this post was submitted on 05 Jan 2024
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I saw this post and wanted to ask the opposite. What are some items that really aren't worth paying the expensive version for? Preferably more extreme or unexpected examples.

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[โ€“] [email protected] 43 points 10 months ago (1 children)

OK, this one is true until it isn't.

HDMI 1.4 and arguably 2.0 specs were straightforward enough that it was rare to encounter a cable, no matter how cheap, that did not support all the features you wanted if it listed the right HDMI spec. That... is no longer a universal truth with HDMI 2.1 if you need something that will do 4K120 with HDR. There are cables that just don't like some ports, particularly on PCs.

Length is also a way this can be wrong. Go above 2.5-3m and you may start losing the ability to hit some of the spec. I have a HDMI setup that requires a longer cable and there are basic cables that work and some that don't for the application. To get a better chance on longer cables you end up having to go for powered cables or HDMI over fiber, which are both more expensive than normal cables and it can be luck of the draw even with expensive cables whether they will like your devices and be compatible with what you're trying to do.

So console plugged directly to your 60Hz TV over 1.5m? Sure, cheap cable will do. Longer distances or higher bandwidth requirements? Be prepared to shop around and try different options, potentially getting very expensive.

[โ€“] [email protected] 4 points 10 months ago (1 children)

It's digital so you need reclocking essentially over long distance. Buy a couple black magic converters, HDMI to SDI run a BNC to the TV and SDI to HDMI and you're fine.

[โ€“] [email protected] 12 points 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago)

I don't know if you're joking or not here, but yeah, that's a 200 bucks solution, so hardly support for "cheap HDMI cables are fine", and for the distances I needed to cover a working HDMI fiber cable was a fraction of the cost (and it doesn't need to be powered on both ends, either). If you're trying to wire a whole house (or a studio, which is what those are for), then sure. If you just need the one long cable for home use... well, yeah, that's the point of good cables. Still finicky and requires trial and error, but if you buy from a place that allows returns it's more cost effective and it'll do the job once you find the right mix of parts.