The sales of HDMI cables have reached record highs in recent years; this is solely down to the increasing popularity of High Definition devices such as flat screen televisions, Blu Ray players, games consoles and High Definition satellite TV. A huge contention surrounding HDMI cables is the cost, with cables available from under £5 many people ask the question; is it worth spending upwards of £50 on a HDMI cable? After all the signal is meant to be digital and made from 1 and 0's. This question has caused many a discussion in the technical press with some of the biggest selling audio visual magazines saying yes it is worth spending more and other areas of the AV media saying save your money and buys a cheap cable.
In my opinion, there are a couple of factors you should consider. The most important of which is length. HDMI cables, like all cables suffer from Electrical Magnetic Interference (EMI). This means the lead acts like an aerial and picks up interference from other cables or electrical devices in the near vicinity. This interference may manifest as ghosting or sparkles on the screen, it may even cause the picture to judder. You can reduce the effects of EMI by choosing cables that offer shielding. Shielding often comes in the form of aluminium foil wrapped around the inner cables. Another method of reducing EMI is by the use of Ferrite Suppressors, these are round coils placed on either end of the cable.
Another option that can increase quality is the use of a gold HDMI cable. Gold plated contacts are very efficient at conducting the electrical signal, they also benefit from gold's ability at preventing oxidization. Even moisture in the air we breathe can cause oxidization and lead to signal loss. Gold HDMI cables are not expensive; many of the sub £5 cables now come with gold plated plugs.
If you are using a lead under 2 meters long you should not have any problems. Indeed a sub £5 under 2 meters long should work fine in most applications. However if you intend using a longer run, you should consider spending a bit more. The more expensive branded cables tend to be made from 100 % copper which offers less resistance for the signal. They have far superior shielding than cheaper cables; many manufacturers have individual shielding for each of the internal cables and an outer shielding. The cable plugs are also often shielded. If using a very long cable, over 10 meters, you can also consider the use of a HDMI repeater box. These act like amplifiers and rebuild the signal to ensure it reaches the long distance.
In conclusion, if you are using a cable less than 2 meters long, opt for a gold plated cable and you can't go far wrong. However if you need a longer cable, upwards of 10 meters or longer; then it's worth spending a little bit more.
