Attention Clare, Andrew or The Prof

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Clare Newsome

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jerryyeatman:
For £4 I'm considering buying one to send to WHF for testing. It would be worth it if it helps put this one to bed...

I'm keen to know how WHF test them though.

From my thoughts about this procedure you would have to:

1. Do a data test. Are bits out the same as bits in? I don't know if WHF have such a piece of test equipment.

2. Use 1 screen and 1 blu-ray player. Use the SAME input on the screen each time a different cable is tested. Using different inputs won't prove anything as each input can have different settings.

3. Choose a sequence of a blu-ray movie and put that sequence on A - B repeat so exactly the same sequence is playing over and over.

4. The tester should not know how many different cables are on test.

5. The tester should be informed when the cable has been replaced and this should include instances of the cable NOT being replaced so that the tester thinks there is a different cable when there is not. The tester may therefore be under the impression that numerous cables are on test.

6. The tester must obviously not be able to see any part of the physical cable in any way.

7. Testers should run through this procedure individually without knowing other testers impressions.

As i've patiently explained on many HDMI-related threads - and sure will do on many more - we already use blind ABX test methodology with a team of testers, using the same test equipment (not different inputs).

We do also test cables with different ranges of equipment, too (eg smaller flatscreen and cheaper BD player/receiver/speakers; projector and pricier Blu-ray player/receiver speakers) to assess cables' full potential.

Because, don't forget, this is about sound as well as vision - audio is often the forgotten element in many of these discussions, but our testing certainly doesn't overlook it.
 

Davo2008

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Is it true that your testers have no contact with the outside world so as not to unconsciously form an opinion before testing? And is it also true that they communicate using a series of clicking sounds that have the least unfavourable impact on the ear drums?
 

Andrew Everard

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Davo2008:Is it true that your testers have no contact with the outside world so as not to unconsciously form an opinion before testing? And is it also true that they communicate using a series of clicking sounds that have the least unfavourable impact on the ear drums?

No.
 

Davo2008

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ha ha.
emotion-2.gif
 

Joe Cox

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From my experience of being involved in HDMI cable tests, it is often sound rather than picture quality that best highlights the difference between two cables.
 

Andrew Everard

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Joe Cox:From my experience of being involved in HDMI cable tests, it is often sound rather than picture quality that best highlights the difference between two cables.

SZMZM42.jpg
 

Davo2008

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Is there something (apart from price) that would make you put a cable in a different league table straight out of packet? I mean is it thickness, gold/silver plating etc that makes you think it will offer a better quality...?
 

Andrew Everard

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Davo2008:Is there something (apart from price) that would make you put a cable in a different league table straight out of packet? I mean is it thickness, gold/silver plating etc that makes you think it will offer a better quality...?

Performance.
 

Alec

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oh look, another one.

personally, i think it shouldnt be tested for ages yet. no. let loadsa people buy it, declare it a dragon slayer, or whatever that phrase is, then give it a bad review, which will lead people to panick and renounce it*.

It'll be the Gotham GAC1 all over again.

* i in no way mean to imply that this may be done deliberately justt for "hahas". im just an exasperated poster.
 

Alec

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Andrew Everard:

Davo2008:Is there something (apart from price) that would make you put a cable in a different league table straight out of packet? I mean is it thickness, gold/silver plating etc that makes you think it will offer a better quality...?

Performance.

And if the answer had been any of the above, Davo2008, would you have any respect for the mags test methods?
 

Davo2008

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I hear ya, AL7478. But I'm just talking first impressions out of the packet, in a pre-testing environment. If you order a burger and a McDonalds Hamburger turns up, with 1 piece of gherkin and a meat pattie that mysteriously melts upon contact with air, you know it's going to taste really bad. If you order one and it turns up with a cow struggling to pry away the bread rolls that have been stapled to it's head, you know you're in for an entirely different proposition.

 

professorhat

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d4v3pum4: I thought that was what forums were for but it seems that the OP didn't like the fact the 'Big Three' hadn't responded, so started another thread about a thread.......

I'm honoured to be mentioned in this company as one of the 'Big Three', but I'm pretty sure I don't deserve it!
 

Clare Newsome

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Davo2008:
I hear ya, AL7478. But I'm just talking first impressions out of the packet, in a pre-testing environment. If you order a burger and a McDonalds Hamburger turns up, with 1 piece of gherkin and a meat pattie that mysteriously melts upon contact with air, you know it's going to taste really bad. If you order one and it turns up with a cow struggling to pry away the bread rolls that have been stapled to it's head, you know you're in for an entirely different proposition.



What a lovely image....

First and foremost the testers judge performance (aided by the fact that they're looking at the screen, not the cables....), but once those results are in we will consider build quality etc purely in terms of the likely longevity/durability of the cable in question. It could make the difference between us recommending one brand over another in our final, post-testing analysis, but performance has to be the key criteria.

As for what the thing is/claims to be made of, we're not terribly worried - again, it's how it performs that proves its true worth.
 
A

Anonymous

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EDITED by Mods - please do not discuss moderation ...all we ask is proffessional advice on cheap cables and how they stand up to the Top Brands...Im still interested to know if the HDCable hdmi was tested? It had 17 reviews which has now grown to 40 reviews, with a couple bad reviews too..but the guy that gave it 1* says he replaced it with a Monster Cable which he thinks is a vast improvement.
 

Clare Newsome

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Still haven't received an HD Cable HDMI.... looks like i'm going to have to flex the WHF credit card. We do, however, have a £10 HDMI cable tested in a round-up in our forthcoming issue....
 
A

Anonymous

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Clare Newsome:Still haven't received an HD Cable HDMI.... looks like i'm going to have to flex the WHF credit card. We do, however, have a £10 HDMI cable tested in a round-up in our forthcoming issue....

Cheers Clare, think a round up 20quid cables would be good compared to the QED Qunex
 

John Duncan

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al7478:
oh look, another one.

personally, i think it shouldnt be tested for ages yet. no. let loadsa people buy it, declare it a dragon slayer, or whatever that phrase is, then give it a bad review, which will lead people to panick and renounce it*.

It'll be the Gotham GAC1 all over again.

* i in no way mean to imply that this may be done deliberately justt for "hahas". im just an exasperated poster.

So there I was doing the music at the school fireworks evening on Friday, and what's the PA all hooked together with....?
 

John Duncan

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Big Aura:you should have a competition and the winner gets to go to WHF Towers to observe a day's HDMi testing, and have a burger. It's a great prize...

I can do Thursday. Or, seeing as I'm in the office on Friday anyway (tentatively).........
 

Alec

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JohnDuncan:al7478:

oh look, another one.

personally, i think it shouldnt be tested for ages yet. no. let loadsa people buy it, declare it a dragon slayer, or whatever that phrase is, then give it a bad review, which will lead people to panick and renounce it*.

It'll be the Gotham GAC1 all over again.

* i in no way mean to imply that this may be done deliberately justt for "hahas". im just an exasperated poster.

So there I was doing the music at the school fireworks evening on Friday, and what's the PA all hooked together with....?

Yeah Baby!!! Rock on Gotham and all other things...er...Batman!
 

Davo2008

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HI Clare, Have you received a reply from this guy yet? He sent me the mail below last night.....

Hi



Well what can I say! It is very kind of you to mention us on the Forum and if/when we hear from What Hi Fi we will let you know.



We spec. the cables with our supplier and it is good to hear that they are valued. We know they are good and can match and out-perform cables which are much more expensive.



Once again thanks and best wishes.

Sam

Sounds like he would have no problem in posting you a cable for testing. Hopefully you'll follow it up so I can be put out of my misery...!
 

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