[quote user="SAP7"]I seem to remember you telling me my free Virgin HDMI's were NOT 1.3 spec, Gerrard.
Actually, they are even better quality than the 1.3 spec cables I have just bought! I looked at the cable I have just purchased which is 100% a 1.3 and 1080p rated, and the free Virgin ones are the same cable, with just as good plugs AND ferrite blocks to boot. The wire has the same markings, and is clearly the same cable under a different brand!!!
It looks like the actual wire is most likely made in bulk and used by many companies? I'd be very wary of anyone here who makes a claim that something isn't as good as a £50+ one.. Certainly, there are many who shout loudly about cheap cables, mainly the ones who are sat on stupidly expensive leads. I'm ok with them believing they are better, but not ok with being told cheap ones are not up to what they obviously are. I'm not picking fights, but I just bought 3 cables as I was told my existing ones were not up to it. They are, and I'm now less well off for listening to advice from less than objective sources.
YES, many cheap ones ARE NOT up to the 1.3 spec, BUT if they say they are 1.3 then they have the same certificate as the more expensive ones and you should not be swayed otherwise. They can't say it if they aren't up to it!
All I can see that you get for 5 times or so more is a bit better shielding. For the record, my new cables were under a fiver each for a metre, and all are a good brand with exactly the same 1.3 stamp (independantly issued by HDMI) that the expensive ones have. Unlike speaker cable, you really are getting just about the same product wrapped up in a flash package. In my opinion![/quote] If I'm wrong about the Virgin cables - I apologise. I just can't see how Virgin would give away 1.3 spec cables when their boxes do not even broadcast 1080p, let alone 24fps and all that jazz. The hdmi cable I got from Sky was definitely not 1.3.