless you're running a significant length or dealing with extreme interference, a 0 is a 0 and a 1 is a 1.

Click to expand...

Well its easy for you or I to say "of course they do" but there are plenty of people who are taken in by all the high tech hype thats put into advertising these cables......spread the word, get rid of the snake oil manufacturers!

I now only use "pure" hdmi cables:

http://www.kenable.co.uk/advanced_search_result.php?keywords=pure+hq+hdmi&x=0&y=0

I've been impressed with the quality, and these cables have the added advantage that the metal plug surround can be removed and replaced easily, which dramatically reduces the size of the plug should you need to pull the lead through a tight conduit/hole.