connection wires

[dizzynoodle]

i have a question about the difference in quality between the US$3 RC cables and something like the "monhster cables"that cost abot US$80.... will there be an improvment in the quality of my captures thru G200 marvel or is the difference so negligible that it is not noticable? I need to know quite urgently. Thank you guys.

dizzynoodle

[wkulecz]

Save your money. $3 cables may be missing the proper shielding, but $6-10 is what I find at Best Buy, Fry's, Radio Shack, etc. These work fine. Try to get the shortest ones that are "long enough".

--wally.

[dizzynoodle]

so there is a difference right? how do i know which ones have good shielding?

thanx

[dizzynoodle]

so there is a difference right? how do i know which ones have good shielding?

thanx

[This_Idiot]

Well avoid cheap moulded plugs for a kick off, and try to go for "gold" leads of some description. Hi Fi buffs will frequently pay nearly as much for top class interconnects as they do for the individual Hi Fi components, but ya have to wonder about that !

On the other hand, replacing "standard" phono leads with a decent replacement does pay back. For both my own (lo) Hi Fi and all Vid applications, I use Tandy (Radio Shack) "Gold Patch" leads, which are available in a variety of lengths and configurations. 1m double leads run to about £10 GBP, they also do a 2m single directional for around the same price. If pricing follows it's normal UK/US conversion, you should be able to buy for 10 USD.

Please note that you can spend a fortune on leads and it won't magically turn bad footage into good. BUT, if you capture some decent footage using decent leads, then go back to the cheap ones that came with your card, you WILL notice the difference.

[wkulecz]

There is absolutely nothing wrong with the RCA stereo/video leads or SVGA cable that Matrox included with my G200 Marvel. Its a waste of money to try and get "better" Given the lack of W2K drivers, the cables are the only thing I can use from my G200 Marvel.

The "gold" plating is basically eyewash. Insist on it if it makes you feel better.

The main thing with cables is that you can't really tell if they are "good" or not by looking at them or the packaging. You'll know a bad one once you hook it up by the interference that comes in thru the bad sheilding (herringbone or wavey patterns in the video, possibley "ghosts"). Only buy from a place that'll take them back if they don't work.

$3 for a 6' stereo/video or SVGA cable is probably too cheap to be any good. But I'd still try one to find out. As I said in my earlier post, $6-10 has never got me a bad one.

--wally.

[This_Idiot]

Yeah, but it's nice to have something other than hockey to argue over isn't it ?

It may not be the gold, but I've certainly had better sustained performance out of "reasonable" purchased leads over those that came packaged with any of my audio/video components. Just try removing cheap leads from yout amp (for e.g.) after they've been on a year. You'll find that the cinches are dulled with oxidation and they are completely uncooperative. Try the same thing with gold-patch leads. Apart from the highly noticeable pick-up in bass response, you can also get the damned things back off without dislocating either your back or the amps backplate.

I guess that decent chroming, nickle-plating, whatever might do the same job.

[wkulecz]

I just in fact removed some very old cinches from a stereo that has been in a rack working continueously for about 20 years. No gold connectors in sight. Yes they were "dulled" but the visible part is not the part doing the work! Unplugged and repluged without a hitch. Given that its an awkward location, and I'd be happy to not have to touch them for another twenty years I sprayed each with a bit of "contact cleaner" before putting everything back together again. Again, probably more out of superstition than necessity.

Maybe its the climate :-) but I doubt there is a more corrosive atmosphere anywhere than here in Houston -- we've just overtaken LA as having the "worst" air quality in the country.

--wally.

[maximo4usaRT]

I have just replaced my old $3 rca audio cables.I bougth $10 radio shack rca and s-video audio and video cables.

I can definetly say that the audio has improved. Now if i set the mixer to the highest volume (just to try) the noise (shshshshsh) is definetly lower then before .. almost null.
The only problem is that those cables are very rigid and hard to twist.

Regarding video i did not notice any difference (svideo or rca)

Max