One of the great debates of home theater among less technically inclined people is whether a $150 cable is really better than a $20 cable. Cables have become big business in a world where more expensive seems to automatically equal better. This generally garners eye rolling from both amateur and professional tech people.

CNET wrote a quick guide to HDMI cables which is aimed at helping people buy what's right for them. It discusses the subject of paying too much for a cable. Before someone says it, yes you can buy a $150 cable. Here's a 2 meter one that sells for $120. The approximate value of this cable is actually $20 but you can buy it for as low as just $2. This cable has a $100 markup, which is obscene. This particular manufacturer is infamous in the tech world for overcharging people for relatively cheap cables. They flatly deny overcharging but the proof is in the pudding. Their stuff is primarily sold in places like Best Buy and The Source, and several other chain electronics stores. Not that they're the only ones. The more expensive cables are not better made and they cannot handle more data. They only thing that makes them worth more is markup. It definitely pays to shop around rather than just buying what ever is on the shelf at the TV store.