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Engadget HD giveaway: win a 3x1 HDMI switch and HDMI cables!

by Steven Kim posted Apr 30th 2009 at 10:02AM

Next Generation giveaway round 4
The recession antidote giveaways over at Engadget Classic have been a huge hit, and nothing could make us happier -- except a special set of giveaways just for HD readers, of course! We're sure AV gear is one of the first things to get trimmed from the household budget, but we want to make sure our readers aren't totally cut off. Luckily, the good folks at Next Generation Home Products sent us a raft of HD-centric goodies. This week we've reached in the gift bag and come up with two fistfuls of good, basic HDMI connectivity. We'll give away eight bundles: four will come with a 3x1 HDMI switch and a 4-m length of Next Generation's bulk Xtreme HDMI cable; the other four will consist of a 3x1 HDMI switch and a 3-m stretch of Xtreme HDMI cable. With the all the gadgets stacking up underneath your TV, you can never have enough HDMI cables or ports, so check the rules below and start commenting!

Special thanks to Next Generation Home Products for providing the gear!

The rules:
  • Leave a comment below. Any comment will do, but if you want to share your proposal for "fixing" the world economy, that'd be sweet too.
  • You may only enter this specific giveaway once.
    If you enter this giveaway more than once you'll be automatically disqualified, etc. (Yes, we have robots that thoroughly check to ensure fairness.)
  • If you enter more than once, only activate one comment. This is pretty self explanatory. Just be careful and you'll be fine.
  • Contest is open to anyone in the 50 States, 18 or older! Sorry, we don't make this rule (we hate excluding anyone), so be mad at our lawyers and contest laws if you have to be mad.
  • Winners will be chosen randomly. Four winners will each receive one (1) 3x1 HDMI switch and one (1) 4-m HDMI bulk Xtreme cable; approximate retail value is $246. Four winners will each receive one (1) 3x1 HDMI switch and one (1) 3-m HDMI Xtreme cable; approximate retail value is $290.
  • If you are chosen, you will be notified by email. Winners must respond within three days of the end of the contest. If you do not respond within that period, another winner will be chosen.
  • Entries can be submitted until Thursday, May 7th, 11:59PM ET. Good luck!
  • Full rules can be found here.

Engadget HD giveaway: win a 5x1 HDMI switch and long HDMI cables!

by Steven Kim posted Apr 22nd 2009 at 2:00PM

Next Generation Home Products giveaway - long HDMI cables
The recession antidote giveaways over at Engadget Classic have been a huge hit, and nothing could make us happier -- except a special set of giveaways just for HD readers, of course! We're sure AV gear is one of the first things to get trimmed from the household budget, but we want to make sure our readers aren't totally cut off. Luckily, the good folks at Next Generation Home Products sent us a raft of HD-centric goodies. This week, we're handing out stuff for those with gear separated by less than a stone's throw but more than an arm's length. We've got two bundles, each with a 5x1 HDMI switch with remote control and a HDMI EQ extender. To cover those long run lengths between components, one winner will get a 15-m HDMI cable, the other will get a 10-m length. Just in case you want to run that cable through your walls, we'll throw in two double HDMI wall plates in each bundle as well. Whether you've got a projector up in the ceiling or a noisy Xbox 360 in a closet, this giveaway is the one for you, so check the rules below and start commenting!

Special thanks to Next Generation Home Products for providing the gear!

The rules:
  • Leave a comment below. Any comment will do, but if you want to share your proposal for "fixing" the world economy, that'd be sweet too.
  • You may only enter this specific giveaway once.
    If you enter this giveaway more than once you'll be automatically disqualified, etc. (Yes, we have robots that thoroughly check to ensure fairness.)
  • If you enter more than once, only activate one comment. This is pretty self explanatory. Just be careful and you'll be fine.
  • Contest is open to anyone in the 50 States, 18 or older! Sorry, we don't make this rule (we hate excluding anyone), so be mad at our lawyers and contest laws if you have to be mad.
  • Winner will be chosen randomly. One winner will receive one (1) 5x1 HDMI switch, one (1) HDMI EQ extender, one (1) 1-m HDMI bulk cable, two (2) HDMI double wall plates and one (1) 15-m HDMI bulk cable; approximate retail value is $456. One winner will receive one (1) 5x1 HDMI switch, one (1) HDMI EQ extender, one (1) 1-m HDMI bulk cable, two (2) HDMI double wall plates and one (1) 10-m HDMI bulk cable; approximate retail value is $431.
  • If you are chosen, you will be notified by email. Winners must respond within three days of the end of the contest. If you do not respond within that period, another winner will be chosen.
  • Entries can be submitted until Wednesday, April 29th, 11:59PM ET. Good luck!
  • Full rules can be found here.

Engadget HD giveaway: win a 5x1 HDMI switch and Copperhead HDMI cables!

by Steven Kim posted Apr 10th 2009 at 10:00AM

Next Generation Engadget HD giveaway
The recession antidote giveaways over at Engadget Classic have been a huge hit, and nothing could make us happier -- except a special set of giveaways just for HD readers, of course! We're sure AV gear is one of the first things to get trimmed from the household budget, but we want to make sure our readers aren't totally cut off. Luckily, the good folks at Next Generation Home Products sent us a raft of HD-centric goodies. There's still more good stuff in the bag, which brings us to round two of the giveaway. Up for grabs this week are four bundles that should help alleviate any HDMI shortages in your system. Each bundle has a 5x1 HDMI switch with remote control, a 1-m length of Copperhead HDMI cable and a 6-inch HDMI extension. Four lucky readers will be picked, so your odds should be a bit better on this giveaway; check the rules below and start commenting!

Special thanks to Next Generation Home Products for providing the gear!

The rules:
  • Leave a comment below. Any comment will do, but if you want to share your proposal for "fixing" the world economy, that'd be sweet too.
  • You may only enter this specific giveaway once.
    If you enter this giveaway more than once you'll be automatically disqualified, etc. (Yes, we have robots that thoroughly check to ensure fairness.)
  • If you enter more than once, only activate one comment. This is pretty self explanatory. Just be careful and you'll be fine.
  • Contest is open to anyone in the 50 States, 18 or older! Sorry, we don't make this rule (we hate excluding anyone), so be mad at our lawyers and contest laws if you have to be mad.
  • Winner will be chosen randomly. Four winners will receive one (1) 5x1 HDMI switch, one (1) 1-m length of Copperhead HDMI cable and one (1) 6-inch Copperhead HDMI extension. Approximate value of each package is $250.
  • If you are chosen, you will be notified by email. Winners must respond within three days of the end of the contest. If you do not respond within that period, another winner will be chosen.
  • Entries can be submitted until Friday, April 17th, 11:59PM ET. Good luck!
  • Full rules can be found here.

Mini DisplayPort to HDMI adapters now available for under $20

by Richard Lawler posted Mar 30th 2009 at 9:32PM

Got a Mini DisplayPort equipped laptop or video card and need to connect it to something... um, not Mini DisplayPort? If you've got a crisp Andrew Jackson, then Monoprice has an adapter for you with HDMI, DVI and VGA outs, all of which are now shipping for $14.25 and up. Unless you don't like saving money, nor enjoy your peripherals actually working with your new machine, it'll be hard to find a problem with this.

[Thanks, Phil]

Mini DisplayPort-to-HDMI adapter ships next month for under $15

by Darren Murph posted Feb 10th 2009 at 4:34AM


Who says you need a knock-down-drag-out to determine whether your next component should have HDMI or DisplayPort? The forward-thinking cats at Monoprice have finally provided a ship date for the forthcoming (March 15th) Mini DisplayPort-to-HDMI adapter, which ought to help bargain shoppers out who have found themselves with a Mini DisplayPort-equipped laptop or graphics card. The best part? It's just $14.25 for one, and even less if you buy in bulk. How's that for fair pricing in a tough market?

[Thanks, Charbs]

Research shows HDMI climbing, DVI slipping

by Darren Murph posted Nov 21st 2008 at 5:11PM


It was already made clear that both HDMI and DVI have a struggle on their hands with DisplayPort entering the picture, but new research from In-Stat asserts that HDMI is still on the up and up while DVI is slowing fading away. The report found that HDMI sockets were included on a staggering 95% of all digital televisions shipped worldwide in 2008, which unsurprisingly goes down as "the greatest volume for HDMI in any product." It also found that the "vast majority" of DVI shipments occurred in PC and PC peripheral markets, noting that DVI-enabled product shipments would decline at an annual rate of 30% through 2012; in the same breath, we're told that HDMI-enabled product shipments would increase at an annual clip of 23% over the same period. Now, if only this research would have included DisplayPort, we'd really have ourselves a showdown.

[Via CNET]

HDTV Cable Kit For Dummies is really just for suckers

by Darren Murph posted Nov 13th 2008 at 11:57AM

You know, we typically have nothing but respect for the For Dummies line (with one title in particular being our fav), but this is just downright insulting. For those buying a new HDTV on Black Friday or soon after, 4D Global Partners and Cables To Go have linked up schemed to sucker you into buying this pathetic kit for hooking things up. Ironically enough, this supposedly simple package gets confusing right from the get-go by coming in two versions -- as if HDTV newbies will really understand which one to go for. Beyond that, the only difference between the HDTV Cable Kit For Dummies and the HDTV Premium Cable Kit For Dummies is the number of HDMI cables (two and three, respectively). Each box comes bundled with a few basic HDMI connectors, "additional cables required to connect non-HDMI components," reusable cable ties and a booklet that provides vague installation details for a TV you don't actually own. Worst of all, the For Dummies crew somehow got the idea that pricing these at $99.99 and $149.99 (in order of mention) was a bright idea, which makes us awfully suspicious that Noel Lee has his sketchy hands in this somewhere.

Ask Engadget HD: Which cable / interconnect brand should I rely on?

by Darren Murph posted Sep 24th 2008 at 12:00PM Featured Story


We've heard this question so many times that we've taken for granted the answer, but given the recent increase in competition in the cable market, we figured we'd pass along Josiah's question on the matter:

"I'm not going to pay hundreds of dollars for those cables sold in Best Buy and Circuit City, but I want the best possible audio and video quality. I've got a pretty basic setup, and I just need a few HDMI cables, a set of component cables and a few optical audio cables. Where would I go to get the best for my money? Is there a particular brand I should look for? What has worked out for your readers?"

Unload your experiences with cables -- however expensive (or cheap) -- below, and be sure to elaborate on which brand / store / etc. you found to be the best for the price. Oh, and make no mention of Furutech, we're trying to keep the cost-per-cable under a grand.

Got a burning question that you'd love to toss out for Engadget HD (or its readers) to take a look at? Tired of Google's blank stares when you ask for real-world experiences? Hit us up at ask at engadgethd dawt com and keep an eye on this space -- your inquiry could be next.

Black Rhodium HDMI cables hit "every price point" except ours

by Darren Murph posted Jun 27th 2008 at 8:25PM

Actually, we're being too kind. It hits every price point except the one below "absurdly inflated." For whatever reason, Black Rhodium figures it can get away with launching a pricey new line of HDMI cables that are "engineered for optimum performance at every price point," yet the cheapest one is a full £35 ($69)... and that's for a 0.5-meter edition. The sure-to-be-noticeably-faster (ahem) Sapphire HiSpeed cables boast gold-plated connectors, copper conductors and meet the ridiculous demands of HDMI 1.3b . Oh, and they go for £75, £130 and £180 for the 1/5/7.5-meter models. Sure, maybe these aren't quite as baffling as Monster Cables, but they're way too close for comfort.

Solid Signal hops in the HDMI 1.3b cable game

by Darren Murph posted Jun 15th 2008 at 9:13AM


Solid Signal, generally known for its OTA satellite sales and the like, has announced that it too will be throwing its hat in the HDMI cabling ring. Said wires will be sold under the Solid Signal brand name, and the first line will of course consist of HDMI 1.3b units. The company will be offering the cables in lengths ranging from 1- to 32.8-meters, and prices will respectively range from $8.99 to $118.99. You can have a peek at the whole lot right now (and yeah, they're all shipping as we speak).

Atlona's AT16010-X cables deliver on its DisplayPort promise

by Steven Kim posted Jun 10th 2008 at 12:11PM

Atlona logoJust a few short weeks ago, Atlona threw in its support for DisplayPort by promising to deliver cabling for the freely licensable format. Lookee here, the AT16010-X cable lineup will be available at the end of the month in lengths from 1- to 10-meters, with either male or female terminations. Prices start at $39, which seems reasonable. The bigger question, of course, is whether DisplayPort will thrive in the HT marketplace; if it only exists alongside HDMI, its license- and royalty-free nature free-license nature is moot. As much grief as we give the HDMI connector, we don't relish the thought of swapping out equipment for a new cabling standard, either.

MilesTek intros slew of HDMI cables and devices

by Darren Murph posted May 23rd 2008 at 4:39AM


Got a need for a few new pieces of HDMI equipment, do you? Fret not, as MilesTek most definitely has you covered. The outfit has just revealed a new line of long-distance and standard-length commercial-grade HDMI 1.3b cabling, and in case you're after a bit more than just wires, it's also introducing distribution amplifiers, switchers and "a variety of device / cable kits that combine an amplifier or switcher with several HDMI cables." The whole lot is available as we speak, though you'll have to do a bit of investigation to find out pricing information.

Atlona announces support for DisplayPort, promises to release cables

by Darren Murph posted May 21st 2008 at 6:00AM

Make no mistake, Atlona's a bona fide supporter of HDMI, but it's making absolutely sure you know that it will also be throwing its support behind DisplayPort. Of course, all it's saying at the moment is that it will soon be providing DisplayPort cabling "for as long as one of its customers has a need for one," but it looks like we'll have to be patient before finding out what other sort of DisplayPort contraptions the firm has up its sleeve.

Audiophiles can't tell the difference between Monster Cable and coat hangers

by Nilay Patel posted Mar 3rd 2008 at 8:03PM

We've always believed that the perceived quality boost that comes from using high-end cables is really just a trick of the mind (read: justifying the ridiculous cost of premium cables to yourself) -- if you've dropped enough cash, you can probably hear anything you want. Still, our belief is one thing -- cold hard proof is another, and it looks like a group of 12 self-professed "audiophiles" recently couldn't tell the difference between Monster 1000 speaker cables and plain old coat hangers. Yeah, coat hangers. The group was A-Bing different cables, and unbeknownst to them, the engineer running the test swapped out a set of cables for coat hangers with soldered-on speaker connections. Not a single one was then able to tell the difference between the Monster Cable and the hangers, and all agreed that the hangers sounded excellent. No wonder Monster has to rig HD displays. Still, we bet people still fall for the hype -- oh hey, if you're looking for the ultimate in sound, we've got half a meter of oxygen-free, triple-wrapped double-insulated Sonically Shielded AmpliSized Egyptian Llama cable here that we'll part ways with for just a couple grand.

[Via BoingBoing]

Monster brings Speed-Rated HDMI cables to Canada, gross markup likely in tow

by Darren Murph posted Feb 18th 2008 at 8:32AM


We didn't believe Monster's claims when it rolled those Speed-Rated cables out here in the US, and we certainly don't think its savvy marketing will increase picture quality any more up north. Nevertheless, the cabling company notorious for snatching hard-earned dollars from unsuspecting shoppers who fall for glamorous packaging and wild claims is bringing its Speed-Rated line to Canada. Holding down the flagship position is the Ultra-High Speed MC1000EX, followed closely behind by the increasingly sluggish MC850HD, MC750HD and MC550HD. Apparently, the family will run Canucks $59.95 to $149.95 for one-meter editions, but we genuinely hope anyone reading this has better sense than to take 'em up on the "offer."




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