Many people ask me:
"Does it really matter what kind of video cable I use in my home theatre
system? Aren't they all basically the same?" And to that I reply, "If
you want a great picture, it definitely matters which cables you use. Let me
show you the difference."
The reason to have a home theatre
system is to recreate the movie theater experience in your living room. Whether
you're watching a classic 1950's flick or the latest blockbuster, it is critical
to the home theatre experience to maintain the high resolution picture quality
of the original film. You've probably bought the best VCR, the best laserdisc
player and the best video monitor your home theatre budget would allow, but in
order for them to perform to their fullest potential, they need to be hooked up
with video cables capable of equal performance. With recent advances in video
technology and the clarity of today's sophisticated television monitors, high
quality video cable is an absolute necessity for recreating the theater
experience in your home.
There are many outside influences
beyond your control that determine picture quality, such as the strength of the
broadcast signal or quality of video transfer. By using high quality components
and cables you can help ensure the best possible picture.
The Visibility Factor. You can
spot a cheap video cable problem a mile away. Have you ever played with the
cables behind your TV monitor or component stack to get rid of "snow"
on your screen? That's a clear sign that you've got cheap video cables. Or, if
you've ever bent a generic video cable around a corner, you probably noticed
that the sharpness of your TV picture took a nosedive. More cheap cable.
Look at the comparison chart
below. In this head-to-head test conducted with sophisticated lab equipment, you
can see that some video cables, even so-called high performance, expensive
cables, don't come close to carrying the signal in its original form. Selecting
the "right" video cable is crucial to achieving maximum picture
performance.
The video picture on your TV
screen is often affected by many different things including outside
interference, signal degradation and internal cable reflections. Cables play an
important role in keeping these problems out of your picture. The connections
between your antenna input or cable box and the VCR (laserdisc player, etc.),
A/V receiver and TV monitor are critical to a "home theatre quality"
visual experience and require the proper selection and set-up of those cables.
Video signals travel at much
higher frequencies than audio, and are therefore more prone to cable signal
loss, resulting in poor color saturation and phase accuracy. Picture
"ghosting" can be caused by cable reflections that occur when cable is
poorly manufactured or bent. Snow, spots, and other outside interference often
pollute the picture when your video cables are not shielded properly.
Cable Tips For a Great Picture
Keep video cable lengths short.
The less distance signal has to travel, the less loss will occur, keeping your
picture vivid and sharp. Sometimes you can't avoid a long cable run. Monster
Video® Series 3 cables are designed to carry the signal over these runs with
the lowest loss.
Don't bunch up excess wire, and
keep all cable runs away from AC electrical cords. Both situations can produce
increased picture interference.
Avoid sharp bends and kinks in
your video cables to help minimize signal loss and ghosting.
Use the best possible signal
splitters for your cable TV or antenna system. Poor quality splitters are a
prime source of signal loss and noise.
Movie-Quality Video Cable: What
to Look For
Full coverage braid plus bonded
foil shielding. A necessity for rejecting video "noise" and
interference for greater picture detail.
Ultra-wide bandwidth capacity.
For optimum performance with the technologies of today, including baseband video
and extended bandwidth cable TV - and tomorrow, like High Definition TV and
Digital Broadcast Systems.
Precision 75-Ohm, heavy gauge
construction. A video cable must maintain 75-Ohm impedance throughout to ensure
a clear, sharp, high resolution picture without creating ghosting or phase
delays.
High conductivity and low
dielectric constant. High purity metals like oxygen-free copper, carefully
extruded within the proper dielectrics, are important for accelerated signal
transfer and greater phase accuracy, which ensure naturally vivid, accurate
color.
24K gold plated precision
connectors. A cable is only as good as its connection. Not only do 24K gold
plated precision connectors ensure the best video signal transfer for enhanced
video performance, but they provide a long lasting connection that won't corrode
over time or become loose from fatigue.
Durable, flexible cable jacket. A
high quality cable jacket protects its contents from temperature extremes,
moisture, etc., yet should be flexible for easy installation.
Hooking up your home theatre with
high quality video cables lets you see movies the way they were meant to be
seen. With the proper components and cables, you'll be wincing at fiery
explosions, warding off enemy attacks and wandering through lush green jungles
as if you were really there. And isn't that what home theatre is all about?
