don't overpay for HDMI cables!!!

[kubla77]

Hi Everyone,

 

Just wanted to alert everyone of the huge price-gouging that goes on at big electronics retailers like BestBuy and CircuitCity. They make very little on electronics purchases like TVs... so where do they make their money?

 

Cables... not cable TV, those dinky cables that you would think would come for free... well, they usually don't come for free, but CC or BB will gladly sell you one for an arm and a leg.

 

I went to CC to buy a HDMI cable for my HD-DVR and after asking an employee where they were, he directed me to the Monster HDMI cables which go for $139.99!!!

 

When I expressed outrage at this cost, he suggested I look at the "bargain bin" where I might find one for $69.99!!!!

 

Of course, I walked out...

 

After doing a little bit of research, just wanted to alert folks that HDMI cables are WAY over-priced. Not like by 10-20%, more like by a 1000%. This is no exaggeration.

 

The mark-up from such retailers on these cables can be close to 3000%.

 

Folks, do not buy your HDMI cable from them. You can go online and get a HDMI cable for less than $10. There are tons of sites that sell them. Personally, I bought mine from Firefold for 6.99 (with shipping, it was less than $10 TOTAL). I got my cable the other day (in four business days with standard USPS shipping) and it works just fine. [EDIT: As many posts have mentioned, monoprice.com is an excellent source of cheap cables. When i checked, you could geta 6' HDMI cable for less than $5.]

 

Studies show that there is little to NO difference between "cheap cables" and the expensive gold ones.

 

I know HDTVs are the hot item for the holidays, so just wanted to hopefully save someone out there some money. The employees at these retailers are instructed to try to sell you these cables and especially the Monster ones, telling you how great they are and how your picture will look better blah blah blah... Don't believe them!

 

If you are buying a HDTV for someone for Christmas and they are using a HD-DVR (from a cable company) or a blu-ray, HD-DVD player or PS3, be sure to buy a hdmi cable online and not in a store!

[Brad]

This is the case with nearly all audio/video cables at stores like BB and CC. Like you said, buy online or go somewhere like Target/Wal-Mart where you might find more "budget" versions which will work just as well.

[kubla77]

Yes, thanks Brad... this applies to almost all cables... including computer ones, like ethernet or printer cables. They know that people will pay the outrageously marked up price, because they want to use the item right away. It's kind of a "hidden" cost, most people weren't counting on having to pay for the cable that you would think would come with the item you were buying.

[fairydustcrissy]

I agree. BB wanted 139 for HDMI cables, like OP said. I would never buy Monster cables anyways, for what they ask. We ended up getting some for ~$8. That means I can buy 8 sets, or one Monster. LMAO.

[jasonaltima]

monoprice.com is where i get all my cables

[hpowers]

I got all of mine free from a dish installer.

[debbieshops2003]

I got all of mine free from a dish installer.

I got mine from my Verizon Cable guy.

[neile457]

I bought mine on ebay, 20 ft for $20, 12 ft for $15. Had em a year with no problems, way cheaper than even Walmart.

[yellowjeepster]

monoprice.com is where i get all my cables

I was shocked when I opened my new HD DVD player and there was no cable at all. Then I looked at Target and they were around $50. or more. That really made me mad to find out I had to spend more money to use the product. I had read somewhere before that monoprice.com is a great, cheap site for cables. I glanced at it today but there were so many to choose from I wasn't sure what to order. Any help on which hdmi cable to order to hook a HD DVD player to a HD LCD? If they are cheap enough then I also need one for the HD DVR as well.

[Monstermile]

monoprice.com is where i get all my cables

 

ditto

[kubla77]

I was shocked when I opened my new HD DVD player and there was no cable at all. Then I looked at Target and they were around $50. or more. That really made me mad to find out I had to spend more money to use the product. I had read somewhere before that monoprice.com is a great, cheap site for cables. I glanced at it today but there were so many to choose from I wasn't sure what to order. Any help on which hdmi cable to order to hook a HD DVD player to a HD LCD? If they are cheap enough then I also need one for the HD DVR as well.

HDMI cables that are male to male (which is basically all of them) will be fine. The next (and only) consideration is how long. Get the shortest that YOU need... which is of course how far you need the cable to go. If your TV rests directly on top of an entertainment center and your HD-DVD player and/or HD-DVR are directly below, 6' willl probably be sufficient.

 

And don't pay attention to the gold plating nonsense, all HDMI cables are basically the same.

[yellowjeepster]

HDMI cables that are male to male (which is basically all of them) will be fine. The next (and only) consideration is how long. Get the shortest that YOU need... which is of course how far you need the cable to go. If your TV rests directly on top of an entertainment center and your HD-DVD player and/or HD-DVR are directly below, 6' willl probably be sufficient.

 

And don't pay attention to the gold plating nonsense, all HDMI cables are basically the same.

Thank you for the info!! This is what I was wondering about. Looks like I need to get an order in.

[Guest Macrossmaster]

For the price you'll spend on shipping, might wanna toss in some extras. Here's what I got:

 

3 M to M HDMI Cables (one for surround/DVD, one for cable and a third in case)

Wii Component Cable

DVI Cable for hooking up the laptop.

 

Even with $6 shipping, total was $30. $5 less than Best Buy for ONE freakin' cable! Monoprice is the best!!

[sweetflower429]

We overpaid for the monster cable at CC. Luckily I did not open it. When the Direct TV guy came to install my dish he gave me one...for free. Oh and he also gave me the other cable for free too. Now I just need to find the time to return this other one.

[yellowjeepster]

For the price you'll spend on shipping, might wanna toss in some extras. Here's what I got:

 

3 M to M HDMI Cables (one for surround/DVD, one for cable and a third in case)

Wii Component Cable

DVI Cable for hooking up the laptop.

 

Do they sell a specific cable for the Wii or was it just another cable?

[randiecipper]

My Walmart had a bunch of them in the electronic dept next to the registers and they were marked down from $39 to $15. So I picked one up, had noidea they were so expensive!

[edubbrulez]

monoprice.com is where i get all my cables

That's where I get my cables from too!

[kubla77]

Thank you for the info!! This is what I was wondering about. Looks like I need to get an order in.

you're welcome! glad to help!

[freesia39]

We overpaid for the monster cable at CC. Luckily I did not open it. When the Direct TV guy came to install my dish he gave me one...for free. Oh and he also gave me the other cable for free too. Now I just need to find the time to return this other one.

return it ASAP or at least within the 30 days. when i worked at CC as a customer service rep, someone tried to return a year old cable. the system only goes back 90 days for returns, so i kept trying to tell her NO YOU CANNOT RETURN THIS it's been a year!

 

she kept arguing it was still sold in the store, but i told her the policy is 30 days. maybe if she came on day 35 i would have been able to do something, but a year was ridiculous.

[madisonsmommy]

our direct tv guy didn't give us one when we upgraded the living room tv last year.. . on BF we got the Target Olevia for our bedroom, and yesterday we picked up a HD direct tv box at BB and it came with one... we were shocked LOL we also picked up a cheap Phillips up-convert DVD player at Walmart the other day .. the Phillips one and it came with a cable too, but it is a crappy one... everytime we've tried to watch a movie it says "no signal" and DH has to go mess with it untill it works... last night before we hooked up the new direct tv box we tried the cable it came with on the DVD player and it worked great..

[shockwave78]

monoprice is where i get all my cables, I am AV nut to so im really into it, I probably have 10k into my home theatre.

 

Monoprice cables are as good as anything out there.

[Guest Macrossmaster]

Do they sell a specific cable for the Wii or was it just another cable?

Sorry, missed this til now. It's the Wii Component Cable, a specific type. It's cheaper than dirt $6.

 

I literally think bags of dirt cost more!

[Cannon1]

ditto ditto on monoprice. For any application, just type in the platform (wii, psp, ps3, etc...)

[yellowjeepster]

Any free shipping codes for monoprice.com?

[JJ_61755]

monoprice.

 

I got the HDMI 1.3 cables. I don't think the gauge makes a big difference.

[tazolover]

Thank you to everyone for the referrals to monoprice.com. I was able to purchase the Wii HD cable for under $5.00. My entire order (with shipping) is less that $7. AWESOME!

[rimshot]

Can I ask for a Cables For Dummies primer? lol We are getting our first ever nice TV this week. Our local tv shop is getting in a nice lcd to compare against a plasma Wednesday. Which ever we get will be a 1080P. We have standard tv (analog) cable too.

We have a PS2, Wii. So what all cables will we need?

[bleyso]

Don't buy expensive hdmi cables, or power strips from cc/bb.

[rimshot]

Yep, got that much for this blog and will order from the monoprice that everyone likes here.

But still need to know which cables to get so when we get the tv we can hook up everything.

[DaveL]

ditto ditto on monoprice. For any application, just type in the platform (wii, psp, ps3, etc...)

Ditto here too! Couldn't be happier with their cables. I just bought several 1.3 HDMI cables and composite cables to run in my walls to the flat screen on the wall. I paid about $130 for over 8 different cables 25+ feet long....same cost as a 5ft cable from BB/CC!