HDTV-DVI cable

SaintsFan

Active SatelliteGuys Member
Original poster
May 5, 2004
23
0
A CSR rep advised me to buy an aftermarket DVI cable but it cost 120 dollars! (monster cable)
Will it make that big of a difference? My installation is scheduled for tomorrow.
 
The DVI cable it comes with is fine. Don't waste your money. Opinions may differ, but DVI is just sending digital information. As long as enough 1s and 0s are sent, the picture will be the same whether it's a cheap cable or expensive one. You might want to try the AVS forum and do a search on DVI cables to get a great deal of information.
 
DVI cable

Thanks for the info- i'm new as you can probably tell
 
You should receive: A DVI cable, Component cable, Set of 3 RCA for Composite & audio and a very long phone cord with your package. If you don't, ask your installer for them.
 
DarellP,
Are you sure about that? I asked the installation guy about DVI and he told me that receiver came without it. Beside that, I got no RCA cables at all. How can I know for sure?
 
Conjuror said:
DarellP,
Are you sure about that? I asked the installation guy about DVI and he told me that receiver came without it. Beside that, I got no RCA cables at all. How can I know for sure?
You got hosed. It's supposed to come with a big bundle of cables, and if you don't hook them up, you get to keep them. DVI cables are supposed to be supplied. Call 1800getvoom. Tell them your problem.
 
MIne came with a dual link DVI..glad it did cause if i had to buy one at Best Buy they run anywhere from 50 bucks to 130..sheeeesh!! You can find the monlune though for around 25 bucks!

BTW..the DVI is the best connection for viewing HD..totally blows away s-vhs or componet connections....PQ is theatre quality so don't settle for less.
 
I have a story about my DVI cable.
I had my own that I bought on eBay for $35 and was using with my cable HD service.
When VOOM installer saw that I had my own DVI cable he quietly took plastic bag with VOOM's DVI and other cables back to his track. When I asked him about the cables he said that he thought that I won't need them since I got my own. I politely asked him to bring them back, which he did.
He did not look very happy after that, I think he was planning to keep the cables and sell them on the side somewhere.
DVI cables are expensive - always make sure that installers give them to you.
 
DarrellP said:
You should receive: A DVI cable, Component cable, Set of 3 RCA for Composite & audio and a very long phone cord with your package. If you don't, ask your installer for them.

You sure about the component cable? I got a cheesy looking beige DVI cable, RCA & Phone cord, but no component cables. The cables were not in the receiver box, but in a separate envelope that the installer had (which was addressed to someone else :confused: ). Man, now I'm pissed I tipped the guy :mad:
 
Stalker said:
MIne came with a dual link DVI..glad it did cause if i had to buy one at Best Buy they run anywhere from 50 bucks to 130..sheeeesh!! You can find the monlune though for around 25 bucks!

BTW..the DVI is the best connection for viewing HD..totally blows away s-vhs or componet connections....PQ is theatre quality so don't settle for less.

That's a very general statement that should be taken with a grain of salt if you're using a CRT that would otherwise give you better quality with Component.

On a fixed-pixel monitor, DVI is great.
If there is ever a digital-analog conversion, you want to use the connection that leverages the performance of the highest-quality converter. Sometimes that means using component if the STB does the better job.

Typically with a CRT, it won't matter unless the STB does a particularly terrible job.
 
I asked Peter Reese about the DVI cable after my install. He said I should have received one and they overnoghted one to me @ $26 shipping, their expense. Customer service was great about it. These guys would be doing worlds better , or at least saving a bunch of cash, if they had better trained techs.
 
BTW, I have DVI capability for my LCD RP, but I am using omponent 'cause DVI looks washed out. I have asked Wilt a few times about the true black and white numbers from the DVI to see about crush, but he has never responded.
 
DVI PQ enhancements have been hotly debated in many forums. The reason DVI came about to begin with was to provide a totally digital path from then high-powered workstations that had to deal with a video card that converted to analog, only to be converted back to digital on high-end digital displays.

If your display is CRT-based, you still convert to analog somewhere along the line, whether it be in the set, or at the source, so it becomes a matter of which piece of equipment does a better job.

Also keep in mind that most TV displays, whether RPTV, or front projector, have different settings for each input. Convergence settings can be universal accross all inputs, but color balance, tint, etc., are usually specific to a given input.
So if you have been watching everything through component connections, and then switch over to DVI, it's very possible to see a different picture. Could be better, could be worse. The inputs really need to be individually calibrated, including greyscale, in order to do a fair comparison.

I think that one thing accounts for many of the comments about differences in PQ between component and DVI connections.

Lob
 
I have SMART III to cal the new Panny LCD, but I am using DVI from a MAC and I am unsure how they affect color on the output, the MAC has number of selections for color chart and I use it as a DVD. I was giong to get a Bravo, but decided to wait until the WM9 version shows up at the end of summer. So I'm in limbo at the moment.
 
SaintsFan said:
A CSR rep advised me to buy an aftermarket DVI cable but it cost 120 dollars! (monster cable)
Will it make that big of a difference? My installation is scheduled for tomorrow.

Big difference no, but IMO not all cables are created equally. Sometimes not viewable by most, but IMO if you spend a bunch of money on your setup, you should want it to look as good as possible. Here are 2 links about this subject, both are about component cables though. 1 and 2.
 
I disagree

cyuhnke said:
The DVI cable it comes with is fine. Don't waste your money. Opinions may differ, but DVI is just sending digital information. As long as enough 1s and 0s are sent, the picture will be the same whether it's a cheap cable or expensive one. You might want to try the AVS forum and do a search on DVI cables to get a great deal of information.
I totally disagree. High quality cables DO make a difference. How much, it kinda depends on the quality of the factory cables you are replacing. Will you see and hear a night and day difference? Nope, and don't let any manufacturer tell you any different. But, you will see a LITTLE difference.
I do have some Monster cables. Monster makes good stuff, but I personally think they are overpriced.
Go to this link and buy some of these cables from these people. These cables are superior to Monster and are about half the price. I'll never buy any other cable than these.
If you truly want to experience the best picture and sound quality that your equipment is capable of, you need these.

Take care,
Ice

http://www.stores.ebay.com/id=12355350&ssPageName=L2
 
***

Users Who Are Viewing This Thread (Total: 1, Members: 0, Guests: 1)

Who Read This Thread (Total Members: 1)