Monster HDMI-400 400 Series HDTV HDMI Cable (2 meters)
by Monster
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Digital Cameras Photo Reviews of Monster HDMI-400 400 Series HDTV HDMI Cable (2 meters)
Customer Review: Monster Bashing
Summary: 5 Stars
I, just like everyone else, know that a subpar or even a moderately subpar wire will work and deliver picture and sound, however, unlike those who are telling you they are A/V junkies, I was not one, and used the cheap wires. I wound up replacing them a couple of times, given their very poor quality and durability. I used every other wire in order to avoid paying a lot for monster cables. However, out of sheer frustration and a little curiostiy, I decided to upgrade one of my cables from a very poorly made wire to Pure AV, which are definitely decent cables. I then decided to upgrade one more time, to see if I could really tell a difference with Monster. I heard all the technical stuff, I listened to the arguments about one cable being just like another, but I wanted to see it myself.
So, I picked up this wire for an uponverting DVD player and a Monster DVI-HDMI for my computer to my TV. Perhaps, you might think I am lying or just trying to defend Monster, but I immediately saw a difference. The quality of the picture was phenomenal and the sound was amazing. Like I said, I was not an AV junkie, so I did it all based on what I knew, heard and saw, and I can tell you the Monster cables do make an amazing difference, and not just in terms of connecting a computer to a TV but also with my PS3 which makes games and my Blu-Ray movies look unbelievable.
Do I want to spend that much on cables? Certainly not, and the only reason I do is because I can tell a difference, colors are more vibrant, blacks are more black, and the sound is crystal clear (I should also mention I have also upgraded my Optical sound cables to Monster as well). Also, if you do purchase a Monster cable, you will see a little slip of paper included which carries with it a lifetime guarantee. So, I spend $100 plus and yet it is not a waste of money, because if anything happens, I merely return it for another one. I don't know how that is a bad deal, and how Monster is selling us a lie, when they are willing to stand behind their product that strongly.
So, yes, you can get sound and video from other cables, and it will work, and you may think there is no difference, but given my setup and what I have seen, I am now a loyal customer of Monster products and recommend them to anyone who asks me what they need if they want to set up a Home Theater. I even use their powercenter in order to protect my investment, and even then, there is a noticeable difference in the way things run, and the way things look.
I know it sounds ubelievable, and I, myself, had to question whether I was just trying to convince myself that I noticed a difference, but when something is that noticeable the minute you turn it on, it is hard to argue otherwise.
That is merely my .02 on the whole thing.
EDIT: Initially, I was annoyed by all the disparaging remarks against Monster cables, but now, I find it rather humorous how heated people get over a cable. Suffice it to say, I have used cheaper cables and though they work, which I never once said they didn't, they are horrible cables, made of very poor quality. I am not going to argue about the whole signal 1's and 0's thing, I am just going to say, on a practical level, I was getting tired of replacing my cheap wires because of how poorly they worked. One broke, the other shorted out, and the other one did lack a vibrancy in color (I am sure I am going to be called a liar for that one). When I replaced those cables with Monster I never had that problem, and the only reason I started to buy Monster cables was because if the same thing happened that happened to my other cables, I have a lifetime warranty. I send it back and they give me another cable. I still cannot understand how that is a bad deal.
So, go buy your cheap $6-$10 cables and enjoy them, I will stick with my Monsters and their lifetime warranty.
Customer Review: Honest Opinion
Summary: 3 Stars
I work in an electronics store that sells these cables. I am required to recommend them to customers when the customer is making a television purchase, Monster brand specifically. Yes, the store makes a profit from the cables, yes, you are getting what you pay for at the higher prices, yes, you will get what you pay for at the lower price. Many people become upset when they see a similar cable (different brand) for a lot less money. I would too at face value, they looked the same. But they are not the same, not on the inside. I am also required by my store to take a considerable amount of training from all manufacturers regarding the products they sell and there are differences between the Monster brand and others. The silver conductors WILL prevent interference from outside signals, whether any of those signals are present in your location is difficult to establish. The gold coating WILL indeed protect your cables from corroding in a high-humidity enviroment (finished basements, schools with lower levels, etc). Gold is a better conductor than aluminum, tin, etc. but I have personally never been able to observe the signal transfer degrade from using one with a different metal. If it's in your living room and your house is not in a high-humidity area, the gold-coating might not be necessary. The nitrogen (N2) gas-injected dielectric preserves the longevity of the cable over longer runs (+16 ft.) but you will not notice this at first between the other brands and the Monster brand, this is something that will occur over time. Other brands will not hold up as long as these cables because they are a high quality product, plus, Monster offers the Lifetime Guarentee. Regarding the quality of picture, yes, 1's and 0's are 1's and 0's but most other brands are NOT capable of presenting Blu-Ray, PS3 (which is a Blu-Ray player basically), and the very few stations that broadcast in 1080p. In the near future (3-5 years), I anticipate many more stations to broadcast in 1080p. Currently, VERY few do. To summarize, yes, it's a waste to buy these UNLESS you have a Blu-Ray player and a TV capable of 1080p, a Playstation 3, or just want to be ahead of the game on TV for the next 3-5 years. No Blu-Ray? No PS3? Don't care if the cables will be shot after 2-3 years of usage? Then save your money.Customer Review: Try less expensive cables before you go for "Designer" brands
Summary: 1 Stars
I have been an audio / electronics enthusiast for over 50 years now (am giving away my age I guess) and I have tried or owned a number of different expensive brands including Monster. These "designer brand cables" (I call them) are the biggest ripoff in electronics. I do not doubt that some of them may sometimes have more durable connectors or sometimes stronger construction. I remember seeing speaker cables selling for $20,000.00 for a 12 foot pair made out of silver or some cables in the multithousands that looked like they could power a city. Just ask yourself when you test by listening or looking can you hear or see an immediate difference for the price or is it all "the emperor's new clothes". I think that if you hookup a $12.00 cable and a $100.00+ cable and you have to switch back and forth in order to try to see or hear a difference that should end the search because for that difference in money there should be no if's. ands, or buts. BTW I have never seen or heard a difference in these comparisons unless one of the cables was defective. I used to go to the Audio shows starting in the 50's and met the legends of audio, like David Hafler, Ed Villchur, and Saul Marantz, I cannot help but reflect on what they would think about all this marketing baloney these cable companies put out. I am certain they would be amused and shocked and finally outraged. In those days,it seems to me, there was a greater value on honesty, ethics, and integrity. High priced designer brand cables are pushed in all the audio stores by and large because of the enormous profits there is in this business of cables and quite often because of incentives given to the salesmen and retailers to promote them by the manufacturer. There has, to my knowledege, NEVER been a valid scientific study that confirms anything these designer cable manufacturers claim. Many of these manufacturers say that known science or scientific testing doesn't matter for reasons they make up because they wont admit that truth to tell only their outrageous overcharging and profits matter.
I suggest you let your ears and eyes be the judge, don't fall for the marketing hype. Don't allow yourself to be fooled by "the emperors new clothes".
Customer Review: You're paying for more than a cable
Summary: 5 Stars
It's a little disheartening to hear all this Monster bashing. While the point has been made that digital signals don't suffer from interference, people seem to be forgetting that the overall performance of a product, any product, must be linked to its durability. Ford Motors is close to going out of business because Toyota, Honda, Nissan, Volkswagen, and a few other foreign car makers have taken over the market. Just like any consumer that purchases the cheapest audio/video cables they can find, american auto-makers argue that the quality of their cars is formidable or superior in terms of performance (acceleration, gas mileage, extra features). The fact remains, however, that durability plays a very large part in the success of these foreign cars. You can still spot 14, 15, or even 20 year old toyotas on the road in large numbers. The same can't be said for Fords or Chevys. The endurance of the foreign brands has earned them the right to dominate the market; they make products that last.
With that said, I own the Monster HDMI 400 2 meter cable and I have absolutely no complaints. As has been already stated, the digital signal significantly reduces the risk of distortion through any brand of HDMI cable, so Monster's enhanced features don't serve to dramatically improve the picture or sound quality you're experiencing. However, the fact that these cables are built to last a lifetime and come with a Lifetime Replacement Warranty go a long way to assure me I'm investing in the best. The extra features, while dispensable, let me know that I'm getting a top notch product. And in my experience with Monster's pro audio products, their craftsmanship is unrivaled. When you have to run wires in tight spaces, frequently plug and unplug your connectors, or leave the cables bent to maintain a connection, Monster cables never fail. So yes, while wal-mart and radio shack can offer you a cable that does the job, it's not uncommon to have the cable start to short after a period of time. But when I buy Monster, I'm not just buying a cable, I'm making an investment in my media system that can last as long as the HDMI format will. And if it doens't, Monster replaces the cable for free.
Customer Review: Complete Waste Of Money Ripoff-Total Scam!! Zero Stars!!
Summary: 1 Stars
Please! Please! Please! Don't be a total "Dumas" and believe the in-store Sales-Hole hyping these over-priced, do nothing extra cables!! These shameless in-store thieves know that you'll be spending some serious coin on your new flat-panel, so whats another hundred+ for some bogus cable if you think you'll be getting a better picture?? NOT!! It's common knowledge by those in-the-know, that measureable lab tests using an oscilloscope show ABSOLUTELY NO DIFFERENCE in signal, picture or audio quality between these cables and the ten buck or less generic brand cables on Amazon.com, [...] etc. This was both professionally measured as well as being demonstrated by an engineer on a recent expose' on FOX13 News in Tampa, FL. Still not sure?? Consumer Reports Magazine also recently conducted their own extensive, independent lab tests on these cables and came to the exact same conclusion: No difference what-so-fricken-ever; even at a full 1080p HD resolution and to NOT waste your money on them!! If you go to their website and you are a member, just search for their report and you can see the report for yourself. Keep in mind that all this cable has to do is transfer data only; (not high power, like a loud speaker) so any reasonably good conductor would work just fine just to transmit a data signal - regardless of the resolution. So, either it works or doesn't work at all - there is NO middle ground!! Furthermore, if the cable really made that much of a difference, don't you think that the Manufacturer would either include the cable in the box or mention that in the set-up instructions?? I have tried several brands of HDMI cables, doing brand-blind tests and could never see or hear any difference of any kind!! EVER!! Don't be a total "Dumas" and fall for the BS!! I hope this clears up any myths regarding so called "high end" cables. Don't believe me??? Humor me; and try it yourself!! You'll be glad you did... use the money you save to buy some nice Blu-Ray movies instead!! Bob-OH! OUT!!!