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Will expensive s-video cable make a difference? (1 Viewer)

Jason Spencer

Stunt Coordinator
Joined
Apr 5, 2002
Messages
105
I'm looking for some cables to hook all my new equipment up, and the prices of s-video (and all the others) at regular stores is expensive. I recently bought an optical cable from ebay for about 8 bux, and am thinking of getting gold tipped s-vid cables (6ft) for about 5 bux. Is it worth the extra $10-20 to get "quality" ones in the store? What about the optical cable. Does it really make that much difference if I get the monster ones (for like 30 bux)?
 

Bob McElfresh

Senior HTF Member
Joined
May 22, 1999
Messages
5,182
First of all, digital tends to be very INSENSITIVE to the cable. This is why you can get away with an inexpensive video cable for the coaxial digital connection.

And your eyes tend to be a lot MORE SENSITIVE than your ears.

So it's really not a good idea to take a success with a inexpensive digital cable and assume it applies to analog video.

$30 is a modest price to pay for a good SVideo cable.

I usually recommend Radio Shack/AR brand (From Best Buy) for "modest" systems. When the system becomes "sensitive", then I push for better/more-expensive video cables (including Monster) because the differences become visible.

By "sensitive" I mean you have ANY of the following:

- Display size greater than 40 inches

- Long run for the cable over ~ 8 feet

- Running to a HDReady TV that up-converts the signal

- Pushing Progressive/HD signals

So if you have a "modest" system, go for the AR brand for about $30.

Hope this helps.
 

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