HDMI Cable vs typical

[SmokinLoon]

What is the best resolution I can get if I dont use the HBMI cable and instead use the typical cable???

[Tigger29]

What is the best resolution I can get if I dont use the HBMI cable and instead use the typical cable???

It depends by what you mean by "typical cable"?

VGA uses an analog signal so there really is no limit however from what I've read 2048X1536 is it's practical limit as quality really degrades at that point.

DVI uses a digital signal so it does have a limit which is 1920X1200 if single link,  or 2560X1600 if dual link (if it's a half modern video card it supports Dual Link)

[Soulyss]

Depends on what you're using it for.  For computer monitors in ether case you're going to limited by the native resolution of the monitor long before you'll hit the limit of bandwidth on the the cable, whether it's VGA or DVI/HDMI.

Where you run into problems is an analog cable when using some sort of content that's protected by HDCP (blu-ray, some streaming movies over satellite or cable).   At the end of the day HDMI is about content control and copy protection more than anything.

[Noir]

It depends by what you mean by "typical cable"?

VGA uses an analog signal so there really is no limit however from what I've read 2048X1536 is it's practical limit as quality really degrades at that point.

In my experience, quality degrades before that, right at 1600x900

[Tigger29]

In my experience, quality degrades before that, right at 1600x900

I wouldn't disagree with that statement however I have seen a 1600X1200 monitor in the past (years ago) running with a VGA connector and its picture seemed just fine.  I supposed cable and connector quality would have a lot to do with that as well.

[SmokinLoon]

I dont watch movies on my PC, and if I do it is some rinky-dink video on YouTube so 1080p or even 720p isnt really needed.

I'm more concerned with game performance and appearance. 

I have a 23in monitor that has a 1900X1080 resolution.  I'll probably keep the HDMI cable I have running right now, I was considering using the cable for something else but chose to buy another cable.   

[Chalenge]

Resolution has nothing to do with the cable unless by "resolution" you include color depth and even then its probably not the cable but the choice of the manufacturer. If you want to narrow down color depth as to which is best then thats different also. Obviously the human eye can see far more colors than any computer system can reproduce. Women have an advantage over men too with some small group of women actually having four different color receptors. In monitors the LAB (or Lab) or device oriented color space exceeds everything except the human eye. As you step it down you get 32-bit (some are actually 30-bit) monitors and 24-bit monitors which are probably the peak of monitors that might be used by games. Most of these are limited to graphics designers photographers and CAD operators because they can cost around $5000 each and are usually dual-DVI systems. Quality certainly does not degrade above 2048x1536 but your pocketbook will probably shrink from it and worse they (the better 24-bit and up units) are not intended for gaming anyway. One day that might change but for now it doesnt really matter if its VGA DVI or HDMI. There could be some monitors out there that are better designed for one or the other but I havent seen any.

[Tigger29]

I dont watch movies on my PC, and if I do it is some rinky-dink video on YouTube so 1080p or even 720p isnt really needed.

I'm more concerned with game performance and appearance. 

I have a 23in monitor that has a 1900X1080 resolution.  I'll probably keep the HDMI cable I have running right now, I was considering using the cable for something else but chose to buy another cable.   

I think you may want to learn a little about exactly what resolution is.  Try reading my AH Graphics Guide.  It's a little old but still accurate:  CLICK HERE

1080i/p vs. 720i/p is simply how many pixels are in the tv/monitor in each column.  In essence, a 1920X1080 monitor is the exact same thing as a 1080p television.  Don't worry so much about the difference between i and p.. just keep in mind that p is better and computers use p.  I'm not familiar with the new "display port" type of connection I just know that very few monitors even use this yet and I don't feel that it brings any extra picture quality above what DVI/HDMI provides.

As far as picture quality, well DVI (unless it's adapted into a VGA port) and HDMI both use a digital signal and therefore both carry the same exact information - well except that DVI doesn't carry sound and HDMI does.  Because of this cable quality isn't such a huge deal and as long as it is capable of passing the digital ones and zeroes to the monitor that's all that matters.  In other words, don't spend big bucks on an HDMI cable.  Don't fall for the "$100 monster cable" gimmick at your local electronics store.  There are plenty of places to get decent HDMI cables for well under $10 especially online.  www.Monoprice.com has a huge selection and many are well under five dollars.