Totally off topic: The quality of digital leads

GedB · Post by **GedB** » Mon Apr 12, 2004 9:33 pm

Off topic, but I know theres a few here that now their electronics and AV.

I've just brought a new TV, and the salesperson was trying to get us to pay for extra quality, gold plated, SCART leads.

This confused me. I know there is good reason for having all that extra finary for an analogue signal, because any lost frequency is lost sound or vision.

However, I don't understand why it should make a difference between a digital DVD player and a digital TV. The information is being carried as 1s and 0s, isnt't it. What is the benefit of superior leads?

I'd appreciate any enlightenment that anybody can provide.

Post by **Berikco** » Mon Apr 12, 2004 9:44 pm

Well, SCART is not a digital signal, so it could be a little bit better image quality.
If you are using a DVI (Digital Video Interface) cable, as found on most flatscreens for computers these days, the cable would make no difference, it would simple work or not work.

GedB · Post by **GedB** » Mon Apr 12, 2004 10:40 pm

So a film can travel around the world by sattelite, telephone wire or DVD perfectly reproducable thanks to being digital, but the final metre is analogue. Incredible.

It seems to me that SCART is a particularly poorly designed standard. It falls out with the slightest of provocation!

I'll look into the DVI alternative. Thanks.

blueb · Post by **blueb** » Tue Apr 13, 2004 1:55 am

Keep us informed.

I've got the same problem. I bought a DVD player and the saleman
suggested $200 worth of cables to hook up to my suround sound
system. Totally blew me away!

blueb

GedB · Post by **GedB** » Tue Apr 13, 2004 9:14 am

I wonder how much of it is snobbery.

The same as the way some programmers stick to difficult, obscure languages full of wierd symbols when the same results can be achieved with a simple, clear, concise syntax. They like the exclusivity of it all.

I think that some people like having really expensive cables while everybody else has cheap cables because it allows them to feel superior.

It means that they can say: 'These solid platinum leads of mine really make a difference. Of course, a simple pleb would be able to see it'

Personally I'm having no problem with the quality of my Â£5-from-the-market generic scart leads.

blueb · Post by **blueb** » Tue Apr 13, 2004 2:02 pm

GedB

I think you're about 99% correct. There probably is a small difference in
video quality, but certainly not the worth the price difference.

--blueb

dontmailme · Post by **dontmailme** » Tue Apr 13, 2004 4:01 pm

GedB wrote:Personally I'm having no problem with the quality of my Â£5-from-the-market generic scart leads.

8O That IS PURE snobbery

Mine only cost Â£1.99

and no probs here either

blueznl · Post by **blueznl** » Tue Apr 13, 2004 4:23 pm

theoretically there is a difference, practically no-one will probably ever notice

scart is just something from way back then, it's nothing more but a grabbag of different signals all put on one connector

there is no clear digital standard yet for (low cost) consumer goods... most televisions are not yet (100%) digital, a standard will emerge, but noone got a clue what it will be (hdtv anyone? only if you have loads of money)

but re. cabling... i did notice a noticable difference between the 'standard' speaker cable that most people use and the somewhat thicker $1 / $2 per meter special audio cable... got two magnat vector 4's here on a sony ES amplifier, and that sounds *nice*

i could *not* hear any difference between that cable and the xxxxx bucks ones

the solution? test before buying!