When it comes to buying new electronic devices, the type of cables, wires and connectors that you need is generally an afterthought. After all, the nitty gritty of the wiring is not nearly as fun as your new video game system or high definition television or blasting home theater system. You generally don’t go to the store specifically to buy wiring unless the wiring you have at home is somehow defective. That doesn’t mean you should be uninformed about the different types and qualities of electronic wiring.
As with any sort of electronics, it pays to know what you want, and more importantly what you need and don’t need. Wiring, among other electronic “accessories,” are often heavily marked up. At many of the major electronics retailers will try to convince you to buy high-end, so-called “high end” wiring. In many cases this, is just nonsense. In most cases, cables that you can get for maybe $15 or $20 dollars will serve you just as well the same type of connector that might cost $100. Don’t be fooled by marketing hype – even if there is some provable improvement in sound or video quality due to using “better” wiring, chances are it would be undetectable by our eyes and ears.
That said, it doesn’t mean you should skimp on buying wiring. Depending on the type of connection, wiring actually can affect the quality of your signal. This is the case especially true with analog connectors, such as RCA connectors. Analog signals are highly subject to degradation, and buying cheap cables without proper insulation can affect sound or picture quality of your device.
The more important thing to understand is what types of cables you need to use with your device. For instance, some high definition televisions can accept inputs from more than one type of connector, and the picture quality may be different depending on the connector. Before you go cable shopping, you should understand the differences between HDMI, DVI, S-Video, and other sorts of cables. That way, you can be sure that you get what you need to optimize your viewing or listening experience.
Similar to the overpriced wiring you’ll often find, power conditioners are another source of confusion for many consumers. These devices claim to “purify” the standard power in your home for better audio and visual performance, but there is little proof that these device have any discernible effect. One power device that is useful, however, is a surge protector. These will not only allow you to plug in more devices, but will also protect and electronics from a damaging power surge.
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