HDMI, the truth!

Recently I have been asked this question a lot. And because I am passionate about gadgets I feel I should share the answer.
The question: "Is there a difference in between cheap HDMI cables on ebay, and the expensive ones at the big box stores?"

The answer: There is absolutely no difference, I GUARANTEE it. (and I usually don't guarantee anything)

I was absolutly flabbergasted recently when I asked this question to a sales man at a local electronics store. He flat out lied to my face about the reason some cables are cheaper than others. I didn't even ask about the "cheap" ones on ebay. I could see it in his eyes that he knew he was lying, and Im sure after he was done he knew I knew he was lying.

First of all what is HDMI? HDMI (High-Definition Multimedia Interface) is a compact audio/video interface for transmitting uncompressed digital data.

English you say? is a cable that transfers Audio and Video in the same cable, digitally.
All the cables in the typical home theater system can be the cheapest ones available, with zero loss in image or sound quality. In audio, if a cable does affect the signal, it does so at frequencies inaudible to the human ear (and even then, it has to be of some kind of unusual construction, or very very very long.) The same is true of ordinary video. It is true that certain kinds of connections are superior to others (component video is superior to S-video, which is superior to composite, etc.) But the reason for that has nothing to do with the particular cable you are using.

The only reason you should choose an analog cable over another is your preference in its construction. Is it solid built? will it fall apart?

Further, HDMI cable carries digital signals. Analog signals always degrade in a cable, but it is generaly always imperceptible, and are often unmeasurable. But digital signals can theoretically be transmitted with no degradation AT ALL. None. (And even when there is signal degradation, buffering and error correction can fill in the holes perfectly. The HDMI spec doesn't include error correction, but why should it? The distance is 50 feet max, and is usually less than 3 feet.)

So if you are asking yourself which HDMI cable to buy, remember digital is digital, it is either there or it is not. You do not get signal dedrigation from the cable, if you are experiencing problems, you should probably look at the equipment your are using, rather than the cable.

A more expensive HDMI cable in the big box stores gives you a fancier colorful package, often with more words on it. It also puts more money in the store's registers. That is all.

Update:  Check out this post on Engadget, this is exactly what im talking about.