Optimization World

Why Expensive HDMI Cables Are Unnecessary

By Keryl JohnApril 22, 2024Leave a Comment

We all crave the best of the best when it comes to tech, but unfortunately, many industry lies have been fabricated in order to sell and make money, and one of these is outrageously expensive HDMI cables.

I’ve seen some HDMI cables go for up to $13,000 and let me just say – no one needs to spend that much on HDMI cables, let alone hundreds.

Cables are probably the last item that should cost thousands of dollars, and I’m here to tell you why.

HDMI cables are transmitters, not processors

The first thing you need to know about HDMI cables and understand why some aren’t worth more than others is that they all perform the same function – to transmit an electrical signal from your device to your TV.

There is no processing or intelligence built into the cables to make the colors and picture quality better, but simply just wires and pins that connect to carry a picture and audio signal to your TV.

The real faults lie in long vs. short runs, not the cable

You may be confused about what long or short runs are, but I’ll explain it in its simplest terms, so you get the idea. People use HDMI cables for different purposes, and some people may need longer cables (more than 5m) than shorter ones.

Longer run purposes need better-built cables to avoid errors. Short cables work practically all the time and encounter fewer errors because the signal doesn’t need to travel very far, so the only way the cable wouldn’t work is if the cable itself is faulty.

With longer cables, the variables of the transmitter and receiver combo in the source and display, and the receiver if you’re using one, can mean that the cable won’t be able to handle all the data being transmitted.

Long cables can also run into interference problems or just be built poorly, which means that the only difference is in if the cable will work over short or long distances, not in its image quality.

There is only cable quality difference, not picture difference

As I mentioned, there’s really no difference in the kind of picture quality you can get from a more expensive HDMI cable compared to a less expensive one.

The only real difference is in how the cable is made.

Manufacturing quality makes the difference in how the HDMI cable performs in terms of whether the signal will be transmitted or not over long distances.

As with anything, if the cable is better made, then it will also last longer. If you don’t need a super-long cable, though, you have nothing to worry about.

Short HDMI cables made for Blu-ray players and cable/satellite boxes will work with just about any HDMI cable, even ones that cost $10.

If you need longer HDMI cables, then you’d use what are called active cables, which can be more expensive.

Other than that, you don’t need to worry about if your HDMI cable will be good enough or not; all HDMI cables are inherently the same, and you don’t need to buy more expensive ones in hopes of a “better” picture quality, and should only be spending that kind of money if you absolutely need long HDMI cables.

Are Audiophile Grade Cables Really Worth It?

By Keryl JohnApril 22, 2024Leave a Comment

Recording music, listening to music, mixing music, etc., all require cables.

If you do anything with music, you know this, and you know that you’re going to have to invest in some cables to listen to the audio you’re creating or enjoying.

When you visit a store like Best Buy or Walmart, you’ll come across several options for audio cables that all range in price.

We’ve been conditioned to think that expensive means better quality, but is that necessarily always true?

When it comes to cables, one type you often hear as being the best are audiophile cables. These are cables that are typically more expensive and are claimed to produce a better higher-quality sound.

Or so they say.

Today we’re going to debunk whether audiophile cables are really worth the price and if you should purchase them over any other cheaper cables.

The first thing you need to be aware of when purchasing audio cables, and before being subjected to false perceptions, is that our music is practically completely digital.

We are continuing to move away from analog into digital, if not completely changed already, so audio cables won’t make much of a difference.

The only reason they would is if you were trying to reciprocate an analog sound. Digital sound produces 0s and 1s, which are encoded information, that will either get there or they won’t.

If you’re just buying speaker cables then really the only thing you need to look for is the length of the cable. Longer cables will make your system sound worse, so make sure they’re as short as possible.

Some cables can cost up to $7,000, like the ANJOU cables by Pear Audio, and they have all kinds of features to them that make up for the price tag.

Supposedly higher grade cables contain things like exotic materials, such as palladium, that are more conductive, added deisgn features like built-in electornic filters, among other things, to get you the best sound.

However, these things are really only noticeable if you have an expensive system to match.

If you’re playing the audio on a system that costs less than your cables, you’re likely not to hear much of a difference, but if you’ve got a pretty nice set up with high-grade equipment, then you may be able to notice a difference in what cables you’re using.

Unless you’re, for lack of a better word, a snob for audio, you probably won’t need to purchase or notice a difference in using audiophile cables.

So, to put everything in simpler terms, audiophile cables are only worth it if you’re already investing heavily in the rest of your audio equipment; if not, then it’s not worth the purchase.

You can get good audio cables within any budget, the only thing you should look for in your cables is that they have good conductivity, shielding, and connectors.

To get the best conductivity, check to make sure your cables are oxygen-free, multi-stranded copper cables, or OMFC, and the thicker, the better.

Your cables should also have at least two shielding layers under the insulation, which can be foiled shield or braided shield.

Gold-plated connectors are best for cables because the metal has low electrical resistance and will transmit the signal from the wire to your speaker with little degradation.

How are CAT-5, CAT-5e, and CAT-6 Ethernet Different?

By Keryl JohnApril 22, 2024Leave a Comment

Anybody who’s ever tried to change their NAT type to “open” knows how frustrating and complex the world of ethernet and ethernet cables can be.

The whole “CAT” rating system can get pretty confusing so bear with me here.

The first thing that you should know is that the “CAT” is a rating system for ethernet cables and it’s actually not an acronym – it stands for “category,” as in power level.

It’s kind of like Dragonball-Z except with more vocab. Let’s get started!

CAT-5

Something all of these different cables actually have in common is their connector – the RJ-45.

It’s the one with the barb at the end that you plug into the back of your Xbox or computer. These connectors give all of these cables some common ground so that people can freely use whichever cable they use.

Something that separates the CAT-5 from the rest of these wifi-worms, is it’s unshielded nature.

Most cables have a tough external shield-wall of braided wire to protect the inner workings of the cable, but the CAT-5 wires are braided together within the thin casing – which can result in some interesting power outputs.

The CAT-5 was the first cable widely used by the public to access the internet, so you can bet it’s slower than anything you use today.

In fact, I don’t even think you can buy these cables anymore. The important thing to remember about the CAT-5 is that it paved the way for modern ethernet cables.

CAT-5e

The CAT-5 was a great cable for the people of the 1980’s, but in 2001 everything changed. The CAT-5 was superceded by the CAT-5e. This new cable was the new standard for internet access – and for a good reason.

All of the sudden CAT-5e cables were giving people the ability of serious speed – up to 1000BASE-T or 1GBASE-T (Gigabit Ethernet).

At the time, these were some incredible speeds, which is surprising because there weren’t too many changes in cable technology to prompt this new-found speed.

CAT-5e cables are still relevant today, and they’re a cost-effective way for anybody to get some quality internet into their home.

They generally cost 10-20% less than your standard CAT-6 cable since they don’t offer the same amount of speed, but is it worth the money? Let’s find out what CAT-6 cables are capable of, in order to figure it out.

CAT-6

The latest and greatest in ethernet cable technology is here, and it’s called the CAT-6 ethernet cable.

The CAT-6 is a twisted-pair cable like the CAT-5, but it offers the user so much more speed than ever dreamed of before – up to 10GBASE-T.

With speeds almost twice as fast as the previous cable, it’s no surprise that people with a need for speed were buying these things up like hot-cakes. The CAT-6 cable is capable of providing up to 500 MHz, which means that it can cover a distance that is twice as far as the CAT-5e.

When it comes to price, the CAT-6 is easily the most expensive ethernet cable you can purchase for your home.

That being said – it’s well worth the money. With speeds that rival the capabilities of the previous cable, this new CAT-6 is only slightly more expensive than the CAT-5e – isn’t that crazy? Well, that’s it for this analysis – Happy shopping everyone!

Best Equipment for Work-From-Home

By Keryl JohnApril 22, 2024Leave a Comment

It’s not secret that millions of girls, and guys, are making a living camming from the safety of their own home.

From girls on premium snapchat accounts to the plethora of cam sites, it’s never been easier to replace or even exceed income from a normal job.

But, providing fans and customers with the best viewing experience isn’t as simple as getting on your laptop or phone.

Here are the top 3 pieces of equipment adult actresses can use to optimize their home set up, and take their performance to a whole new level.

#1. iPhone Tripod with Bluetooth Control

Using this simple tripod, performers can capture new angles that simply aren’t possible with a laptop webcam or smartphone. And if you know anything about the content, it’s all about the angles.

#2. Full HD Webcam

Sometime’s the little camera on your laptop or phone just won’t cut it. For performers looking to show what god gave them over high-fidelity 4k, a HD webcam is a must. Buying one of these will pay in dividends as the viewing experience is superior to any built in camera.

#3. Premium Selfie Stick

Never underestimate the power of a goofie selfie stick. While it might seem cliche or even cheesy, selfie sticks provide a candid way to produce “in the moment” content that fans crave.

Simply by taking a selfie stick with you a dog walk or outing can lead to super authentic content that allows fans to peek into the model’s daily lives.

3 Reasons Why Wired Ethernet is Better Than Wi-Fi

By Keryl JohnApril 22, 2024Leave a Comment

Ethernet and wifi are a couple of complicated subjects – there’s no doubt about it.

When it comes to getting the speeds or the connection convenience you need for your average work-day, you shouldn’t be messing around.

And with so many different opposing perks attached to each method, there is a need for information now more than ever. Let me show you all of the differences between ethernet cables and standard wifi so that you can use the connection method that works best for you.

Convenience

In a world where so many people are buzzing around like bees, a need for portable internet came to be. People were tired of being chained to their “personal-computers” all day at work.

Next thing the world knew, people could connect to the internet without any wires at all! Sure, the laptop computers they were using were slower than anything else, but it was still cool!

As far as convenience goes, wifi takes the cake. I mean, can you imagine what the world would be like today if we were never given the capability to access the internet wirelessly?

It would be chaos. The fact that you can sit on the toilet and browse memes for as long as you want is groundbreaking.

The only downside to wifi is its speed. Many people wouldn’t even be able to notice the speed differences between an ethernet cable and a wifi connection, but all of us nerds out there can usually pick up on it.

Your wifi speeds are usually sitting around 4-5 Mbps if you have a halfway decent connection, but compared to ethernet – it’s hot garbage.

Speed

Browsing Reddit on your phone doesn’t take too much speed, but if you want to have a streamlined work-experience, then a faster internet connection is going to make all the difference.

Even if all you can do is plug your CAT-5e cable into the ethernet port to boost your speeds even a little bit, it’ll be worth it.

A solid wired connection to the internet is important for work and school, but it’s a requirement if you want to get into PC gaming.

I mean, who buys and builds a custom $5,000 PC just to end up lagging in every server they join? Nobody.

If you’re going to be doing anything that involves connecting to people using the internet, then a wired connection should be your first choice.

If you like to work all-around your house and you don’t want to be restricted to one area, wifi is the way to go.

Verdict

Ethernet connections can give you speed that’ll blow wifi speeds out of the water, but wifi can offer you a level of convenience that no other connection method can.

Price isn’t much of a talking point when it comes to internet connections since the router is required for the connection regardless.

There are a few different ethernet cables you can purchase that’ll give you different speeds – at different costs.

You won’t end up spending over $40 extra for your cable, but at the end of the day, your cable is what’s giving you the speeds you need.

Also, the cables can be quite long and even extended throughout your house if you so desire.

The Internet is a precious thing, so we know your connection method matters to you.

That is why I’d say ethernet is a great choice for any gamer, student, or even professor that needs to spend a lot of time at the desk. If you’re just sitting around checking the internet for piping-hot memes, wifi is a method for you.