The New York Times:
Personal Tech | Circuits | Basics
A New Cable for Your Maze
By JOE HUTSKO
The real estate on the back of an HDTV is crowded with ports for connectors of the past. Out of that mess comes yet another cable, but it is supposed to make everything simple: the HDMI.
Mr. Hutsko:
Did you get the logic wrong-exactly backwards—in attempting to show that HD TV’s with MORE HDMI ports cost MORE?
You gave as examples of this comparison the 52-inch Vizio LCD with four HDMI ports (MORE) that “sells for about $2,500, equal to the price of a 47-inch JVC, a better-known brand, with only two ports (FEWER) “.
All other things being equal-which they obviously aren’t when screen size and brand value differ—the larger television with MORE HDMI ports should cost MORE.
Here, obviously, the JVC with smaller screen size and fewer HDMI ports (FEWER) should cost less but doesn’t.
Your example turns you logic on its head, doesn’t it?
I look forward to your response.
All the best,
Evan Wilner
I make no assertion whatsoever that HDTVs with more ports cost more. In fact I originally quote Cnet’s Carnoy saying that the price is pretty minimal, and the makers will tell you it adds cost when in fact it isn’t much, but unfortunately that line didn’t make it into the final story on account of space. An analyst told me they’re about $2 a pop in quantity, and Vizio listened to advice a few years ago, to add more HDMI, and they’ve been doing so in many sets for years. I do see how the way the line reads in the story it could seem that that was my suggestion, but it isn’t. Thanks for taking the time to comment. Best, Joe
I stand corrected, Evan, you are absolutely right, I was looking at my last copy that went back to the paper, and sure enough, what you point out is that the wording then the example contradict one another. Because same-size sets from Vizio and others often show Vizio with the lower price and still more HDMI ports. Thank you for calling attention to this error. Joe