alcazar

iTrader: (2)

Between V1.3 and V1.4?

I'd be connecting between a Virgin set top box (not TiVo) and a brand new TV, probably a Sony.

Also, we have a reliable Sony DVD recorder, hardly used, but it only has scart out...should I buy an adaptor to convert to HDMI, buy a long scart lead, or buy a new blue-ray recorder/player?

I've found adaptors, but are they reliable? I don't really want scart leads up my wall.

chet123

iTrader: (7)

google it mate. I believe one of things with a 1.4 is the return audio back to the amp from the TV. I'm sure theres more.

You can get a scart to RGB adapters for all sorts nowadays. Keene electronics are good for things like that and have a good advise line. However HDMI converters are really good but you've got to factor in the source and output application.

TheWaterboy

Not much but make sure you don't skimp on a cheap cable as you loose features such as ethernet or av switching. A genuine Sony HDMI cable if you are getting a Sony TV. I would personally not bother with the old DVD as you will be sending an analogue signal through a digital connection, upgrade to bluray player, no point in getting a recorder as your Virgin box will be a recorder. Again Sony do some good players. If you are not going 3d the V1.3 is fine but to be honest most stuff is V1.4 anyway and there is little price difference so for 1.4 to be future proof!

Graz

It's all here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HDMI#Version_1.4

V1.3 does most stuff except 3D, Ethernet and Audio Return channel. V1.4 adds that stuff....

However most V1.3 cables you could buy will have all the pairs connected that a V1.4 will have and will work the same, just they haven't been certified to the latest standard.

If you want everything to work as it should best to buy a V1.4(b) cable.

Cheapo ones work just as well as branded. Amazon basics range is very good value:
As for you old DVD player, there is very little point in converting SCART to HDMI, assuming the TV has a SCART input then use that to hook it up. The picture quality would suffer otherwise with the many conversion to/from the digital domain going on i.e.

DVD (digital) -> DVD player SCART out (analogue) -> SCART to HDMI converter (digital) -> HDMI to TV picture (analogue)

If you don't like the idea of running a SCART cable to the TV then it may be time to adopt Blu-Ray (and if you got a nice new HD TV then why not ).

alcazar

iTrader: (2)

Thanks for quick replies.

JuergenG

Specification wise, HDMI 1.4 has additionally the audio return channel, 4k support and ethernet channel support.
But if you're only talking about cables, there is not much difference. Using the old "marketing speech" HDMI 1.4 cables have the additional HEC (HDMI Ethernet Channel) and are other than that similar to 1.3 cables. The new names are more likely "High Speed" and "High Speed with Ethernet" (btw. the old "marketing speech" using HDMI version numbers was banned at least in Germany in 2012). So both cables should be fine for your application.
Be careful with devices though. Most of the time the version numbers do matter there (e.g. if you want to use "3D").

Edit: Graz was quicker

urban

iTrader: (1)

Its a digital signal, a cheap HDMI cable will be fine

bustaMOVEs

iTrader: (31)

As said, don't skimp on cables if you want clarity.
QED leads are the best IMO.

TheWaterboy

Not true, my brother works for the Sony Centre installing TVs etc and always had a good quality HDMI on board to show people the problems with their cheap poundland ones. Audio return was a big problem and other features were lost with the cheap cables which a good quality one rectified. I'm not say spend £100 on a Monster cable but avoid ones for a couple of pounds if you don't want to loose features!

scoobyverysoon

iTrader: (1)

Its been proven in tests that theres hardly no difference in cheap vs expensive only when the tv goes to a insane size its then needed

TheWaterboy

Very little difference in audio/picture quality between a cheap and an expensive cable but the features such as ethernet and audio return that the cheap cables can often struggle with. I experienced it myself buying alleged V1.4 cable from ebay for 99p!

urban

iTrader: (1)

Well, he would say that, its his job to flog them to some poor sod.

I would love to put your brother to the test, with a live demonstration between stupidly expensive HDMI vs an ebay 1.99 job.

TheWaterboy

Not true, he just said for them to get a new good quality cable, wasn't selling them it was just a way to prove that the equipment was working correctly and that any issues were being caused by the cable! Like I said I've experienced it myself with cheap cables, it's pot luck if they work well or not!

urban

iTrader: (1)

OK, each to their own and all that.
I've purchased 7 of the cheap ebay cables over the last two years, all of them work grand, so maybe I should have bought a lottery ticket too.

This Sony centre, do they have these expensive cables for display purposes then?

Graz

So long as all the pins at one end of the cable are connected to all the pins at the other then that's all you need. All signals carried over HDMI cables are digital and therefore do not suffer from interference even over longer lengths. Voltage drop might become an issue over a certain length but that is all.

A £3 HDMI cable is just as good as a £30 job, just the £30 one has a better marketing team behind it

Only issue is poor manufacture i.e. if the connection from the wires to the plug is not sound. I've had a cheap HDMI cable fail but it's twin is still going strong. The Amazon jobs I linked to earlier are very well made and good value.

TheWaterboy

It depends on what equipment you are using and if it is actually capable of using some of the V1.4 features otherwise you wouldn't tell the difference. As regards to the Sony Centre cables I wouldn't have a clue as I have never been in one. What I can tell you is my brother doesn't keep a Sony HDMI cable on his van neither does he sell them, he is just there to install the equipment, like I say he had a good quality lead to show features such as audio return were working on the new equipment but weren't when they were using the poundland ones. I picked up a Sony V1.4 gold plated cable with 90 degree bends for £6 of ebay and that extra couple of pounds meant I could fully enjoy all the features my equipment had to offer!

ScoobyDoo555

The *ONLY* difference with the cheap cables is the lack of interference (rf) protection.

A digital signal comprises of 1s and 0s. All that happens is that over distance the RF can corrupt the datastream.
That's all.

The more expensive cables have better insulation. simple.

But from a run of a metre, very little in it.

CharlySkunkWeed

iTrader: (7)

When I was in Currys recently buying a new tv , the salesman gave me discount on a "high speed" hdmi lead that they had on display. Two tvs side by side , one with a standard cable , and the other with this high speed one. There was a noticeable difference , but realistically how would you know what they do ? They might have changed the contrast on one of the tvs.

urban

iTrader: (1)

I wouldn't put it past Currys to do just that.

I would have asked him to swap the cables round then so see if the picture quality improved on the other tv, while deteriorating on the other.

I bet he would have made an excuse to avoid doing so.

JuergenG

As written above, "Standard" (tested with 75MHz) and "High Speed" (tested with 340MHz) are official classifications for HDMI cables. If you need long cables (up to 7.5m) and want to use 3D, 1080p/4K or deep color, - again according to spec - you will have to get one of those "High Speed" ones. Which does not mean, that these cables have to be very expensive.
Also, "Standard" cables are often able to perform the same as "High Speed" ones when cable lengths are short. It's just not guaranteed that they do.

Here is also an article about the usefulness of expensive HDMI cables.

CharlySkunkWeed

iTrader: (7)

Are you kidding ? They could just about be bothered selling me a tv that I had pre ordered and went 20 miles out of my way to get it ! I cant imagine they would even know how to swap the cables over anyhow

urban

iTrader: (1)

Shower of tools - the one beside PC world I presume?

EddScott

I bought cheap Techica HDMI leads for my setup. The TV a 64" Plasma, Onkyo 828 receiver, Panasonic 3D player and the Sky box.

It all works, the picture is spot on. I read about HDMI ARC and HDMI CEC not working with cheap cables but both are working find on the cheap Tesco own brand stuff.