Video-Cable Reviews

My picture was very snowy until I switched to the Z300. Now the picture on my TV is crisp and clear. The Z300 has great shielding which blocked the interference form the rest of my cables. The Z300 is also built solid. If you already have good picture, the Z300 may not help. But for optimum picture quality and protection from interference, the Z300 is awesome.

Allows me to view from my digital camera to our 50" TV. We've also taken pictures on vacations and viewed the images on our car TV. What a great value for this minmal amount of money!

I've always been a monster cable fan until now. The difference in audio between this one and the more expensive cables is not noticeable to the human ear. I'll take two or even three for the price of one of the more expensive "quality" cables.

Excellent method for transfering your videos to your computer for editing and making CD's. The i.Link cable is easy to use. Make sure you order the right cable. I ordered the wrong cable a 4 pin to 4 pin which I believe only works if you have a Sony computer. Most other computers like my Dell will probally need the 6 pin to 4 pin cable.
Also make sure your computer has the capability before ordering. i.LINK is also known as Firewire and IEEE-1394.
It does provide excellent high speed quality video transfers.

I highly recommend getting this Optical Digital Cable if you own both a surround sound theater system and a dvd player that have slots for this type of fiber optic connection. But make sure they both do or else you will waste time and money.

I am admittedly a novice when it comes to audio equipment...but I know what my ears tell me. Before I bought this cable, I had the basic RCA cables that come in the DVD player box. I thought my surround sound system sounded good...after plugging this cable in, the good sound quality has improved leaps and bounds (and I am not kidding here).

Sounds now go precisely into the surround speaker it was meant to go to...the sound is much cleaner and definitely in the proper location. When I had the RCA cables, the "surround" effect also wasn't as good...now, it is no doubt perfect.

Buy this cable...it improves sound quality 10 fold...plus it is much cheaper than the bigger name.

The Acoustic Research HT181 Optical Digital Cable is a wonderful choice if you are looking to take your stereo system to the next level.

As I've come to notice, it seem that the only cables out there where the Monster cables. Not true. The great news is, for a cheaper price and without sacrificing quality, the Acoustic Research cable is the perfect match for those of us who are watching our money and want a good quality product.

If you have a DVD player (mines an RCA...) that has an optical audio plug and a stereo receiver that receives optical audio, don't wait any longer!! Stop using those RCA left and right plugs and buy an optical cable.

The AR HT181 cables will expand you're listening please due to the fact that every speaker in your system (front: left/right, back: left/right, Center & subwofer) will receive it's own independent audio signal creating incredible audio effect and enhance your listening pleasure to any DVD movie.

To try and be super technical about these cables and compare them to Monsters is overkill and every room has it's own unique acoustics. The point being . . . if you're looking for a digital optical cable and are looking for a good price these should be an excellent choice.

The construction of the cables are good. They are well packaged and protected with plastic caps on the tips (remove before using) and they fit snug and properly into the jack on my DVD and stereo receiver.

This cable has served me well for 2 years now, and with a silver core, O2 free copper, double shielding, machined ends, 24K gold plated ends, silver soldered, etc., what more could you want in a component video cable in this price range?

It's a far better value than M _ _ $ _ _ R.

I highly recommend getting this Optical Digital Cable if you own both a surround sound theater system and a dvd player that have slots for this type of fiber optic connection. But make sure they both do or else you will waste time and money.

I am admittedly a novice when it comes to audio equipment...but I know what my ears tell me. Before I bought this cable, I had the basic RCA cables that come in the DVD player box. I thought my surround sound system sounded good...after plugging this cable in, the good sound quality has improved leaps and bounds (and I am not kidding here).

Sounds now go precisely into the surround speaker it was meant to go to...the sound is much cleaner and definitely in the proper location. When I had the RCA cables, the "surround" effect also wasn't as good...now, it is no doubt perfect.

Buy this cable...it improves sound quality 10 fold...plus it is much cheaper than the bigger name.

The Acoustic Research HT181 Optical Digital Cable is a wonderful choice if you are looking to take your stereo system to the next level.

As I've come to notice, it seem that the only cables out there where the Monster cables. Not true. The great news is, for a cheaper price and without sacrificing quality, the Acoustic Research cable is the perfect match for those of us who are watching our money and want a good quality product.

If you have a DVD player (mines an RCA...) that has an optical audio plug and a stereo receiver that receives optical audio, don't wait any longer!! Stop using those RCA left and right plugs and buy an optical cable.

The AR HT181 cables will expand you're listening please due to the fact that every speaker in your system (front: left/right, back: left/right, Center & subwofer) will receive it's own independent audio signal creating incredible audio effect and enhance your listening pleasure to any DVD movie.

To try and be super technical about these cables and compare them to Monsters is overkill and every room has it's own unique acoustics. The point being . . . if you're looking for a digital optical cable and are looking for a good price these should be an excellent choice.

The construction of the cables are good. They are well packaged and protected with plastic caps on the tips (remove before using) and they fit snug and properly into the jack on my DVD and stereo receiver.

This cable has served me well for 2 years now, and with a silver core, O2 free copper, double shielding, machined ends, 24K gold plated ends, silver soldered, etc., what more could you want in a component video cable in this price range?

It's a far better value than M _ _ $ _ _ R.

I bought this cable to hook up my Playstation 2 with a Promedia DD-5.1 (Digital Decoder). The Problem is that the cable I bought didn't produce 5.1 Dolby Digital or DTS, just stereo. Read the reviews for the X-box Lightwave 100 cable; they are the same cable except for the color. Some people maybe haven't figured it out yet because they don't use a Digital Decoder, but all they are hearing is Stereo sound. Im pretty upset because I sent my Digital Decoder back to Klipsch thinking that was the problem, but it was actually the cable. By the way the customer service at Klipsch is simply the best, they produced high quality equipment, not like over at monster cable. So beware! If you are paying big $ for a cable shouldn't it at least work or do what it say it does?

Your PlayStation is state-of-the-art in terms of audio quality. PS2 is equipped with a fiber optic digital audio out, enabling you to experience movies and games in Dolby Digital Surround Sound as well as listening to your favorite CDs in crystal clear digital stereo. No matter how you use your PS2, with pure digital audio connection you have access to the ultimate Dolby Digital Surround experience and the best in home audio entertainment.

Digital is the preferred high performance audio connection over analog because it has a wider dynamic range, which results in clearer highs and deeper, tighter bass, without the distortion common with analog connections. Also with digital audio, you don't run the risk of problems like hum and buzz caused by electromagnetic and radio frequency interference.

To start, this is a reasonably priced 3.3M (10ft) toslink-to-toslink cable. Compared to other higher quality and longer length optical cables and you'll see the difference in price. I use this cable but not for my connection to my PS2 since my DVD player functions far better than the console itself.

Now, if you do NOT run your Playstation2 into a receiver/home theater system, it's not a wise decision for you to buy this since it won't serve any purpose for you. (For example, if you don't use this unit to watch DVD movies or pump it through your receiver for 5.1 Dolby Digital/DTS sound. (5.1 Digital Sound has yet to be implemented in a PS2 title.)

fun, indeed. I have been online with xbox live for over a year now. I loved it at first, but then came to realize that it has in many ways detracted from my video gaming experience. when you first go online, the competition seems fierce, and the challenge is there to try and be the best.

However over time comes the realization that you will NEVER be the best. In every online game I've played, the top 10-15 players are all cheaters. You will find this out in time on xbox live, but in every single game people will cheat against you, corrupting the overall experience.

And a last note, THIS IS NOT FOR CHILDREN!!! Just because a game is rated T for teen or E for everyone, the esrb ratings are guaranteed to change once your child goes online.
People will swear, and be incredibly disgusting. KEEP YOUR CHILDREN AWAY FROM XBOX LIVE!!!!

For adult gamers, I encourage you to visit www.xbox.com, and check out the xbox forums. There are many other adult gamers there, and they all play the games you are interested in.

Since it doesn't say how much an aditional year cost, I'll say it here: you gotta pay $50 for an aditional year. Unlike Sony, Microsoft does charge every year, but most magazines say that Microsoft's online gaming is better than Sony's. The quantity of games and quality of Microsoft is better than Sony's.

I was never much of an online gamer. I had played a couple of them, but I would much rather get my friends together and play them face to face. It's much more enjoyable because you actually KNOW the person and because of the whole bragging thing. When I played online PC games, I felt unconnected to everyone else, even when playing team games like CTF. You can chat to dudes on your team via the keyboard, but you can't do that on the fly. If your playing a FPS online and are facing say three opposing team memebers, you can't type in a request for backup without getting shot. XBOX LIVE solves this problem with the headset. It is very rare to see someone online without one. You can easily strategize with your team mates and call for backup quickly if needed. Being able to talk to your team makes you feel more like a team.
The friend feature on XBOX LIVE is awesome. You can tell where your buds are at all times, even if they are on a different game. And it's easy to send a friend request. Just click the players bar and scroll down to the person's name you want to send a request to. Or you can type the person's gamertag in at the XBOX LIVE dashboard. Also, say you're playing Rainbow Six 3 and your team is really getting pounded. You can invite your friend to play with you, even if he's not playing the same game as. This ensures that you can contact and invite your friends at anytime you want.
XBOX LIVE also temendously extends the life of your games. I had stopped playing Return to Castle Wofinstien a year and a half ago, but then I got XBOX LIVE. I was on that game for hours and hours of extra gaming time. There's always good competition, you rarely will be the uber killer. On the flip side, you can learn from the better players if your a newb and start wailing on other gamers in no time.
Overall, XBOX LIVE is a purchase that (I think) pays for itself. I have gotten fewer new games because I'm always getting new experiences out of my old ones. It is a very good investment for anyone looking to further there gaming skills or just looking for a helluva good time.

Simply put this cable is a must have for the XBOX! In my opinion, Monster Cable is the best in the business for audio and/or video cables. Yes, they are a little pricey, but you get what you pay for here. The quality of this cable is top notch. If your TV has S Video Ins, trash the standard a/v cable that comes with the system. What a difference! You gotta get this cable. Peace.

This cable is typical Monster. Perfect. But pricey as well.

One thing which is not obvious is its optical digital capability. Hidden in the end of the connector which connects to the xbox is an output for digital audio (That cable is not included by the way). But its nice to know that if I do end up buying a digital capable receiver I do not need to buy a new cable. Its performance has been wonderful. The 10 foot cable could be useful too.

I also purchased the comparable product by Microsoft, the Advanced A/V pack. I ended up returning it even though it is about half the price. The microsoft one is just plain junky and poorly designed. They divide up the connection into two stages. First the large connector leads out of the xbox and with a ~1.5 foot lead leads to a large ugly box. You then connect up all the cables to this box and to your TV. Its just a mess of cables at this point. I like simplicity and the Monster Cable has it. It fits me perfect. But pricey.

THe first thing i do when i buy any console is get a Monster S video cable, then i get the games. The thing with monster is its the best, but it cost alot. When first released cables cost $50, but now its reasonable. I think Monster goes over the board with the development of this thing. Just read the product info. Basically if your TV gots svideo hook up, get these.

Where I work, we once had a discussion about Monster cables and if they really do provide a better signal than a decent less-expensive cable.

So, we injected a range on freqencies through the Monster and looked at it on both an O-scope and a spectrum analyzer. We then did the same for a cable of the same type, but not a so-called Monster.

The Monster had *slightly* less attenuation, however the attenuation was not constant and the fluctuating attenuation introduced fluctuating harmonics. The differences between the Monster and the other cable, however, were along the same lines that one would expect to see from two similiar cables from different manufacturers.

My conclusion is that Monster cables simply are not worth the price. As for the construction itself, I don't find it very durable. It gives the appearance of durability, but I was not impressed with how the connectors were applied. For as much as these things cost, there should be better workmanship.

Professional cables can be had for half the cost of Monster cables. Monster cables are high-end low-end cables, where the high-end aspect is mainly in price. Its no suprise that one wouldn't find Monster cables being used in any professional sound studio.

I believe the "better picture aspect" of Monster video cables to be attributed mainly to psychological factors.

My advice would be to get the Microsoft HD AV Pack (which is what I'm using myself) for $20 and use the $40 you'll save on a game.

I bought this cable because I've long been a fan of Monster's products. My first thought on opening the package was that the cable itself is beautiful. Then I began to pay more attention to things.
The audio and video segments are side by side which caused some dismay because I wanted to run sound through my receiver. If you pay another 40 and get the proprietary optical cable, you can wire your sound through a receiver but this would mean spending 100 on cables for your Xbox. I have no doubt that there is an improvement but I have doubts as to how detectable it will be. The package does say a separate optical cable is necessary but in my purchasing haste, I failed to notice this.

I prefered to just get the standard HD kit from Microsoft for 17.99 and then hook up my own component cables and optical cable.

I feel that a $60 cable for a game system should include an optical cable for sound. Requiring the purchase of a proprietary optical cable instead of allowing any optical cable to connect is another slap in the consumer's face.

Although, I was a bit skeptical about paying that much money for a set of cables, in the long run they have paid off. These cables, with my sony flat-screen tv, provide some of the clearest picture I've seen so far and my tv's not even hdtv! Also, buy the monster cable lightwave 100x cables because it provides the best sound possible on xbox.