Monster Cable HDMI 400 High Resolution A/V Cable - 4 Meters Reviews

• Try less expensive cables before you go for "Designer" brands

  
  By A1Z1VE1QOSGIJH on 2006-01-21
  I have been an audio / electronics enthusiast for over 50 years now (am giving away my age I guess) and I have tried or owned a number of different expensive brands including Monster. These "designer brand cables" (I call them) are the biggest ripoff in electronics. I do not doubt that some of them may sometimes have more durable connectors or sometimes stronger construction. I remember seeing speaker cables selling for $20,000.00 for a 12 foot pair made out of silver or some cables in the multithousands that looked like they could power a city. Just ask yourself when you test by listening or looking can you hear or see an immediate difference for the price or is it all "the emperor's new clothes". I think that if you hookup a $12.00 cable and a $100.00+ cable and you have to switch back and forth in order to try to see or hear a difference that should end the search because for that difference in money there should be no if's. ands, or buts. BTW I have never seen or heard a difference in these comparisons unless one of the cables was defective. I used to go to the Audio shows starting in the 50's and met the legends of audio, like David Hafler, Ed Villchur, and Saul Marantz, I cannot help but reflect on what they would think about all this marketing baloney these cable companies put out. I am certain they would be amused and shocked and finally outraged. In those days,it seems to me, there was a greater value on honesty, ethics, and integrity. High priced designer brand cables are pushed in all the audio stores by and large because of the enormous profits there is in this business of cables and quite often because of incentives given to the salesmen and retailers to promote them by the manufacturer. There has, to my knowledege, NEVER been a valid scientific study that confirms anything these designer cable manufacturers claim. Many of these manufacturers say that known science or scientific testing doesn't matter for reasons they make up because they wont admit that truth to tell only their outrageous overcharging and profits matter.
  
  I suggest you let your ears and eyes be the judge, don't fall for the marketing hype. Don't allow yourself to be fooled by "the emperors new clothes".
  
  

• Try a lower quality cable before you buy

  
  By A3FGWWY8DG8Q6F on 2005-10-14
  Let me start off by saying that like most guys I'm an A/V junkie. Over last five years I've probably purchased over $1000 in Monster Cable© products. Recently, I picked up a HD cable box from my cable provider. I was so excited to hook-up my new HD-cable box to my high def plasma that went to the closest retailer, Radioshack©. Now I normally don't shop at Radioshack because the products they sell are of such low quality, but since I was just going to pick up a non-Radioshack product I figured it didn't matter.
  
  So I walk into Radioshack looking to buy the Monster Cable HDMI 400 High Resolution A/V Cable but, of course Radioshack didn't have any in stock. While looking around the store for a possible substitute I came across a $12.99 Radioshack HDMI-HDMI cable. I examined the package carefully looking for some type of official `HDMI(tm)" seal without any luck but, I figured for $12.99 if it doesn't work I only lost a few bucks (besides I could always return it). Suffice it to say the cable works great and I'm enjoying High def television at a fraction of the cost. Now results may vary, so I'm not suggesting that your results will be exactly the same but, I think you should at least try a cheaper cable first and if it doesn't work you can always return it and get a Monster Cable(tm).
  
  One thing to note is that an HDMI signal is all digital so as long as the cable functions I don't think there will be any difference in picture quality. That being said I wouldn't recommend buying low quality cables for analog sources
  
  
  

• Dumb dumb dumb

  
  By AFJC3HKYD40NT on 2006-06-26
  What do they say about fools and money?
  
  HDMI uses TMDS which is a digital transmission system with built-in error correction. TMDS has been designed to work over cheap cabling and a $10 HDMI cable will meet the specification. If you spend 9 times more on this cable than another one then you have just wasted $80. That's all there is to it.
  
  You don't need expensive shielding or gold plated connectors for a cable. The picture or the sound are not richer or more vibrant with a $90 cable over a $10. In fact the signal is identical. Let me repeat - HDMI (& DVI-D) devices talk digitally with error correction. This cable and ones like it are for suckers only.
  
  

• Dont waste your money

  
  By A2O3O2W8QQ5DK8 on 2006-07-26
  A $10 cable does the same thing. Do not believe the hype. Monster is overpriced and people are starting to realize it. Its digital, 1s and 0s. Either it reads it or it doesnt.
  
  

• Digital signals don't "vary"

  
  By AENK4X1X4C5CM on 2006-12-05
  Expensive cables for a digital signal are the worst sort of scam, and people who spend extra money for them are ignorant of the technology. For analog signals, cable-quality can vary your reception-quality (though not as much as people think). But digital signals transmit data in "1s" and "0s." The "1s" and "0s" either get through, or they don't. If they do get through, you have a picture (or sound). If they don't get through, you DO NOT. With digital (unlike analog), you never have to WONDER whether you could, maybe, if only you'd spent a little bit more money, be getting a better result. If you see a picture, you know the "1s" and "0s" got through. If you see NO PICTURE, then your connection is loose, or your dog chewed through the line, or you have a bad cable. There is no in-between. The beauty of HDMI, the beauty if digital, is that you no longer have to wonder. How long will companies like Monster be able to keep this secret :)
  
  
• Your money is better spent elsewhere
  By A24IBH7AFM5J6 on 2006-10-20
  Like most have pointed out, it's a digital signal and there's no need for all the gas-injected, gold plated, shielded stuff monster cables hype. For analog signals this stuff absolutely makes a difference because analog cables are highly affected by outside EM interference.
  
  Some people have pointed out that monster cables are more durable. So yes, if you plan on swinging around on your cables it might matter. If, like most people, you plug the stuff in behind your equipment then leave it be for months and months, don't waste your money.
  
  
• Yes, there *is* a difference in digital cables!
  By A26R7LLAFTPC3U on 2005-05-07
  Here we go again with the Monster vs. Cheap'o Cable debate. I love that this guy hasn't even tried the product, yet he slams it in not one but two "reviews". They aren't reviews, they are his personal opinion, which I (and many others believe to be incorrect). Instead he seems to be pushing another brand--interesting to me, wonder what his motives are?
  
  Is Monster overpriced? Perhaps the quality Monster 800, 1000 and higher items are at full retail. Do you get the exact same quality from cheaper cables? No. I sell products online and currently have hundreds of different cables that I have personally tested. Is there a quailty difference in Monster? Yes, with digital it is harder to see but anyone who runs long cables, unplugs them regularly or runs a decent amount of digital connections normally WILL notice the difference in quailty vs cheap'o cables.
  
  The biggest issue for many customers I talk with and many cheaper digital cables I test is the connections. Quality cables don't crimp/break/fall apart like the cheap ones. This is hugely important with digital signals because you either get a strong signal or you don't and once that cheap cable has crimpped or had issues on the connection, it is worthless. Some of these cheaper brands have lifetime warranties, but if you have to be without your cable for weeks at a time, while paying $10ish to ship it, it isn't worth it.
  
  I personally stopped testing my high end cables like this Monster 400 because I haven't seen one fail yet. Now I do see issues with the cheaper Monster THX 100 cables, but that is another review...:)
  
  Do I work for Monster? No. Does anyone I know work for Monster? No. Have I ever gotten any Monster Brand items for free? No, I do watch for sales or opened items, but I have paid for every Monster item I own.
  
  
• Be an educated consumer! You don't have to spend a lot for *digital* cables
  By ASRA2UZ3JV87B on 2006-09-21
  You don't have to spend a fortune on expensive cables when you are dealing with digital signals. Keep in mind that all digital interfaces have error correction built into them. Did you know the internal components of consumer electronics are connected with tin and nickel? There's no gold inside! So there's no need for oxygen-free, gold tipped, multi sheilded, super mega supreme cables. If you don't believe me, buy this cable and a no-name cheapie. Compare them for yourself -- you will see no difference.
  
  With analog signals, a good quality cable may make a difference (although the difference is usually only visible on an oscilloscope).
  
  
• Way too expensive
  By A1XAYQ4LD8RYRN on 2006-04-19
  This is nothing more than a VGA cable with different plugs. It is a rip off. Gold plated connectors or not. Use your compenent connections for near same quality image for one tenth the cost.
  
  
• Its Like Putting Premium Gas into a New Car
  By A3EN49S0E750M4 on 2006-12-15
  Okay people...here it is.....HDMI signals are made to work over the cheapest of HDMI cables...purchasing the ultra-turbo-powered-air tight-bestest cable in the world would have no visually perceptable difference to using a cheaper cable.
  
  Its akin to buying a new car, whose engine is made to burn regular 87 octane gasoline...The car will not run better on premium gasoline, though you are welocme to spend the extra money and put it in the car. The car gas mileage will be the same.
  
  Thank you and take care.
  
  
• Digital Signals
  By A1XBXGUJ25JE8R on 2007-03-11
  Being in computer hardware engineering: anyone who suggests to you that a digital signal is a digital signal is a digital signal clearly has _no_ clue what on earth they are talking about. Im not suggesting that monster cables are the best thing since sliced bread - afterall you will be paying for their marketing budget with your purchase. Subpar cords WILL indeed have reduction in DIGITAL signal bandwidth through various transmission line effects; this is why a fair number of people arent getting 1080p performance through the 5 dollar cords. It is the bandwidth (the amount of information sent per given period of time) which determines how well these cords perform.
  
  
• Monster Bashing
  By A57SLE7B68AP4 on 2007-05-10
  I, just like everyone else, know that a subpar or even a moderately subpar wire will work and deliver picture and sound, however, unlike those who are telling you they are A/V junkies, I was not one, and used the cheap wires. I wound up replacing them a couple of times, given their very poor quality and durability. I used every other wire in order to avoid paying a lot for monster cables. However, out of sheer frustration and a little curiostiy, I decided to upgrade one of my cables from a very poorly made wire to Pure AV, which are definitely decent cables. I then decided to upgrade one more time, to see if I could really tell a difference with Monster. I heard all the technical stuff, I listened to the arguments about one cable being just like another, but I wanted to see it myself.
  
  So, I picked up this wire for an uponverting DVD player and a Monster DVI-HDMI for my computer to my TV. Perhaps, you might think I am lying or just trying to defend Monster, but I immediately saw a difference. The quality of the picture was phenomenal and the sound was amazing. Like I said, I was not an AV junkie, so I did it all based on what I knew, heard and saw, and I can tell you the Monster cables do make an amazing difference, and not just in terms of connecting a computer to a TV but also with my PS3 which makes games and my Blu-Ray movies look unbelievable.
  
  Do I want to spend that much on cables? Certainly not, and the only reason I do is because I can tell a difference, colors are more vibrant, blacks are more black, and the sound is crystal clear (I should also mention I have also upgraded my Optical sound cables to Monster as well). Also, if you do purchase a Monster cable, you will see a little slip of paper included which carries with it a lifetime guarantee. So, I spend $100 plus and yet it is not a waste of money, because if anything happens, I merely return it for another one. I don't know how that is a bad deal, and how Monster is selling us a lie, when they are willing to stand behind their product that strongly.
  
  So, yes, you can get sound and video from other cables, and it will work, and you may think there is no difference, but given my setup and what I have seen, I am now a loyal customer of Monster products and recommend them to anyone who asks me what they need if they want to set up a Home Theater. I even use their powercenter in order to protect my investment, and even then, there is a noticeable difference in the way things run, and the way things look.
  
  I know it sounds ubelievable, and I, myself, had to question whether I was just trying to convince myself that I noticed a difference, but when something is that noticeable the minute you turn it on, it is hard to argue otherwise.
  
  That is merely my .02 on the whole thing.
  
  EDIT: Initially, I was annoyed by all the disparaging remarks against Monster cables, but now, I find it rather humorous how heated people get over a cable. Suffice it to say, I have used cheaper cables and though they work, which I never once said they didn't, they are horrible cables, made of very poor quality. I am not going to argue about the whole signal 1's and 0's thing, I am just going to say, on a practical level, I was getting tired of replacing my cheap wires because of how poorly they worked. One broke, the other shorted out, and the other one did lack a vibrancy in color (I am sure I am going to be called a liar for that one). When I replaced those cables with Monster I never had that problem, and the only reason I started to buy Monster cables was because if the same thing happened that happened to my other cables, I have a lifetime warranty. I send it back and they give me another cable. I still cannot understand how that is a bad deal.
  
  So, go buy your cheap $6-$10 cables and enjoy them, I will stick with my Monsters and their lifetime warranty.
  
  
• A good cable, but not a good value
  By A28C5QCY7CHD8H on 2006-01-12
  What matters is using the cable with the highest capability your gear will support (HDMI, DVI, component), and using a decent quality shielded cable. But don't waste your money on "features" that won't affect the performance of the cable.
  
  
• RIP off
  By A3M0N66TGYDDM1 on 2007-07-28
  So you are at your favorite brick and mortar store, possibly a little nervous as you venture into the bewildering world of HDTV and drown in a sea of acronyms. You just paid thousands of dollars for the latest HDTV. The salesman asks you if you have the right cables to hook everything up and you aren't sure. He grabs a $100 Monster HDMI cable off the rack and... Stop right there!
  
  Monster cables are the biggest ripoffs in the home entertainment industry.
  Especially their HDMI cables. HDMI is a digital signal. You either have it or you don't. A cheap $15 generic cable will work just as well. Don't be pressured into buying Monster branded anything! They prey on your ignorance to inflate their profit margins. Don't fall for it!
  
  It's not just my opinion. Type this into Google:
  Monster HDMI cables ripoff
  
  
  
• Ensures that the 1's remain 1's and the 0's remain 0's
  By A1BJUMKKRLK9XX on 2007-07-28
  Without getting too technical, it is important that when you have a high def TV, and the bits leave your cable box, what got sent as a 1 is received as a 1 and what got sent as a 0 is received as a 0. If a 1 becomes a 0 or a 0 becomes a 1, then you have trouble -- the quality of the signal is compromised, though there are various error detection mechanisms to correct the flipped ones and zeros if there aren't too many of them.
  
  Now what this cable does really well is to ensure just that. But so does most every other HDMI cable. Heck, Amazon sells cables that cost $10 and under. So -- why spend so much money on this? Well its because the average buyer knows no better. So -- save your money for something else, and buy an HDMI cable for $10 or under. And, if you insist on spending ungodly amounts of money for glorified copper wire, I do have a bridge that's a great deal for you.
  
  
• Great item GREAT price!
  By A32DXK6SA8M5E4 on 2006-11-09
  If your going to spend the big bucks on the big TV's, recievers, etc... You HAVE to get the good cables. Not only is it far superior in preformance. It couldn't be easier to hook up! A LOT better then the audio/video cables. The price at Amazon is outstanding as well! Best Buy, Circuit City and the like are almost double the price! Plus no tax and free shipping.. GREAT!!!
  
  
• Excellent quality cable built to last
  By A3HCVGMNJPBJUM on 2006-11-15
  I would have to disagree with all those dissing Monster cables for digital use. There are many aspects to these cables that make them worth the money other than whether they improve your signal or not.
  
  Here are some of the items that I was very impressed with:
  They have a tight net encasement around the cable so the cable easily glides through and around tight spaces.
  The cable feels like you would expect a cable to feel. There are no thin, weak, or sub-standard parts to the cable that wear or break after repeated usage.
  The thumb-screws on the connectors are right-sized and easier to handle than most.
  Plus, all the other stuff that the others claim doesn't matter such as the gas-injected extra RF shielding, the gold connectors, etc.
  RF interference does affect a digital signal exactly the same way it affects an analog signal, but because it is digital, it doesn't matter as much how weak the signal so long as the message being sent hasn't been lost. A weaker digital signal is still read correctly whereas a weaker analog signal might not. However if a digital signal is distorted enough that the digital message has changed, it will result in distortions in the digital picture. Depending upon the amount of interference you have, that is unlikely to occur but is possible.
  Bottom line is a cheaper cable will produce a just-as-good picture, but that has never been what Monster cables are about. They are about being able to get top quality cable, preventing most problems that can arise from using cheaper ones. That, and feeling good about having "more power, arrrh arrrh arrrh"!
  
  
• An Easy To Use Addition To The Monster Cable Family
  By A2JRRNE59B1YCW on 2007-01-22
  I purchased this cable to connect a television with an HDMI input to a Series 3 TiVo. The cable is flexible and plugs in easily. This cable also unplugs easily, but doesn't accidently disconnect when tugged on. I purchased this item directly from Amazon, and it arrived in the usual Monster bubble plastic. The bubble plastic is difficult to open at best. As far as I could tell, the video quality was compareable to the HDMI cable provided by TiVo. Overall, if you are reading this to determine if you should spend the money on this Monster cable instead of using the cable provided by your cable service or TiVo, then I would say stick with your existing cable until it fails you. If the price is no obstacle and you want an easy to use cable, then this may be the one for you.
  
  
• Don't be fooled
  By A3UKQD61J4QFKN on 2007-07-28
  Let me break it down for you and make it simple. HDMI is a signal that's been built so well that it has little to no issues with signal quality. The only instance where that MAY become an issue is with the length of the cable, but in terms of wiring a convention centre. For this reason HDMI is just as good over ten dollar cables as it is over hundred dollar cables, when used in your home.
  
  The bottom Line with HDMI is as long as the signal gets to its destination, it WILL ALWAYS be the same no matter what carries it there.
  
  Simple HDMI works or it doesn't, 100% or zero, very black and white functionality.
  
  
• Worthless scam
  By A198CCH4NNLI2E on 2007-10-14
  One MIGHT argue that cable quality could affect a digital audio signal due to clock timing issues, but for video as long as the signal gets there without losing bits, all adequate cables are the same. (And I think most receivers reclock the digital audio, anyway.) As long as the cables provide enough shielding to avoid actual data loss, interference has no effect on a digital signal.
  
  I really can't believe that fooling and lying to people has become a valid business model in this country. If you buy these cables you are being taken, plain and simple, by a company that thinks providing you with an illusion of quality is more profitable than providing you with real value. Until people become more skeptical, they are right.
  
  
• Great Monster Quality, BUT NOT NEEDED!
  By A22CT4ZGGD2FJF on 2007-08-14
  Basically a HDMI cable transfers a digital signal from a source(HD DVD) to an output(TV). Unlike the old RCA cables, HDMI cables do not suffer from signal loss. Yes these cables look beautiful, and you will have bragging rights but they are NOT worth the price at all. Unless you are running the absolute top of the line equipment, will the purchase of this cable be justified.
  
  Save your money, buy a generic HDMI cable. It all works the same.
  
  
• I should have read reviews first
  By A11OHUQLST61F9 on 2005-01-04
  Good point by another reviewer. An HDMI cable is just a computer cable transmitting data. It doesn't need gold plated this or that to be any better. Too late for me but not too late for you. Order a standard HDMI cable and not the deluxe model and save some $$$.
  
  
• It IS better!
  By A21M1SHXG8WAFS on 2006-11-16
  I didn't want to spend the money on this either, but it IS better. I really don't know why, but it IS. No question about it. PERFECT picture and sound! I have a Yamaha RX-V2700 receiver which has HDMI hookups. I tried a HDMI cable that came with my DirecTV box (from my Toshiba HD DVD player) and it was seriously lacking. This hookup is MUCH better! I have a Monster Cable HDMI hooked up to the new receiver that runs to my Sony 46" flat panel as well (more $ but....). I'm finally satisfied. I'm watching (and listening to) "Batman Begins" (In Dolby True HD sound) on HD DVD and it is superb!!!! This is just awesome! The stuff of fantasy. You only have to buy this/these cables once, so why not buy the BEST?! I highly recommend this move.
  
  
• Don't waste your money.
  By A1US4G4C913481 on 2007-08-07
  Monster cables always have been and always will be a joke. Sure they may be higher quality but in terms of picture quality it isn't helping anything. Especially in the digital age there won't be signal loss regardless of what cable you go with. The extra cost all goes to pay the naive consumer tax.
  
  
• Are you really stupid and have way too much money laying around?
  By A4F9PR32JM1X7 on 2007-11-29
  Are you incredibly stupid and have so much money laying around you just don't know what to do with it? if so these cables are for you (and also if so, please contact me, I have a few bridges I would love to sell you).
  
  If you are one of those uncommon people who like value in your purchases, you might want to try a cheaper cable. But if you are the fun and adventurous type who likes wiping their butt with one hundred dollar bills, these cables should not be missed.
  
  
• A must!
  By A2F63GWQMUPWUD on 2006-02-25
  Don't skip this cable! You are wasting money on HDMI equipment if you don't hook it up correctly. I used component connections while I waited for this cable to arrive, and I was blown away by the difference it made when it came. Now I have a set of brand new Monster component cables gathering dust in my closet.
  
  
• Works great, fair value
  By A3J43HVGQVVSTJ on 2007-08-17
  I'm not at all as knowledgeable about this stuff as most of the people that write the reviews so this should may good for people who are clueless about this type of stuff. I had read the reviews before buying this and wasn't sure if I should spend the extra $ on Monster cables or not so I bought this and a less expensive cord at the same time (the less expensive one was still gold plated). I was hooking up to Direct TV and a Panasonic Blu-ray to my HP 1080i HD 47" Flat LCT TV so I needed two anyway. When I switch the cheaper one with this I can't notice any difference in quality. A friend of mine works for Tweeter and helped me with my TV installation so I asked him about it and he said that there's very little difference and he wouldn't spend the $ to upgrade. There's nothing wrong with the Monster cable at all but I spent around $40-$50 on it (which would have been $200+ at the store that I bought the TV at) and $15 on a no name brand and got the same picture as far as I could tell.
  
  
• Great cable
  By AD6XZ8L68MFNU on 2007-01-26
  HDMI cables are expensive, but I got a good deal on Amazon. Cables were delivered quick and were brand new.
  
  
• Can't afford the best? Suffer like the rest....
  By A3R0IT01JE4HQX on 2007-07-10
  Wow... Where do I begin? Id like to first off say, as an Aviation Electronics technician, in study of being an electrical engineer, and a VERY avid home theater buff, I understand that different wires and cables have different properties of carrying signals... and have seen the difference in real world situations.
  
  So, most importantly... Do these cables work? ABSOULETLY!! Are they worth the money? Depends. Not one person that has actually purchased monster products can say they arent good cables! So stop giving products bad reviews for their prices. The scoring system is for the quality, longevity, and how well the product works. If you can't afford it, you can't afford it.... Don't say they are "crap". Are Ferraris crap just because they are over-priced?
  
  If your not running an expensive set-up... if you're not viewing 1080P.... or using a HIGH end computer and monitor.. Then these may be a waste of money. The point of these cables are more then simply delivering a signal. I have never once discovered degradation of singal do to interference with power cords, radio frequencies, or electromagnetic waves... like those great little 10 dollar cords that people speak so highly of. Monsters shielding is awesome. Secondly, the materials used in cables is very important. Certain metals (mainly copper) carry signals better then the cheaper metals used in cheaper cables (nickel, aluminum). And moster gold plates the connecters to keep from them getting corroded. Which DOES happen in high humidity environments. I really could go on and on, but then I would sound like a monster sales rep.
  
  Simply put... I could name cables MUCH more expensive then monster. And of course, there are tons that are cheaper. But like I said, if your spending all that money on expensive High Definition Tvs, on Blu-Ray and HD-DVD players, on Gaming PCs, then dont short yourself on cheap cables. Its like having an expensive sports car, then buying $50 tires from wal-mart. All that horsepower is getting wasted.
  
  IF YOU CAN AFFORD THEM... BUY THEM!! You wont be "wasting your money"
  
  
• Top Quality - Great Price!
  By A198WKFAT80FPP on 2007-01-11
  Upgrading from Component Video to this HDMI cable changed our entire HD experience. Video is actually clearer and sharper than before and the sound - well, you'd have to hear it to believe it! DON'T buy this cable at your local electronics store - you'll pay double what you pay here. My local electronics retailer sold me on the Monster Cable with the old "you get what you pay for" spiel - finding the exact same product for half the price at Amazon just makes it sweeter than ever! Buy it here - you won't find a better HDMI cable anywhere and you DEFINITELY won't find it for less!
  
  

• 3-Year Extended Service Plan - Covers Electronic Items $0-$200 - Repair
• Dayton RGB-6 Component Video Cable 6 ft.
• Dayton ODC-6 Optical Digital Cable 6 ft.
• Monster Cable DVI400-1M DVI-D Video Cable
• Techflex 3/4" F6 Split Sleeving 25 ft. Black

• Monster Cable MP HTS800 Home Theater PowerCenter HTS800
• Monster Cable MP HTS 1000 PowerCenter with Clean Power Stage 2 (v.2.0)
• Sony PlayStation 3 Blu-ray Disc Remote
• Monster Cable THX-Certified Fiber Optic Digital Interconnect Cable (4 Feet)
• PlayStation 3 Wireless Sixaxis Controller