Pricey A/V Cables? Don't Be Fooled

If you've ever been shopping for an HDTV at a big electronics retail store, you'll know the drill—basically, once the pushy salespeople hit you up for the $500 extended warranty, they steer you toward the $100 (or more) HDMI, digital audio and coaxial cables. Usually, these cables come in fancy packaging, the connectors are dipped in gold (literally), and you're told that if you're buying a $3,000 TV, you might as well throw down a couple hundred more for the very best cables. Don't fall for it.

While the top-dollar cables at the electronics store sure looks amazing, you really, honestly don't need them. Bargain HDMI, optical and coaxial cables will deliver excellent images and sound without the solid-gold connectors or snazzy plastic casings. I've been using a $20 HDMI cable, $5 coaxial cables and $10 optical cables for a few years now, and no one's complained yet.

Don't take my word for it, though. The experts at Ars Technica would be the first ones to tell you that a $100 Monster-brand HDMI cable delivers a better picture than, say, a $15 off-brand version. Their verdict? "Cabling is something of a racket, and while there probably is a difference between the medium-quality cables and the Monster Cables that cost $100+, I'm guessing none of us have systems that will let us tell enough of a difference to make the price worth it." (Read the full story for more details.)

I couldn't agree more. I recommend you pay no more than about $20 for an HDMI cable, $10-15 for an optical (or Toslink) digital audio cable, $10 for a component-video cable, and $10 or less for regular RCA-type cables. The sales dude may look appalled, but do yourself a favor and save your money.

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Shopping for HDMI cables: who do retailers think they're kidding? [Ars Technica]