Buying a DVI Cable

[ladic]

Ok, so currently my vid Card has DVI input, my TV does also, and my cable box too.
I want to buy a DVI cable to basically hook up the Cable Box to the TV for better picture (I have an HDTV widescreen, and the cable box from comcast is also the ones for HDTV, but currently it is plugged via Componenen, you know the one with 3 colors) Will the picture improve once I hook it up with the DVI?

I also want a cable that I can possible use to hook up from the Computer to the TV.

So which is a good cable I can buy and that is good and NOT too expensive (being a student with no job).
Preferably if I can find it at a local store would be better, I have Best Buy, Circuit City, Comp Usa, etc around.

I just dont know which is a decent cable and at what price.

One last question, are all DVI cables de same? any DVI cable I buy will fit the TV, Cable Box or Computer?

thanks guys

 

[ladic]

Also when I hook up my PC to my HDTV, i do it with a S-Video Cable, if I hoiok it up with a DVI cable, will the change be noticeable better?

This is my Cable Box:

http://broadband.motorola.com/dvr/dct6412.asp


This is my TV:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000093IS0/002-9934704-7912048?v=glance&n=172282


THis is my Video Card:

Sapphire Radeon X800pro 256 agp

 

[ladic]

and what is Dual-Link DVI?

 

[RichPLS]

2 DVI graphic outputs, instead of 1 analog, 1 digital like some models have.

 

[ladic]

Thanks for the info.

Upon further research I found that there are DVI- I and DVI - D cables

Is there a difference in picture quality between them?

My cable box seems to be DVI - D, while the HDTV and Video Card have DVI - I

 

[ladic]

What you guys think of this cable:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0000X0VCY/sr=8-1/qid=1143677321/ref=pd_bbs_1/002-9934704-7912048?%5Fencoding=UTF8

 

[RichPLS]

It seems there are at least two lines of quality for 2 meter (6-foot) DVI cables, ones in the $10 to $20 range and another in the $50 to $60 range.
Mainly has to do with shielding, I believe.

I have heard others mention cable quality can degrade picture and cause glitches in the signal, and I am sure some signal strengths and quality impact the performance of the cable, so it boils down to if you are looking for best quality picture or just a signal will do.

 

[ladic]

I care about quality I would like the picture to be better than that of Component.

 

[RichPLS]

Then look for quality shielded 2meter DVI cables that are in the $50 to $60 dollar range...

 

[michaelahess]

I've used cheapo cables and high doller shielded and as long as you keep them away from running parrallel to power cables you won't have any problem with either. If you have a very noisy environment, lots of criss-crossing power lines, wireless card in the computer next to the tv etc, you might go with shielded, but either way the picture should be noticably sharper than component or svideo.

Edit: You should ask your cable company if they will provide one, my company does with the dvr's, same model you have. If you get a phase 3 version of it you will get a hdmi output instead of dvi so you might ask to swap and get that instead if they'll provide the cable.

 

[Anchoku]

DVI-D carries only digital data which is just fine for your television
DVI-I carries digital data plus the old analog VGA lines. You don't need it.

There are two types of DVI-D cables. One has a bunch of pins missing out of the middle of the big group. This is single-channel DVI and is the cheapest way to go. The other type has all the pins in the big rectangular group. I don't think you need this type.

With a digital interface, either you get a clear signal or, digital noise and other artifacts of lost information if your cable isn't good enough. There's no difference between $100 cables and $20 cables if both show clear pictures. Start with the cheapest one you can find and, if it works, it's good.

 

[mpasternak]

2 DVI graphic outputs, instead of 1 analog, 1 digital like some models have.

sorry rich

Dual Link DVI is NOT dual DVI output

DUAL LINK DVI is effectively one plug still, but has two channel of DVI signal that get carried over the one set of cables. it effectively doubles the bandwith of a DVI cable