HDMI Cables
The signal still comes through the same coaxial cable that it always has whether you had an antenna, cable or satellite telly connection. So what is the point of HDMI cables? The coaxial cable is clearly capable of relaying the HD signal to your house but from there apparently *MAGIC* happens and you need a special (and pricey) cable to make it appear on your telly. Also since its digital data there is no difference between a cheap cable and an expensive one in terms of quality, since you either get the data or you dont.

Its a fucking swindle I tell you.
(Spackles Made sexual advances in your general direction on, Fri 14 Oct 2011, 5:30, 10 replies)

It is.
The HDMI cable could have been a CAT5 (there are even converters), but the studios wanted something that would have DRM built in.
(Ladyfingers is in your wardrobe,, Fri 14 Oct 2011, 6:31, closed)

WTF?
You're an idiot too.
( RocketSurgeon is pretending he's still young, Fri 14 Oct 2011, 15:00, closed)

yeah it uses special wires that won't let you record the signal

( Moon Girl Technologies horrendous beanbag, Fri 14 Oct 2011, 15:17, closed)

Errr no, not exactly
While I agree that expensive cables are a rip-off, it's not true that "the signal that comes down the co-ax is the same". The digital data in the broadcast signal is processed to produce a different signal. You can't wire the coax directly into the HDMI (or SCART or whatever)!

If nothing else, the video and audio are sent separately, in different forms and requiring different kinds of connection (because of the wildly different frequencies and bandwidths).
(moon monkey is busy making memories worth repressing, Fri 14 Oct 2011, 10:18, closed)

I take this as confirmation of the maxim "any suffiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic."
Yes, that's right. It's MAGIC.
( Moon Girl Technologies horrendous beanbag, Fri 14 Oct 2011, 14:33, closed)

WITCHCRAFT!

( Two Hats I saw someone eating M&M's with a spoon, Fri 14 Oct 2011, 15:01, closed)

YEAH! BURN MGT!

( RocketSurgeon is pretending he's still young, Fri 14 Oct 2011, 15:02, closed)

you're a fucking idiot I tell you.
cars huh? Fucking conspiracy theory they are, I can already walk. innit?
( RocketSurgeon is pretending he's still young, Fri 14 Oct 2011, 14:59, closed)

I don't even know why we need a cable between the TV and the satellite dish,
if the dish can get the TV shows straight out of the sky, why can't the telly just do that?
( Moon Girl Technologies horrendous beanbag, Fri 14 Oct 2011, 15:07, closed)

SHOES!
Fucking waste, I already have my own organic shoes... IT'S MY SKIN! RARGH!
( RocketSurgeon is pretending he's still young, Fri 14 Oct 2011, 15:13, closed)