Why the heck are component cables so expensive (1 Viewer)

[todd stone]

for 3-6 ft of monster component at best buy or circuit city it's $60-90 ridiculous...

 

[Michael Cook]

Yikes!! Check ebay for a much better price:
Link Removed

 

[todd stone]

for component whats the difference in monster video 2 and monster video 3?

 

[JohnMW]

AR Pro Series component cables are only 45.00 shipped from Accessories4less

Nice cables!

 

[Bob McElfresh]

Some of it IS marketing. But making cables is very labor intensitve. There is no machine that takes rolls of cable and stacks of plugs and spits out cables. AFAIK every connector is hand-assembled. And a component cable is 3 times the work of a video cable.

I agree that the AR series is quite good for a run-to-the-store brand. But the internet sites like CatCables and BetterCables do give you high-quality for less than say the Monster 3 or even Monster 2 levels.

 

[Richard Burzynski]

Just for fun, if you have a an extra A/V cable around the house, you know the red, white & yellow tipped ones, give'em a try and see what you think. Won't cost you nothing.

Rich B.

 

[JohnMW]

You can also use (3) composite video cables.

 

[RicP]

Just for fun, if you have a an extra A/V cable around the house, you know the red, white & yellow tipped ones, give'em a try and see what you think. Won't cost you nothing

This is not a very good suggestion though. The combo cables (Red, White, & Yellow) are made for composite video and 2 audio signals, not three component video signals.

The audio portion of those cables is usually different and of lower quality than the video portion. While that cable will pass the signal, it will do so less than optimally and you are much better off going with 3 well constructed 75ohm video cables or one well-contructed Component Cable.

 

[John Royster]

Why?

Cause you'll pay that price. Called marketing. And really good marketing if I may add.

 

[Chu Gai]

i believe Target has a 20 foot component video cable going for $20...also available online...GE I think it was. And yes there are machines that make cables...economies of scale you know.

 

[Richard Burzynski]

Ric:

"not a good suggestion"

Why? Not a good suggestion to simply "TRY" something? Come on. If there is such a significant difference, surely the user/tester should be able to see for his own eyes.

Rich B.

 

[Chuck C]

This is not a very good suggestion though. The combo cables (Red, White, & Yellow) are made for composite video and 2 audio signals, not three component video signals.

Not unless you're using three identical "throw-away" cables. Give it a try.

 

[Danny Tse]

Walmart has 6 ft Magnavox component video cable for $19.99.

 

[David Judah]

Yes, by all means try the A/V cable(yellow, red & white) and compare it to a good quality component cable. Then you will clearly see that RicP is right.

DJ

 

[Mark Rich]

Baffle them with B.S.and consumers will pay the price.

Its why I use and recomend broadcast cables (Belden, Canare etc.)from companies like RhinoCables or Wickedcables rather than boutique brands that offer pretty cables with lots of marketing fluff.

 

[Allan Jayne]

I don't know of any easy way, other than trying it out and testing, to find out whether:
1. Most of what you are paying for is salesmanship fluff,
2. Most of what you are paying for is added quality and bandwidth and exquisite soldering of the plugs on the ends.
3. Some of what you are paying for is fluff and some is for added quality.
Once in awhile an A/V cable set works OK for component video. Such may be the case if the factory simplifies things by using only one spool of wire (hopefully video grade) and then it is easier if the person soldering on the plugs doesn't have to care which of the three wires the yellow (video) plug goes on.
One sign of poor quality cable is if the picture wavers or changes as you pick up the cable with your hand.
More on bandwidth:
http://members.aol.com/ajaynejr/bandwid.htm

 

[RicP]

Why? Not a good suggestion to simply "TRY" something? Come on

Mea Culpa.
Ok, to try it sure. I suppose that I took it to mean that you were suggesting that it were a viable alternative, which of course it is not.
So yes, try away...I would never want to dissuade anyone from experimenting.

 

[Brian_C]

It really doesn't hurt to try it. If you can't tell the difference, return the more expensive cables and you've just saved yourself some money. If you can tell the difference then it sure would make you feel better for buying expensive cables...

 

[todd stone]

I'll have to try some walmart brand

 

[Bill Bradstreet]

http://www.target.com/common/catalog...ump&navCount=1
I think it is 12 feet... still a great deal