Is there a difference between types of hdmi cables?

Question

I have noticed a definite price difference from cables bought in a retail store and online, some HDMI cables are like 15 dollars for a pack of 3 and some are like 50 dollars for one in the store, is there any real difference or do retailiers just get the fanciest looking one so the jack the price up. I have an Hdtv at home with hdmi hookups, does it matter what brand of hdmi cord I use or are they pretty much all the same????

Answer 1

This is a complex question.  There IS a difference in build quality and run-length.  For short runs, it does not seem to matter. For runs about 15 ft or more, cables made with thicker inner wires work better.

Then - HDMI has options designed in, but not currently used.  

If you were running a cable in-wall, it might be a smart investment to buy one of the over-hyped cables to future-proof your system. (Cost of in-wall wiring is mainly labor).

But for normal surface installs, here is what I did:

- I bought some short $9 HDMI cables from MonoPrice to feed a switch.

- For the longer 12 ft run to my TV, I bought a good cable ($38) from a custom site called 'BlueJeansCables'.  This site uses the same materials the professionals use (TV studios, production houses, etc.).   The site has tested 100 ft runs of this stuff and it works. The site has a good reputation and I have been recommending them for years.

Answer 2

The store will tell you theirs is better but it's just sales hype.I have tried both and noticed no difference.If it was a very long cable i might go with a high end brand such as Belkin.Short cables I would just buy the less expensive ones