Why are HDMI Cables expensive?

Question

Why are HDMI Cables expensive?

Answer 1

Because all cables are expensive.....that's the real place that companies can rip you off.

If you buy them on-line then you can get them at non-inflated cost.

Answer 2

Because they're today's "big thing" in home electronics.  Seriously, there's no other reason.  The cables themselves are not expensive to make, nor are they expensive to advertise.  Technically, they aren't even new technology so much as they are a new application of old technology.  To elaborate:

HDMI sends an uncompressed digital video signal to your viewing equipment.  DVI has been doing that for years.  The only difference between the two is that DVI only carries video information, while HDMI carries both video and audio all in one fell swoop.

HDMI allows for today's surround sound to be transmitted in one cable.  Digital coax has been doing that for years, as well.

But it does save cord clutter (having both video and audio information on one cable) if you've got the proper equipment to make full use of it, and for that I give it high marks.  It's a step in the right direction--as anyone with an octopus of wiring wadded up behind their home theater system will agree.

Answer 3

Because it gives you the best picture and sound quality for your television all in one cable, as opposed to using 5 diffrent ones

Answer 4

Cables have a huge markup.

For good HDMI cables ($38) try: www.bluejeanscables.com

For short runs behind the rack, thinner, more flexible cables can be purchased for under $15 from www.monoprice.com

I use a long BlueJeans cable for the run to my TV and the shorter Monoprice ones to feed my switch.

Answer 5

Because they are a rip off----they are $5 online