High Quality HDMI...

[elliott35]

I work at an electronics retailer where everyone firmly believes that high quality HDMI cables make a huge difference to audio quality. Specifically audio quest HDMI cables. I know that they dont make any difference, and that by their very nature (digital signal) it would not even be possible for any difference to exist between high speed HDMI. The managers even like to setup demos where they switch the HDMI and it sounds better with the more expensive cables... What do people think? How can I show these people that they are ignorant... There is no need to spend $1000+ on a three foot HDMI, yet some people fall for it...

[SirWendall]

Just now, elliott35 said:

I work at an electronics retailer where everyone firmly believes that high quality HDMI cables make a huge difference to audio quality. Specifically audio quest HDMI cables. I know that they dont make any difference, and that by their very nature (digital signal) it would not even be possible for any difference to exist between high speed HDMI. The managers even like to setup demos where they switch the HDMI and it sounds better with the more expensive cables... What do people think? How can I show these people that they are ignorant... There is no need to spend $1000+ on a three foot HDMI, yet some people fall for it...

HDMI is HDMI

You could spend that much making a gaming rig

[79wjd]

Let them be stupid and just try to save as many customers as you can. 

 

There's nothing you can realistically do other than show them the entirety of the internet. 

[Digital_]

I didn't even know there was $1000 HDMI cables... I don't even know where to start the argument when cables cost that much. Good luck to you though!

[elliott35]

Has LTT or anyone ever done a video dispelling this hideous myth? If not they definitely should... Id show it to everyone that walks in the store

[ShadowCaptain]

3 minutes ago, elliott35 said:

SNIP

Get 2 same model TVs, 2x Blu ray players

 

Connect one with the most expensive cable, and one with the cheapest in the shop

Ask them to guess

[Epiclol86]

well, you know, if you work at a place where you get a comission, just come in and "save their ass" when they choose an hdmi cable. say: "oh, i want to be honest with you, don't say it too loud, but these cables are exaclty the same!" then you establish a trust bond, you make them save hundreds of dollars, and you can make them buy more things which makes you an enormous comission!

 

(ok, that may be evil, but still true :p)

[elliott35]

Audioquest claims that their cables are directional and that they specifically listen to every batch of metal conductors to determine which way the cable should go... HOLY SHIT DOES ANYONE KNOW HOW ELECTRICITY WORKS!!!!

[LordFuhnee]

Yep it's a real scam.  

 

"My cable data travels at higher light speed than yours!"

bull shit 

[elliott35]

3 minutes ago, ShadowCaptain said:

Get 2 same model TVs, 2x Blu ray players

 

Connect one with the most expensive cable, and one with the cheapest in the shop

Ask them to guess

They do this... Placebo kicks in and everyone is always tricked...

[79wjd]

4 minutes ago, LordFuhnee said:

Yep it's a real scam.  

 

"My cable data travels at higher light speed than yours!"

bull shit 

Well, High Speed HDMI cables are actually legit, so a cable can make a difference by allowing for a higher throughput. 

[ShadowCaptain]

Just now, elliott35 said:

They do this... Placebo kicks in and everyone is always tricked...

But they will not know which is which

[elliott35]

Whats lukes tag in here? He should do this for the workbench series! or even a tech quickie.

[ShadowCaptain]

1 minute ago, elliott35 said:

Whats lukes tag in here? He should do this for the workbench series! or even a tech quickie.

You could also set it up so that it says "expensive cable" and "cheap cable" and ask what differences they can see

 

then reveal that it was actually the cheap cable they were talking abuot


There ARE differences in HDMI cable capabilities, and shielding etc - so there can be variations, but if its just a 1080p signal 2 two identical tvs, it should be the same regardless

[Arty]

1 hour ago, ShadowCaptain said:

You could also set it up so that it says "expensive cable" and "cheap cable" and ask what differences they can see

 

then reveal that it was actually the cheap cable they were talking abuot


There ARE differences in HDMI cable capabilities, and shielding etc - so there can be variations, but if its just a 1080p signal 2 two identical tvs, it should be the same regardless

/\

 

I have bought a price range of cables, ranging from 5$ to 20$  and the cheaper ones are LESS DURABLE, the quality is usually the same.   I generally just Wait for big sales and get MONSTER cables at about 15$ dollars for 10FT, cause the quality of those cables is great,  The cheap ones just don't last as long.   

[elliott35]

8 minutes ago, Arty said:

/\

 

I have bought a price range of cables, ranging from 5$ to 20$  and the cheaper ones are LESS DURABLE, the quality is usually the same.   I generally just Wait for big sales and get MONSTER cables at about 15$ dollars for 10FT, cause the quality of those cables is great,  The cheap ones just don't last as long.   

But would you spend 1000 for three feet? 

[Arty]

1 minute ago, elliott35 said:

But would you spend 1000 for three feet? 

only if the cable printed money  so no.

[Ryoutarou97]

2 hours ago, elliott35 said:

I work at an electronics retailer where everyone firmly believes that high quality HDMI cables make a huge difference to audio quality. Specifically audio quest HDMI cables. I know that they dont make any difference, and that by their very nature (digital signal) it would not even be possible for any difference to exist between high speed HDMI. The managers even like to setup demos where they switch the HDMI and it sounds better with the more expensive cables... What do people think? How can I show these people that they are ignorant... There is no need to spend $1000+ on a three foot HDMI, yet some people fall for it...

Wait, don't you benefit from selling these? 

[79wjd]

1 hour ago, Ryoutarou97 said:

Wait, don't you benefit from selling these? 

You don't need to completely screw over customers though just to make a bit extra commission. 

[Ryoutarou97]

3 minutes ago, djdwosk97 said:

You don't need to completely screw over customers though just to make a bit extra commission. 

Well, no, but it is nice to have the money. Isn't commission close to 35-50% of your income? I would rather have money than have someone else have that same money. That's about it.

[79wjd]

3 minutes ago, Ryoutarou97 said:

Well, no, but it is nice to have the money. Isn't commission close to 35-50% of your income? I would rather have money than have someone else have that same money. That's about it.

Some people feel guilty over screwing customers out of $1000 when they only needed to spend like $20. (I honestly don't mean to say that those who don't feel guilty are bad people, some people are just affected more than others)

 

My guess is the extra amount of money you'd (as an employee) end up with at the end of the year by pushing $1000 HDMI cables is negligible since you wouldn't sell a whole lot of them. 

[Ryoutarou97]

3 hours ago, djdwosk97 said:

Some people feel guilty over screwing customers out of $1000 when they only needed to spend like $20. (I honestly don't mean to say that those who don't feel guilty are bad people, some people are just affected more than others)

 

My guess is the extra amount of money you'd (as an employee) end up with at the end of the year by pushing $1000 HDMI cables is negligible since you wouldn't sell a whole lot of them. 

I looked it up and it's 1.5% on the first item and 2.5% on all after that at microcenter so$15 $25. Not great, but not too shabby either, and worth about the a half day's salary ($4/hour, according to glassdoor) if you work an 8 hour day and it's the first item.

[Britwit]

If it were an analogue system, better cables make a difference. HDMI is the same no matter the cable. Now I have heard that if you use a higher quality cable even for HDMI it can make the signal travel a bit farther but I'm not too sure on that one. 

[79wjd]

8 minutes ago, Britwit said:

If it were an analogue system, better cables make a difference. HDMI is the same no matter the cable. Now I have heard that if you use a higher quality cable even for HDMI it can make the signal travel a bit farther but I'm not too sure on that one. 

I would believe that -- a higher quality cable (or a lower quality cable tbh) could have a lower resistance. There are also active HDMI cables which repeat the signal thereby allowing you to make extremely long runs (for these cables the quality of the cable will affect the quality of the content).

[Britwit]

1 minute ago, djdwosk97 said:

I would believe that -- a higher quality cable (or a lower quality cable tbh) could have a lower resistance. There are also active HDMI cables which repeat the signal thereby allowing you to make extremely long runs (for these cables the quality of the cable will affect the quality of the content).

That makes sense, especially with the whole house runs they're doing now. but even those aren't pushing 100$.