Need help buying cables from monoprice (major confusion over options!)

[basketkase543]

I'm finally getting into the HD game this year with an LCD hdtv and a PS3 but I'm having trouble choosing the right cables. The monoprice browse page is a bit overwhelming (to say the least...).

So, which cable is best? I should get an HDMI 1.3 cable right? Do I need to worry about the wire gauge? If so, should I go for 24AWG or 28AWG? What about the category business? Will it make a big difference to go with category 2 over category 1?

This is the cable that I'm currently leaning towards:
http://www.monoprice.com/products/p...d=1024008&p_id=3953&seq=1&format=1#largeimage

It's green because the black and blue cables are currently backordered. Would this be a good cable to choose?

Also, I currently connect my standard def TV to my surround system using fiber optic cables (I think). Is it best to upgrade to an HDMI setup? What cable would be best for that? The receiver is an Onkyo 5.1 system that is a few years old now.

Thanks in advance.

 

[shrike4242]

The lower the AWG, the lower the number of wires in the cable, and theoretically, the higher the quality of the cable.

Buying a HDMI 1.3a cables means it's supposedly been tested to handle HDMI 1.3a's bandwidth requirements, though should handle the PS3's output (which I believe is HDMI 1.2) perfectly OK. Small cables, like 6', the AWG shouldn't make much of a difference. The longer the cable, the more important ther AWG of the cable can be.

 

[basketkase543]

Would I still be okay with a 10ft cable at 28AWG or is that pushing it? Also, what about the Category 1/Category 2 business--what difference does that make?

 

[shrike4242]

You should be OK with a 10' 28AWG cable, yes.