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Cabling & Wiring

Cable HD Cabling & Wiring Home Theater

Now You See It…Now You Don’t

Intermittent Internet dropouts plagued one home theater installer for months despite modem swaps, new coaxial runs, and shielded Cat 6 cables. A spectrum analyzer finally exposed the real culprit: a Comcast X1 set-top box blasting broadband RF interference every two seconds, coupling noise back through its own RF input and killing upstream modem signals. Swapping the offending Samsung-built unit for a compact replacement restored clean service instantly. The full diagnostic story holds lessons every cable subscriber should hear.

Pete Putman •
Columns
Cabling & Wiring HDMI Home Theater

The Wires Remain The Same. Only the Format Has Been Changed (to Confuse the Innocent)

Category wire and RJ-45 plugs never really went away - they just got smarter. As pro AV shifts from proprietary cabling to digital signal distribution, three competing approaches are battling for dominance: HDBaseT, BlueRiver NT, and conventional AV-over-IP using H.265 compression. Each carries real trade-offs in latency, distance, openness, and cost. Understanding those differences now could save a costly infrastructure mistake later - and one clear frontrunner is already emerging.

Pete Putman •
Columns
Home Theater HDMI Cabling & Wiring

HDTV and Home Theater Podcast - Podcast #570: HDMI Cable Throwdown, High Priced vs Generic

A controlled channel-change speed test pits a $6 Monoprice HDMI cable against a $70 AudioQuest Cinnamon 1m HDMI cable, measuring lock times across mixed 720p and 1080i resolution switches on a satellite receiver. Averaged across three runs, the Monoprice cable locked in 4.10 seconds versus 3.90 seconds for the AudioQuest, a difference of just 0.2 seconds. For consumers weighing cable upgrades, the data suggests a generic HDMI cable delivers effectively identical real-world performance at a fraction of the cost.

The HT Guys •
Podcasts
Home Theater Cabling & Wiring HDMI

HDTV Almanac - Thin HDMI Cables Are Smart

Redmere, an Irish company, has developed active HDMI cable technology that embeds signal-boosting circuitry inside the end connector, producing cables that are 70% to 80% thinner and lighter than standard passive HDMI cables while supporting runs up to 50 feet. The technology is already available through brands such as VIZIO, Samsung, Monster, and Radio Shack, with some models priced under $25. For consumers who need portable or long-run HDMI connections, this approach delivers full signal integrity without the bulk of conventional cables.

Alfred Poor •
Columns
Home Theater HDMI Cabling & Wiring

HDTV Almanac - Torrent HDMI Cables Get Distribution

Torrent's Sureconnect HDMI cables feature a secure-locking plug design and an LED indicator that confirms a solid connection, differentiating them from standard HDMI cables. Now available through Amazon and Dell.com, the cables are priced below top-tier brands while using environmentally friendly materials. For users who need a reliable, stay-put connection in demanding setups, the Sureconnect design offers a practical upgrade over budget HDMI options.

Alfred Poor •
Columns
Cabling & Wiring HDMI Home Theater

HDTV Almanac - Swivel-Head Cables

Atlona's swivel-head HDMI 1.3b cables feature connectors that rotate up to 90 degrees, reducing the cable's protrusion from the port to approximately one inch - less than half the depth of a standard HDMI connector. This design directly addresses the challenge of mounting ultra-thin flat panel HDTVs flush against walls or inside tight cabinet spaces where a straight-exit cable would force the display several inches forward. Priced at $29.99 MSRP for the 3-foot version, roughly twice the cost of a generic cable, these offer a practical and reasonably priced fix for a genuine installation problem.

Alfred Poor •
Columns
OTA HD & Antennas Cabling & Wiring HDMI

Belden Runs An Unamplified 1080p/60 Digital Video Signal Over 100ft of Connectorized HDMI Cable

Belden demonstrated its 23.5 AWG HDMI cable transmitting an unamplified 1080p/60 signal over 100 feet at InfoComm 2009, a feat widely considered impossible with standard cables. The performance is enabled by patented Bonded-Pair technology, which maintains constant conductor-to-conductor spacing to minimize impedance variations, return loss, and signal ingress/egress. For installers and integrators, this means longer HDMI runs without active amplification, reducing system complexity and cost in real-world deployments.

HDTV News •
Bulletins
HDMI Cabling & Wiring

HDTV Almanac - A Better HDMI Cable

Torrent's SureConnect HDMI cable addresses the common problem of loose connections by using a ferrous metal sleeve bonded to the device on first insertion, paired with a strong magnet in the cable end that delivers more than triple the holding power of a standard HDMI connector. A built-in LED indicator provides instant visual confirmation of a secure connection, eliminating guesswork when cables are routed through enclosed cabinets or equipment racks. With list prices starting under $50, the design offers a practical reliability upgrade without the premium pricing seen from some cable manufacturers.

Alfred Poor •
Columns
Home Theater HDMI Cabling & Wiring

Monster Introduces Breakthrough "SuperThin Cable™ for HDMI™"

Monster's SuperThin Cable for HDMI, developed with RedMere's MagnifEye Active technology, measures just 3.5 mm in diameter, roughly 65% thinner than standard HDMI cables, by boosting HD signals directly within the cable itself without an external power supply. The cables feature corrosion-resistant 24k gold contacts and a built-in LED activity indicator, and are available in lengths up to 16 feet. For consumers, this means a genuinely low-profile wiring option for flat-panel TV installations and a lightweight solution for connecting camcorders and mobile devices on the go.

HDTV News •
Bulletins
HD Audio Cabling & Wiring Home Theater

HDTV and Home Theater Podcast #370 - Interview with Audio Expert Kevin LaTour

Audio expert Kevin LaTour makes the case for investing in premium speaker cables, arguing that higher-end wire from manufacturers such as Audioquest, MIT, and Aural Symphonics delivers audible improvements worth the cost. LaTour, a veteran of specialty audio retail at Acoustic Image, draws on his experience to counter the common position that basic speaker wire is sufficient. For home theater enthusiasts weighing cable upgrades, his perspective offers a practitioner's rationale grounded in high-end audio retail experience.

The HT Guys •
Podcasts
Home Theater HD Audio Cabling & Wiring

HDTV and Home Theater Podcast #366 - Speaker Wire Myths Busted

Speaker wire gauge recommendations based on run length (16 AWG under 100 feet, 14 AWG up to 200 feet, 12 AWG beyond) debunk the myth that heavier wire is always necessary, while electrical signals traveling at near light speed make length-matching cables a non-issue. A double-blind test comparing Monster 1000 cables against coat hangers found that 12 self-professed audiophiles could not distinguish between the two, undermining premium cable marketing claims. Copper wire purchased in bulk from a hardware store delivers equivalent real-world listening performance to expensive alternatives like silver or oxygen-free cables.

The HT Guys •
Podcasts
Home Theater Blu-ray Cabling & Wiring

Samsung's Latest Award-Winning Blu-ray Players Open up a New Multimedia Experience Portal

Samsung unveiled two Blu-ray players at CES 2009, including the BD-P4600, the world's first wall-mountable Blu-ray player at just 1.5 inches thin, and the BD-P3600, which supports 7.1-channel analog audio outputs alongside full internal decoding of Dolby TrueHD and dts-HD HR/MA soundtracks. Both models feature Full HD 1080p playback via HDMI 1.3, BD Live Profile 2.0 support, 1GB internal flash memory, and 802.11b/g/n wireless networking for streaming Netflix and Pandora. Home theater buyers gain flexible connectivity options without requiring a receiver upgrade, thanks to uncompressed PCM output compatibility.

HDTV News •
Bulletins
HDMI Cabling & Wiring

Accell's New Locking HDMI Cable Offers Trouble Free Connectivity and Enhanced Performance

Accell's patent-pending Locking HDMI cable addresses a fundamental weakness in the original HDMI connector specification, which lacks a robust retention mechanism, by delivering a hold force many times greater than a conventional HDMI connector. The design auto-locks on insertion and releases by pulling back on the connector casing, deliberately avoiding a push-button mechanism that surrounding cables can obstruct. For installers and end users, this means fewer service calls and a more reliable audio/video connection that stays seated in the port.

HDTV News •
Bulletins
Blu-ray Home Theater HDMI

Memorex® Blu-ray Disc Player, HDMI Cables and Soundbar

Memorex launched three home theatre products at CES 2009, headlined by the MVBD-2520 Blu-ray Disc player featuring Profile 2.0/BD-Live Ethernet connectivity, full HD 1080p output at 24p/60p, and Dolby TrueHD/DTS-HD audio decoding, all priced under $200. The SimpleSurround SoundBar pairs a slot-loading DVD player with SRS TruSurround XT and TruBass processing in a 2.1-channel design, while HDMI cables with 24k gold-plated connectors support transfer speeds up to 20GB per second. Consumers seeking a complete HD home theatre setup can assemble these components without the premium pricing typically associated with high-definition audio and video equipment.

HDTV News •
Bulletins
Home Theater HDMI Cabling & Wiring

PPC Announces First Locking HDMI Cable at CES

PPC debuted the first locking HDMI cable at CES 2009, featuring patented technology that holds connectors three times stronger than conventional HDMI connectors to reduce signal-disrupting fallout. Rated Category 2, the cable supports 1080p output with 100 percent foil and braided shielding, requiring no adapter or additional hardware. For home theater users, this means a more reliable uncompressed digital audio and video connection without the risk of accidental disconnection from set-top boxes, DVD players, or A/V receivers.

HDTV News •
Bulletins