FauxPas

I doubt that many Blu-ray players include an HDMI cable. Neither of mine did, and I've got a Sony and a Panasonic. I think that's pretty normal. Not only does it let them price the player lower (and most customers just shop for this stuff based on price), it also makes way for accessories to be sold to the customer, which big-box stores like Best Buy and Fry's LOVE. Just don't fall for any of the BS marketing from Monster Cables or any of that stuff. Get yourself the cheapest cable you can find and you won't know the difference -- digital signal! Woot! I don't think I've spent more than $15 for an HDMI cable.

I/ve got a Big Lots next door to where I live. I bought cables and other acessories there at half the price.

BTW, here's an article worth reading if you're in the market for an HDMI cable:
Inside the HDMI Cable Scam

Another suggestion, if you're in a store like Fry's or Best Buy and looking for instant gratification: Get out of the Home Theater part of the store. That's where all the worst cable scams happen. Instead, walk over to where the computers or video cameras are. You'll likely find MUCH cheaper (but identical, performance-wise) HDMI cables. If the salespeople find out what you're buying the cheaper "computer-grade" HDMI cable for, be prepared for a lecture full of ignorance and lies, and just whistle merrily on your way to the cashier.

hmmm interesting, will have to check it out. I've already listed the 007 collection on ebay, paid $130 and the bid is going for $175, 10 hours left. Nice bit of profit there, Guess I may hold onto the blu ray player then on Dec. 4 go and get Dark Knight Rises on Blu Ray. The problem with me is I have never seen a real difference between blu ray and DVD, unless they are side by side, even then, I never thought it was worth the extra money for that small difference.

Yeah, the image out of progressive DVD players is surprisingly good. Also, if you have a smaller screen or tend to sit way back, you're unlikely to see much of a difference with Blu-ray. Finally, you need recent titles. Lots of Blu-ray transfers of old films are hastily done and with little regard for quality.

George Lucas shot the second Star Wars trilogy in 1080p, and that was for the Big Screen! We're now getting glimpses of ultra-high-def TVs. It's not about what's good for the consumer, it's about being able to market numbers, which are the easiest things to fool people with. I think George had it right.

If I am allowed to speak my mind, I'd say there's a significant difference between low- and hight-end HDMI-cables. Sure, if the cables' are only <2 metres long there shouldn't be a difference, but at longer lengths there certainly is. When we set up out projector at the studio where I used to work we needed a 10 meter long cable, and we actually compared a $57 off-brand cable with one that cost us about $1700 (Audioquest). Every single person at the studio could see the difference. Everyone. It was that significant.

Just an FYI, no player ever includes cables.

There's also multiples ways to hook it up :P

With VCR's you might want to hook it up with a RG59 Coax to the TV, or you might want to go composite. DVD players had S-Video, Composite Video, Component Video, etc. to hook up with, standard. List goes on, if they included a cable to match everyone's needs, tehy'd lose money