When I go somewhere to speak to an audience, it is often like a Cracker Jack box. I just never know what “prize” I’m going to get. Or in many cases, a surprise! Yes, I’ll be including links to products on Amazon for which I receive a small commission. No products were provided to me, not even Cracker Jacks darn it!

For my most recent speaking engagement, I got to the venue and there was the table where I would sit with my laptop as well as a data projector to project onto a screen. Typically there were positioned about 15 feet apart. No surprises at all there. But when I went to connect my laptop to the projector, there was only a 6 foot cord. Oops!

Thankfully the organization who brought me in to speak was able to find a longer cable that worked. If not, it would have required me sitting in the middle of the group I was addressing. I’m one who often has backup equipment just in case something fails. In this case I didn’t bring an HDMI cable as I feel that is the job of the audio-visual company working the event. In the future, I think I’ll come prepared with a 25 foot HDMI cable!

I have purchased longer cables in the past, both a 25 foot and a 50 foot cable. But both of them are installed and not portable. It was a pleasant surprise to see Amazon offers a “house brand” heavy duty cable at a great price. I’d prefer to not have to carry such a cable when I travel, but it is better to be safe than sorry. So if you need one or think there may come a time you need one, pick one up!