HDMI cable matters?

[Miltz]

I was wondering what everyone’s experience is with HDMI cables for the Apple TV 4K. I was using one my sister gave me which was about $8 and it seemed to work okay. Today I switched to the Belkin one apple sells for $30. Maybe it’s me but I see a difference, and also certain 8K videos on YouTube that would freeze every few seconds now play smooth. I have a Samsung tv from 2016 so nothing new or expensive but the image quality seems better with the new cable. Is this possible? Or am I having a placebo effect?
Which cable do you use?

 

[w5jck]

Spend the money and get a good cable rather than a cheap POS that causes issues.

 

[bozzykid]

image quality seems better with the new cable. Is this possible?

No. Assuming the same resolution, a different cable can't produce better quality since it is digital. A poor quality cable could cause other random issues, though.

 

[bozzykid]

Spend the money and get a good cable rather than a cheap POS that causes issues.

You don't need to spend very much to get a good quality cable. The overpriced Belkin cable isn't going to work any better than a quality Monoprice cable.

 

[Miltz]

No. Assuming the same resolution, a different cable can't produce better quality since it is digital. A poor quality cable could cause other random issues, though.

I did see some random pixelization from time to time with the cheaper cable, and it wasn’t able to play 8K HDR on YouTube without freezing. So I’m not sure it doesn’t matter.

 

[Banglazed]

Yes, you need a quality cable to get the best performance such as HDMI 1.4 to 2.1 (High Speed to Ultra) depends on what speed your devices support. Not all HDMI cable are made equally so you’ll need to get high/premium/ultra speed HDMI cables.

Slaying the Cable Monster: What You Need to Know About HDMI Cables

TVs have come a long way in the last few years and HDMI cables have kept pace. Here's what you should know about buying video cables for your TV, including why a cheap cable usually provides the same performance as an expensive one.

www.pcmag.com

 

[BeatCrazy]

You don't need to spend very much to get a good quality cable. The overpriced Belkin cable isn't going to work any better than a quality Monoprice cable.

Depends. Is the picture going to be better between the two? No, zero difference.

However, I just recently had to replace a 8K Certified Ultra High Speed HDMI 2.1 Monoprice cable in my system because the picture would blank out, even though the sound kept playing.

I replaced it with a Zeskit Maya ($13 vs. $10 for the Monoprice) and now my signal never drops out.

So @Miltz yes the cable matters. You don't have to spend a fortune, but not all HDMI cables have the same signal integrity.

 

[bozzykid]

Depends. Is the picture going to be better between the two? No, zero difference.

However, I just recently had to replace a 8K Certified Ultra High Speed HDMI 2.1 Monoprice cable in my system because the picture would blank out, even though the sound kept playing.

I replaced it with a Zeskit Maya ($13 vs. $10 for the Monoprice) and now my signal never drops out.

So @Miltz yes the cable matters. You don't have to spend a fortune, but not all HDMI cables have the same signal integrity.

Buying an 8K cable is pointless and it isn't surprising there were compatibility issues. You also could of just got a lemon cable. But it is just mind blowing how many people recommend overpriced HDMI cables on this forum.

 

[bozzykid]

I did see some random pixelization from time to time with the cheaper cable, and it wasn’t able to play 8K HDR on YouTube without freezing. So I’m not sure it doesn’t matter.

Bad HDMI cables don't cause pixelation. A bad cable would likely result in errors, black screens, etc but not video degradation.

 

[BeatCrazy]

Buying an 8K cable is pointless and it isn't surprising there were compatibility issues. You also could of just got a lemon cable. But it is just mind blowing how many people recommend overpriced HDMI cables on this forum.

"8K" is the branding for how Monoprice designates their best HDMI.org certified HDMI 2.1 cable. Which happens to support 8K in addition to Ultra High Speed certification. And I do need the 4K120Hz for my PS5 and gaming PC. I never insinuated that I needed 8K.

 

[bozzykid]

And I do need the 4K120Hz for my PS5 and gaming PC.

Sure, but you don't for an Apple TV 4K. That was my point. 8K (Ultra high speed) cables tend to be more finicky than 18gbps cables for some reason.

 

[satcomer]

I always get all my HDMI cables from MonoPrice.com! High speed HDMI cables is needed with todays 4K and 8K motors!