Sony releases PS3 HDMI cables in Japan

While it didn't see fit to include one in the box (ours notwithstanding), Sony's more than happy to sell you an HDMI cable to keep your brand-new PlayStation 3 Sony-branded through and through, releasing a range of cables of varying lengths to coincide with the Japanese PS3 launch. Available in 1, 1.5, 2, and 3 meter varieties (approximately 3 to 10 feet), the cables comply with HDMI 1.3 specs and feature 24k gold-plated connectors for that extra touch of class (and improved signal quality). Keen observers of these sort of things will notice that that's three more cables than Sony has announced for release over here -- so if you're looking for more options on this side of the Pacific, you'll have to either go third-party or get importing. Prices in Japan start at 3,500 Yen (about $30) for the shortest cable, with each increment costing an extra 500 Yen, topping out at 5,000 Yen (just over $40) for the ten footer.

[Via Impress]

[Gary Z @ Nov 13th 2006 5:06PM]

Good luck finding a retailer willing to import anything Sony...

[TS @ Nov 13th 2006 5:08PM]

Well, at least Sony made them twice as expensive as they should be...

[saycheese @ Nov 13th 2006 5:16PM]

There are more to follow. A BlueTooth remote for the PS3 will land shortly. Poke after poke after poke..

[Rick wilson @ Nov 13th 2006 5:20PM]

Monoprice.com for all the cables you'll need:
HDMI:
http://monoprice.com/products/subdepartment.asp?c_id=102&cp_id=10240&style=

HDMI to DVI cables:
http://monoprice.com/products/subdepartment.asp?c_id=102&cp_id=10231&style=

HDMI to DVI/DVI to VGA/HDMI repeaters:
http://www.monoprice.com/products/subdepartment.asp?c_id=104&cp_id=10419&style=

hope all the links work!

[dave @ Nov 13th 2006 5:28PM]

They left out the cables the same reason apple left out firewire cables on the iPod... Too many people would not be using them... Nobody on a PC has native firewire, and hardly anyone has an HDTV. DUH! Why increase your costs for a small percentage of users? If you can afford an HDTV and a PS3, why are you whining about cables?

And to Gary Z, Do you really think anyone believes that retailers don't carry SONY products? Where did you look that up, the encyclopedia of La-La-Land?

[Vesh @ Nov 13th 2006 5:38PM]

"hardly anyone has an HDTV. DUH! Why increase your costs for a small percentage of users?"

By that logic, why bother with Bluray or HD output in the first place....

[Scott @ Nov 13th 2006 5:34PM]

Monoprice really is an excellent company. Nobody should be complaining about the lack of an HDMI cable because, frankly, no matter how cheap Sony could get it for, the added cost to include it in the PS3 would still be more than you can get it for at Monoprice. Honestly, I just bought three 6 foot HDMI cables from there for ~$6 each. Yes, they work. No, I don't notice any difference from the $120 Monster cable I bought from Best Buy just to test out.

My only question I have is, does anyone know what the significance is of having an HDMI cable that is HDMI 1.3 compliant? Is that a marketing thing or will non-compliant cables not pass the 1.3 goodness through? If it is important, does anyone know what Monoprice's cable are compliant with?

[cyberfrog @ Nov 13th 2006 5:38PM]

Just a question that i've stated before. If they left out the cable because most people don't have hdtv... why include a blue-ray device that most people won't be able to enjoy the benefits of anyway but will be paying for?

[Andir3.0 @ Nov 13th 2006 5:54PM]

...because even without the movie aspect of Blu-Ray you will be able to enjoy the extra content that developers can put on said disc. Blu-Ray is not just a movie format.

[humpty @ Nov 13th 2006 5:38PM]

I dont get the HDMI1.3 compliancy either. In terms of new connectors, they introduced the mini-HDMI port for small media devices.. but, i dont recall them changing the specs of their main port/connector.

[StooMonster @ Nov 13th 2006 5:44PM]

Marketing BS to get you to buy more expensive cables...

HDMI 1.0 and 1.1 and 1.2 and 1.3 specification cables are the same.

"Gold plating" is to avoid corrosion not to "improve signal quality".

[Matt @ Nov 13th 2006 5:44PM]

Scott - my understanding is that the HDMI 1.3 protocol will not exceed the bandwidth of any recent HDMI cable. And, unless you are using the HDMI cable to carry the new seven channel surround formats to a receiver or pre/pro (none of which yet exist) along with full 1080p60 video, you have nothing to worry about anyway. Worst case scenario if a recent cable doesn't have that much bandwidth is that you use HDMI to carry the video exclusively, and use a digital coax cable for the sound. I've been very impressed with monoprice cables and wouldn't ever consider anything else except for very long runs (e.g., 25 feet or more).

check this out for more info: http://www.hometheaterhifi.com/other/cable-benchmark/hdmi-cable-benchmark.html

[Scott @ Nov 13th 2006 5:46PM]

Thank you.

[cyberfrog @ Nov 13th 2006 6:37PM]

Extra content should easily fit onto a single DVD if it weren't for the HDTV content. Even if more space were required beyond that needed for HDTV, if I didn't have an HDTV I would rather have an extra DVD or two rather than pay for the Blue Ray.

[Eric M @ Nov 13th 2006 5:54PM]

Monoprice is the best thing since newegg. All their stuff is excellent, except their speaker wire, their best seems a little cheaply made to me. I'd get BlueJeanCables for speak wire, and monoprice for the rest.

[Rob @ Nov 13th 2006 6:28PM]

So far the reviews are that the PS3 games look weak on SD and that they look more like a great PS2 title. So it looks like you'll need your HDTV and HDMI to really enjoy the quality of the PS3.

[Rich @ Nov 13th 2006 6:36PM]

Not to sound like an echo... but I concur about monoprice.com.

I just upgraded my system to HD and all-digital. I needed 4 HDMI cables to hook everything up, so monoprice easily saved me a couple hundred bucks, and the cables work great.

Only suckers buy "premium" digital cables. Digital is digital.

[Ty @ Nov 13th 2006 7:16PM]

I guess they leave out the cable the same reason everyone else does. I paid over $2000 for a lcd tv with two hdmi and wouldn't you know it, no cable included.

[matt @ Nov 13th 2006 7:18PM]

Are these gonna be available in the US before Friday?

[Sinbios @ Nov 13th 2006 7:22PM]

Say, if I use a HDMI to DVI cable to output to my monitor, does the sound still come out the analogue section?

[Peter @ Nov 13th 2006 7:25PM]

Technically speaking a fully compliant 1.3 cable may need to support greater bandwidth as they are doubling the potential data transfer rate (from 165MHz to 330MHz) to deliver higher than 1080p resolutions and great bit depths.

But you won't be getting >1080p out of a PS3 so a standard HDMI cable is all you need for PS3.

[Jitty @ Nov 13th 2006 9:01PM]

1) For anyone who is doubting it, there is a difference between HMDI 1.1, 1.2, and 1.3: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HDMI#Versions

2) And considering how much normal HDMI cables cost at normal retail stores like best buy or circuit city, these cables are pretty cheap, especially for sony.

[myscrnnm @ Nov 13th 2006 9:06PM]

I just don't understand why everyone is complaining about the price of the first-party HDMI cables for the PlayStation 3. Most HDMI cables I see made by other companies (i.e. Monster) sell for as much as $99, that's twice as much as the highest price I've seen for a Sony PlayStation 3 HDMI cable.

[Sean Murphy @ Nov 14th 2006 5:24AM]

I'll add a nod for bluejeanscable.com and avcables.com as far as HDMI cables go.

The sony ones are overpriced as far as I can tell, and you most definetley DO NOT need to buy sony branded cables for this to work.

- D

[Tsubasa Kato @ Nov 14th 2006 5:25AM]

My thoughts: it's always better to find a genuine SONY one even if you think it's expensive. This holds true even with my 8MB PS2 Magic Gate. Sure, third party ones are good enough, but they lack "something" which can only be bought by a genuine SONY.

just my thoughts.

[homer jay @ Nov 14th 2006 8:26AM]

gold plated for improved signal quality?? that makes sense if the signal is analog but for a digital signal?

[Rick_Havoc @ Nov 14th 2006 9:21AM]

Lik-Sang has the cables, cheap. Oh wait sony killed them. SMD (Sony must Die)

[Long @ Nov 14th 2006 11:20AM]

just go to radio shack and get one for $10

[Taldir @ Nov 16th 2006 11:12AM]

I found cheaper the monoprice with good ratings:

http://firefold.com/category.aspx?categoryID=54

[Robert Andrews @ Nov 18th 2006 3:06PM]

All i have to say is that for pete's sake it's a digital connection. Either the data gets there or it doesn't, as opposed to analog where part of the signal can get there. HDMI as everyone has previously stated is a STANDARD. Which means if each cable is of the standard than 1080/60p shall be perfectly displayed upon it.

[marc @ Mar 31st 2007 5:31AM]

not too bothered about the price....if thats what i have to pay for quality i have no problems.....microsoft fanboys however......

[audiobblogger @ Sep 12th 2007 7:22PM]

does anyone know what the name of the speaker connectors used on sony stereos soldin japan. they are different than in the usa