New technologies such as 4K Ultra HD in HDTVs, projectors and Blu-ray players put new demands and high video bandwidth on cables. But how do you know if your home theater equipment is outputting the highest signal resolution? Well the latest Monster latest line of ISF Certified ‘Smart’ HDMI cables have glowing signal indicators that show you if the cable is sending a standard definition, HD, or 4K video signal. This innovative feature eliminates guesswork when connecting your 4K capable components together.
Monster Smart HDMI Cable with Signal Indicators
But these cables do not come cheap. The top model costs more than most blu-ray players! They are priced from $60 to $350 in varying lengths between 5 to 75 feet with three transfer speeds: ISF 2000 (21 Gbps), ISF 1250 (17.8 Gbps); and the ISF 750 (14.3 Gbps). They are supposed to give you the best signal quality and solve one of the most pressing issues in video signal transfer over a poorly hatched HDMI standard. So Monster came out with their proprietary solution in the form of a V-Grip connector that increases the retention force of the HDMI cable for a more reliable connection. Bear in mind that HDMI cables do not like being bent as signal timing is critical. If you have a long cable run, twists and turns can degrade performance.
So the big question is do you need to spend this much for cables? Well it depends on your system setup and budget. If you have a 150 inch screen in a dedicated home theater room with high-end equipment you may want to give this a serious consideration as Monster has a lifetime guaranteed for whatever technology that comes along in future as well as cable failure. It’s the only guarantee of its kind in the industry we’ve heard off. This in itself is worth the price of entry.