Half of the Netherlands is now in possession of an LCD TV or plasma display. For best results you get the advice an HDMI cable to buy your new television. There are a lot: in all shapes, sizes and prices. POS, the Extension wants to know if there are too many differences between an HDMI cable, 4, - Euro, 48, - euro and 140, - Euro?

We asked HBO to four students of Electrical Engineering at the University Windesheim to see if they could find big differences in the one-meter-long HDMI cable. What show? All three cables work best. The students could not find differences in the digital signal that was transmitted through the wires.

The students have all kinds of tests performed. They have a test with a DVD player, an HDMI cable and a TV. In doing so, they used a clamp (a device that a peak voltage of 1100 volts can make the digital signal to disrupt). The cheap and expensive cable are not affected by these distortions. Only the cable of 48, - the euro has somewhat difficult. But this disturbance is so extreme and is in no way comparable to a home situation. In short, all three cables do well. But why nearly 140, - euro issue as it can with a cable, 4, - euro.

Affordable short-HDMI cable as well as expensive
Walter Holweg, Professor of Electrical Engineering at the University Windesheim is not surprised by this result. He says: "A wire is expensive for home, garden and kitchen use is not needed. If you have a cable of 1.5 meters can be used just as good a cable, 4, - euro. You will only difference if you have more than 5 feet must overcome. Only then is an expensive, well-shielded cable useful. "

But what about those gold plated plugs and foreclosure where sellers in the store to talk about? "On golden plugs you do not have much. Golden plugs go against oxidation and provide better guidance. Better guidance is especially important in an analog signal such as expensive audio equipment.

HDMI uses a digital signal. Then you have nothing to golden plugs. When you have a digital signal or no picture. And the guard, where sellers to talk about it in the store, is only important if you need a long distance bridge of 5 meters or more. Then you run the risk that the image disappears with a cheap cable. But the average Dutchman has his DVD player directly under his TV stand, so a cord of a half meter enough, "said Walter Holweg Professor of Electrical Engineering at the University of Windesheim.