I've just checked what I paid for 3 HDMI 1.4 leads last year - £7.94, delivered. I've yet to use the Ethernet capability, but I've just ordered an amplifier which supports HDMI 1.4, so I'll soon find out if it will pass the network connection through to my TV; the answer is not to be found in the manuals for either appliance! Not that it makes much difference: since everything I now use has an Ethernet connection, I have a network switch and a single cable back to the upstairs router. It would just save me one cable. Or two, if my BluRay player supports it.

Bear in mind that HEC is an optional feature of HDMI 1.4, both for devices and cables. There are 5 different types of HDMI 1.4 cable. Cheap ones probably won't have ethernet support.

http://www.hdmi.org/manufacturer/hdm...ght_cable.aspx

Cables will only support ethernet if the packaging explicitly states 'with ethernet'. Equally, if the literature for the devices does not mention HEC then it won't be supported.

My cables have "High speed with Ethernet" written on them. So unless they are fakes...

Interesting point though. How would I ever know? If the Ethernet bit doesn't work, I'll just assume that one or more of the devices at either end don't support it!

Interesting - I have a Sony AV amp with an inbuilt ethernet switch connected to my Sony Bravia TV with a 1.4 HDMI cable with ethernet.

I know the audio return channel works, I must try the ethernet part of it.

I will try it tomorrow and report back.

I know the 2010 range of Bravia TV's didn't support HEC, but I haven't tried with a 2011 model.

Just tried it - no network.

What a pity, it would have saved me one cable of the two dozen behind my AV rack.

I always thought the same about hdmi cables, all mine are bundled ones or £4 asda ones..
was just flicking thru some old emags and read an article in the March issue of Stuff magazine that says the total oppositte about them though..
have cut and pasted em to flickr..

page 1
page 2
page 3

Quote from page 3
"We are left in no doubt that upgrading your hdmi cables does make a difference."

Is that the entire article? No explanation of the metaphysics involved? No explanation of the double-blind test procedures they used to do the testing?

Thought not. It's crap.

The explanation they do give as to how there is an "improvement" shows that they have absolutely no understanding of how these things work.

It's worse than crap, it's basically black magic defying the laws of physics. How do they get away with such garbage ?

Record the output of each cable to a hdd and compare the two recordings bit by bit. Assuming the signal remains within the error correction capability of the device extracting the digital stream then the two will be bit for bit identical. Anyone care to explain how 10000101000 can sound different to 10000101000 when sent to the same dac.

And is anybody in the least bit surprised that the most expensive cable is "the best".

If exactly the same sequence of ones and zeros is fed into the processing chips in the telly then the results will be identical regardless of what bit of wet string you have between player and TV. To claim otherwise is a bit like saying that if you play the same disk on the same set up twice in a row you will have different results. Which is plainly not true if everything is working properly.

The only problems I had with a cheap LONG cable (15m) was on my PS3. It's the only usual source I had outputting 60Hz 1080p and got all the blacks turning magenta. Same problem when I tried it from my laptop too but that was rare.

At 24Hz 1080p or 50Hz 1080i it was faultless, so fine for watching Blu Ray or Broadcast TV.

If the magazines reckon these expensive HDMI cables are so much better, how come I have NEVER seen them publish photographic evidence of the difference?

Anyway, I recently upgraded to a 3D screen, and get 3D footage from PS3, Xbox360 and Sky box using my old HDMI cables with no problems whatsoever.

Agreed. And what's to say that you'll even need HDMI in 10 years time as new wireless connection technologies are being developed?

You might need to do some configuration in the amp and TV to make use of the ethernet capability. (presuming you haven't already...)

And given the world ends in just over a year, what's the point investing in cables for the future anyway.

I thought we only had until 21st October, under the revised Armageddon plans? I wish the divine authorities would make up their minds.

It depends which one you believe since there is much more than one end of the world belief.

Religious people think other people's religions are wrong but theirs uniquely is right. The South Park episode where they found the Mormons were correct was brilliant.

Which is the 'better' belief system?

That the world ends in 2012?
Or that HDMI cables make a difference?