BIT PIPELINE One thing about HDMI - the supposed be-all and end-all of HDTV connectors - is that it's one of the most rapidly changing standards in A/V history. To ensure your cables can handle all the millions of colors and 7.1-channel sound in version 1.3 (and beyond!), Straight Wire's SDMI cable can relay up to 10.2 Gbps (gigabits per second), enough to drive a high-def truck through.
GO THE DISTANCE Any 1080p video coming through the SDMI will be crystal clear at lengths up to 16 feet. That extra range could come in handy when you need to separate your feuding Blu-ray Disc and HD DVD players.
Price: $145 to $520, from 6.5 to 52.5 feet
straightwire.com
800-683-4434
