Monster to Intro Speed-Rated HDMI Cables

Monster says it is releasing "the world's only high performance speed-rated HDMI cables" and will show the rating system at CEDIA Expo, September 5-9 in Denver.

Dealers will be able to recognize the speed-rated products by the medallions on their packaging.

"Speed-rating" HDMI cables, according to head Monster Noel Lee, will help to alleviate confusion among consumers and dealers. "The mystery of HDMI is confusing people because prices vary all over the place. Just because a cable has an HDMI connector doesn't mean it meets the specifications," he says.

Speed-rated cables, meanwhile, allow consumers to select the cable for their specific home entertainment components for optimum audio and video performance, according to Monster. The rating system is backed up by Simplay HD, a third-party provider of testing technologies, programs and interoperability design standards.

Monster says it has developed five different speed ratings for HDMI cables, and describes them as follows:

Ultimate High Speed: greater than 14.93 Gbps, future ready for tomorrow's most advanced high definition audio/video technologies. (Cable for this speed is not yet available.)

Ultra-High Speed: greater than 10.2 Gbps, supporting 1080p video and beyond, 12-bit color depth, Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD surround sound, and 120 Hz frame/refresh rates. (Monster HDMI 1000HD Ultra High Speed cable ranges in price from $99.95 to $399.95, available in 1, 2, 4, 6 meter and 25, 35, 50, 70 ft. lengths.)

Advanced High Speed: greater than 6.68 Gbps, for 1080p video, 12-bit color depth and 60 Hz frame/refresh rates. (Monster HDMI 800HD Advanced High Speed cable ranges in price from $79.95 to $349.95, available in 1, 2, 4, 6 meter and 25, 35, 50, 70 ft. lengths.)

High Speed: greater than 4.95 Gbps, for 1080p video, 8-bit color depth and 60 Hz frame/refresh rates. (Monster HDMI 700HD High Speed cable ranges in price from $69.95 to $249.95, available in 1, 2, 4, 6, meter and 50 Ft-lengths.)

Standard Speed: greater than 2.23 Gbps, for 720p/1080i, 8-bit color depth and 60 Hz frame/refresh rates. (Monster HDMI 500HD Standard Speed cable ranges in price from $49.95 to $109.95, available in 1, 2, 4, and 6 meter lengths.)

Lee says having "a certification of performance" will help integrators sell more and better cables. "They can present different levels to their customers or recommend the highest performance and have validation for it."

He acknowledges that dealers are challenged to sell clients on top-of-the-line cables. "Just establishing some kind of test methodology is huge for the installer," he says, "but for the consumer it's big because now they have a choice."

The speed rating system is available exclusively from Monster, according to Lee. "Measuring 1.3 Category 2 has just been established 2 months ago. It's available, but not that available.

"The equivalent needed to test beyond that standard isn't that available [either]. We had to develop special test gear to get that done. That's what we're showing at CEDIA [Expo]. It is exclusive to us because we developed it."