Get an HDMI cable for 10 bucks shipped
Belkin, Sony, Monster, and other vendors want you to spend upwards of $100 on HDMI cables, but 10-dollar generics work just as well.
Need to connect a cable box, Blu-ray player, Xbox 360 Elite, PlayStation 3, or other device to your HDTV? Don't let your local big-box sales weenie talk you into spending $60, $80, or even $100 on an HDMI cable. Instead, head to eBay, Meritline, Newegg, or the like and scoop up a no-brand equivalent for as little as 10 bucks.
HDMI cables, which carry digital audio and video signals, are insanely overpriced. That's the consensus of Ars Technica, CNET, The Consumerist, and yours truly. There's ample scientific and anecdotal evidence that dirt-cheap generics perform just as well as their pricey big-name counterparts (cough *Monster* cough), so don't get suckered into buying the latter.
I did a quick search of eBay and found a six-footer for $9.95 with free shipping. Newegg, meanwhile, has one for just $6.99 (plus $5.99 for shipping, dangit). Nearly 300 users rated it five stars, so you can rest assured it's a perfectly good cable.
What's your thought on the HDMI cable controversy? Think it's a mistake to trust your expensive home-theater gear to a 10-dollar cord? Or do you agree that we're getting gouged by cable makers? Hit the Comments and, um, comment!