Quality of TWC's component cables. Buy your own?

[liverkick]

Hi there. Getting my first HDTV set this week and switching to the HD box (non-DVR) post haste. I was wondering what your guys experience is with the picture quality of the default component cables included with the box. Is it recommended I buy a higher quality brand? If so is there a particular brand (or store) anyone can recommend? Besides Monster?

Appreciate any advice, thanks.

[dkennedy]

For a component video connection I would go with a better quality cable since this will be an analog connection and the quality of the cable does come into play.

However, that said, I have used the TW component cables that came with my SA 8300HD & SA 3250HD STB's without any issues with PQ.

The SA 3250HD has DVI output, if your HDTV has DVI input, I would use this connection before using component. If your HDTV has an HDMI input you can get a DVI to HDMI cable.

There are HDTV's where the digital (HDMI/DVI) connection has a better PQ than analog (component) but in those instances it's an all digital connection within the TV itself and there is no digital to analog conversions within the set to display the picture. With both cables in hand you should be able to decide which input gives you better PQ on your set.

If you are going to connect HDMI to HDMI or DVI to HDMI it's an all digital connection transmitting 1's and 0's so an inexpensive cable should suffice.

However, make sure the cable is of good quality with good insulation since you don't want interference from any other electrical source.

[liverkick]

Yeah, I'd like to buy a decent cable to prevent any potential interference problems with analog (Ive heard some users complain about "noise" in the output image), but at the same time I hear the ultra expensive brand cables like Monster are pretty much a ripoff. I guess what Im asking for is there a good middle ground brand or store to go with?

edit- The set has both DVI and HDMI. But I'd like to keep HDMI open since Blu-Ray is going to require that connection in the future for HDCP content. DVI would be a possibility but it doesn't look like the SA 3250HD box supports it (could be wrong here).

edit 2- Oh I'll definitely try the defaults before I buy anything. Im just asking for future reference mostly. Appreciate the help dkennedy.

[dkennedy]

I would try the included TW component cables before purchasing any other cable and view the results.

[dkennedy]

liverkick said:

DVI would be a possibility but it doesn't look like the SA 3250HD box supports it (could be wrong here).

In the past before switching to CC, I've used the DVI output of the 3250HD with a DVI to HDMI cable and it was working. There was a time in which TW didn't have it activated, but I believe and others here can chime in, that it is still active as of today.

[hurnik]

As cheesy as it sounds, Radio Shack has a decent set of cables. I think they have 2 or 3 diff. "levels" of quality depending on how much you want to spend. Monster, IMO is just way too expensive compared to the "relative" quality of other cables (ie, what the average human being can notice).

[Skaggs]

You can buy a "monster" DVI cable for $100 or get a good quality one from pacificcable.com for $24. I had a "monster" and returned it. I see no difference in picture quality between the monster and pacific cable.

I like hooking the cable box to the DVI input on my HDTV for the cable so that I can use the two component inputs for DVD and OTA.