IXOS XPP158 HDMI Cable For Your PS3
If you get a bundled HDMI cable with your PS3 it’s not likely to be anything special. Sure, cheap and cheerful HDMI cables will work but there’s got to be a reason for spending £40 over £2.5, right?
The XPP158 from IXOS is built specifically for the Playstation 3, offering not only impeccable build quality but assurances of full HDMI 1.3a compatibility at 1080p.
The XPP158 eliminates Far End Cross Talk using a 4 later PC board in each connector. Interference is, of course, much less of an issue in digital connections and the XPP158s “elimination of FEXT” is simply an overly technical way of saying that the cable eliminates interference between its discrete wires, theoretically resulting in a better picture and sound quality.
When using the XPP158 between a Playstation 3 and a Sony brand television at 1080p I was unable to notice any apparent picture or sound differences, which doesn’t surprise me at all. Many tests have confirmed that, in the short term, at short distances (under 6ft) you can easily get away with cheap cables.
This doesn’t change the fact that IXOS’ PS3 HDMI cable is still extremely well manufactured. Both connectors are plated in 24k gold to ensure durability and maximum signal transfer. The cable itself is jacketed in a PVC mesh so it’s robust, durable and long lasting.
So, why pay £40 instead of using a bundled cable or a dirt cheap internet buy? The IXOS XPP158, for example, is long enough to do a short embedded cable run for wall mounting. If you want to hook your PS3 invisibly up to a wall mounted PC then permanently setting a cheap cable into the wall could be a bad idea. Not only are you royally shafted if the cable is damaged or wears out, but if future HDMI specifications demand a greater bandwidth to deliver a flawless 1080p signal over even a paltry 6ft then you’re stuck with a few meters of dud obsolete cable.
You’re not going to downgrade your television in 5 years time, but the HDMI specification is still going to be relevant. So paying a little extra and future proofing now may be a wise idea, after all you’re spending £300 on a PS3 and, potentially, even more on a television. £40 on a cable is a pretty small addition to this… but then it’s also the cost of a game!
And, back to the other hand, many people are being bilked out of £100 at retail for a 1-3 meter cable to hook their £450 TV set to their £170 Blu-Ray player. OUCH!