How Many HDMI Cables Should I Get

[mfrumkin]

I know this is a stupid question, but I'm not sure how many HDMI cables to buy. My system is:

Panasonic 42" plasma
Yamaha RX-V663
Sony Blue-Ray player
Direct TV HD Satellite receiver
1 sub woofer
7 speakers

Do I need 2 or 3 HDMI cables?

Mike

 

[MDS]

If the Sony BluRay and DirectTV receiver have HDMI outputs, you need 3 HDMI cables. One each for Sony and DirectTV to the receiver and one from the receiver to the display.

 

[mfrumkin]

Thanks. I'm assuming that since 2 receiver has 2 HDMI inputs and 1 HDMI output 3 cables will work?

Mike

 

[Exit]

I would recommend you buy cables from monoprice.com. Their cables are very inexpensive and work fine. You may want to buy a couple of extra HDMI cables and any other extra cables you think you may need. For me there was about a $7 shipping charge, which is more than a single cable. If you can buy a few cables at once, the shipping cost is defrayed. Its always nice to pull out a cable when you buy a new A/V source, especially if its in the future that no one is thinking of now. The cables are so inexpensive that the cost of doing this is probably far less than a single cable of name brand cables.

 

[Pyrrho]

Thanks. I'm assuming that since 2 receiver has 2 HDMI inputs and 1 HDMI output 3 cables will work?

Mike

Yes, three HDMI cables will work, assuming that your sources have HDMI outputs and your TV has an HDMI input, just as MDS said.

1. Hook up the HDMI output on the Direct TV HD Satellite receiver to an HDMI input on the Yamaha RX-V663 receiver.
   
2. Hook up the HDMI output on the Sony Blue-Ray player to an HDMI input on the Yamaha RX-V663 receiver.
   
3. Hook up the HDMI output on the Yamaha RX-V663 receiver to an HDMI input on the Panasonic 42" plasma.

You should be done with connecting the sources and video at that point, but if you have trouble with one or more of the connections, hook up an analog video to troubleshoot and get the settings right on everything.

For all of that, read your manuals carefully, and then ask questions if you need to.

And, as Exit says, there is no need to buy expensive cables; they are a total waste of money. Just make sure they are HDMI 1.3 certified, and you will be fine.

 

[Midcow2]

Where to buy HDMI cables from:

I know this is a stupid question, but I'm not sure how many HDMI cables to buy. My system is:

Panasonic 42" plasma
Yamaha RX-V663
Sony Blue-Ray player
Direct TV HD Satellite receiver
1 sub woofer
7 speakers

Do I need 2 or 3 HDMI cables?

Mike

Blue jeans Cables is a very good vendor for cables. They sell Tartan HDMI cables. I would get the larger gauge (24) And get the length of cables you need withoit a lot of excess footage. A 10ft cable is only $12.75
Here is web link : http://www.bluejeanscable.com/store/hdmi-cables/tartan-hdmi-cables.htm These are Chines-made if that makes any dofferenc to you.
They also offer a BJC DSeries-F2 belden bonded cables that are more expensive. A 10 foot cable is $24.



I bought some cables from B & H Photo which were more expensive and they turned out to be excellent quality for $39.95
HDMI to HDMI ULTRA HR CABLE - 6' Their web link is : http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/category/4600/Home_Entertainment.html

Good Luck!

 

[mfrumkin]

Thanks For The Help

Thanks to everyone for clearing this up for me.

I purchased the cables from bluejeans. I did buy the more expensive ones made in the USA, mainly because they are made in the USA. When I measured distances I found that 2 cables of 4 ft each and one of 15 ft. gave me more than enough. The components are sitting in an A/V rack so the distance between the receiver, Direct TV receiver, and blue-ray are negligible.

Thanks again.

Mike

 

[CAVU]

I did buy the more expensive ones made in the USA, mainly because they are made in the USA.

The wire that Blue Jeans uses (Beldon) is made in the USA but Blue Jeans cables are assembled in China.

 

[KurtBJC]

The wire that Blue Jeans uses (Beldon) is made in the USA but Blue Jeans cables are assembled in China.

Just to clarify: not only is the wire made in the US, but the wire is made into bulk HDMI cable (the pairs are twisted and molded; the shields are wrapped; the pairs and other conductors are cabled together; the overall shield is wrapped and braided, and the jacket is extruded) in the US, too. We ship these bulk spools to China for final assembly (that is, connectorization) only, and for the Series-1 cable, on a cost basis, that makes the product about 90% US-made (on F2 I haven't worked it out; it will be somewhat lower because the average cable length is shorter).

I should also add that that's only true of our Belden-based HDMI cables. For all of our other Belden-based products, both the wire/cable manufacture and the final assembly are done here in the US (the former in Kentucky and/or Indiana, the latter in our shop in Seattle).

Kurt
Blue Jeans Cable