Displayport cable question

[DrewSG3]

Are all Displayport cables the same? Like HDMI, theres no quality difference between a $5 cable and one thats $50?

 

[somethingsketchy]

It's a digital signal regardless of what cable you used. The only difference between DisplayPort and HDMI, is HDMI allows audio to be passed over in the same cable. With DisplayPort you'll need a separate audio cable.

 

[gsaldivar]

There are crappy cables, and overpriced cables. Stick with Monoprice to get the most bang for your buck...

http://www.monoprice.com/products/subdepartment.asp?c_id=102&cp_id=10246

 

[paperwastage]

short lengths, shouldn't matter

longer lengths, might want a cable with better shielding/copper (but dont go for monster $1000 cables...)

+ for monoprice

 

[birthdaymonkey]

I recently tried switching to displayport on my 6870 + Dell U2412M, U2211HM setup. With two displayport cables plugged in, my computer would not POST. It would power on for 1/2 second then immediately turn off. (This caused me at least an hour of panic. I had plugged the DP cables in without issue while the computer was running and hadn't turned my machine off for days...It took me a while to figure out what was going on.)

Apparently there is an issue with some DP cables (Startech and Monoprice specifically), where the power pin (pin 20) is connected when it shouldn't be. This causes problems with Dell monitors (and possibly others). The solution is to use OEM cables, or cables that are known to be wired according to the correct spec.

Anyway, it's probably a rare issue, but one of the wierdest computer problems I've encountered in recent years, so I thought I'd mention it. I returned the 10' Startech miniDP-DP cables I'd bought and have decided to stick with DVI for now.

 

[Throckmorton]

It's not true that there's no difference. I had intermittent connection with a cheap HDMI cable from MonoPrice or one of those stores.

 

[cantholdanymore]

The problem with cheap cables is not the cable itself, but the connectors. Better cables have better, more secure connectors that will save you a lot of headaches compared to cheap ones. But you don't actually need a $60 cable and you don't actually want a $5 one.

 

[anotherblusi]

I personally haven't had any problems with monoprice cables. Looking at it from a monetary stand point, if a cheaper cable decided to crap out on me, I can still by 4-5 more of them and still spend less than a "higher end" cable like monster cable.

 

[Phynaz]

I personally haven't had any problems with monoprice cables. Looking at it from a monetary stand point, if a cheaper cable decided to crap out on me, I can still by 4-5 more of them and still spend less than a "higher end" cable like monster cable.

Your time and hassle doesn't have a value?

 

[cantholdanymore]

Your time and hassle doesn't have a value?

+1
It is not like the cables have a "crap out" LED

 

[epuigvros]

It's a digital signal regardless of what cable you used. The only difference between DisplayPort and HDMI, is HDMI allows audio to be passed over in the same cable. With DisplayPort you'll need a separate audio cable.

That's wrong, DP supports audio too.

 

[gorobei]

It's a digital signal regardless of what cable you used. The only difference between DisplayPort and HDMI, is HDMI allows audio to be passed over in the same cable. With DisplayPort you'll need a separate audio cable.

That's wrong, DP supports audio too.

displayport has more bandwidth, supports higher resolutions at higher refresh rates, supports audio, supports peripheral passthrough, isnt limited by tmds, and doesnt charge royalties.

sketchy you should read up on the subject before spouting off nonsense.