HDMI monitor cable?

[Slate]

   I recently purchased a new computer and monitor.

    My question is should I run an HDMI cable from the monitor to the graphics card instead of regular VGA cable? Will it cause any game issues or is HDMI or another cable better to use?
                                                                                                     

[Skuzzy]

You want to use HDMI/DVI as it is all digital, versus the analog VGA signal.

[Slate]

  OK thanks Skuzzy I have to get some cables. 

[Rich46yo]

  OK thanks Skuzzy I have to get some cables. 

Careful where you get them. But them from a retail store and they will rob you. I'd order them from an online computer parts outfit that specializes in cables and accessories. Boy I went to micro-center once and they wanted like $50 for an HDMI.

[guncrasher]

I got about 10 from amazon, they were like 2 bucks each.


semp

take a look at the comment for this hdmi cables they're funny.

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/audioquest-diamond-6-6-high-speed-hdmi-cable-dark-gray-blue/2383319.p?id=1218325919542&skuId=2383319#tabbed-customerreviews

what is really funny is that the seller actually made some really funny comments too.

[Brooke]

I like HDMI over DVI if you have a choice between the two.

[USRanger]

Yeah, retail price for HDMI cables are insane.

[zack1234]

Would a gold plated cable improve anything?

Does anyone have their gear hardwired into their pc?

[Skuzzy]

I like HDMI over DVI if you have a choice between the two.

The only difference between HDMI and DVI is HDMI carries sound and DVI does not.  They are electrically identical, unless you are talking about the older computer specific DVI, versus the television DVI.

I am not aware of any video cards using the older dedicated DVI connector, any longer.  If your card has an HDMI port, then the DVI portion is identical to the television or computer monitor.

Most computer monitors use a DVI port, as they do not have speakers built in for sound.  You can connect an HDMI cable to them.  The leads for the sound in the HDMI cable are not used, in that case.

[Rich46yo]

Would a gold plated cable improve anything?

Does anyone have their gear hardwired into their pc?

Lol, Ive never noticed one bit of difference from the El-Cheapo's to the Cadillac's that you pay thru the nose for. I think spending big money on any kind of cable is silly and a rip off. They are all simple Bus's and carry data from one place to another. Honestly expensive cables are the last thing I'd waste money on. Ive never noticed a difference.

[Bizman]

Would a gold plated cable improve anything?

Does anyone have their gear hardwired into their pc?

It might, but only if both these apply: Your surroundings have to cause an abnormal amount of corrosion, and the cable has to be gold plated all the way. And of course everything else along the path. Golden connectors at the ends of a rusty cable are just shiny.

[Brooke]

The only difference between HDMI and DVI is HDMI carries sound and DVI does not.

I did a bad job of describing my preference.  I like HDMI cables/connectors that look like this one:


more than DVI cables/connectors that look like this one:


as the connector is easier to deal with, and it seems like cables cost less on average.

[MrRiplEy[H]]

It might, but only if both these apply: Your surroundings have to cause an abnormal amount of corrosion, and the cable has to be gold plated all the way. And of course everything else along the path. Golden connectors at the ends of a rusty cable are just shiny.

On the other hand the connectors are the only things exposed to oxygen while the cable itself is encapsulated in plastic so it doesn't get contact with oxygen. Oxidation occurs only when a non-golden metal is in contact with air or chemicals that cause oxidation. That's why it makes sense to gold plate only the exposed parts of the cables.

But I agree, for the most part it's snake oil. Gold plating on cheap cables is most likely not even real, the metal is just colored to look like gold

[Bizman]

On the other hand the connectors are the only things exposed to oxygen while the cable itself is encapsulated in plastic so it doesn't get contact with oxygen. Oxidation occurs only when a non-golden metal is in contact with air or chemicals that cause oxidation. That's why it makes sense to gold plate only the exposed parts of the cables.

But I agree, for the most part it's snake oil. Gold plating on cheap cables is most likely not even real, the metal is just colored to look like gold

The encapsulation isn't usually tight enough to prevent oxygen sneaking in and after the corrosion has started, it will further widen the gap between the plastic cover and the metal wire. Molded connectors might look like they were airtight, but if you look at the pictures above you'll notice that the actual connectors inside the metal frame aren't as tightly sealed. I admit that oxidation inside the plastic cover doesn't grow fast, but then again, a quarter of an inch of heavy corrosion at either end of a cable will prevent the signal flow as efficiently as an entirely rotten wire.

I recall my ISP engineer telling some fifteen years ago that they had bought Turkish underground cables which had some kind of sticky jelly inside it to prevent corrosion - something that the domestic Nokia cables didn't have at least not at that time.

Another thing to take into consideration is that corrosion can also take place where two different metals are connected in a wrong order with respect to the electricity flow.

[guncrasher]

You can buy gold plated cables for just a few bucks on Amazon if you are worried about corrosion.



semp