[alcarmichael]

I require an HDMI switch with 2 outputs and a minimum of 2 inputs, I've found this have any of you purchased this item? Are there any others I should take a look at?

[romerojpg]

I would have thought there would be a thread on these devices already, if there is I cannot find it

I am in a similar position as you, I need one, but finding reviews etc.. on these is impossible.

I want to know exactly why people pay a few hundred £ for some and others find a £20 one does the same job etc..

I am no way ever paying the ridiculous prices I see about, even £60 is insane considering HDMI cables are so cheap for good ones, the switch box should be as cheap.

[PHOTOSHOP KID]

Try this http://www.ebuyer.com/product/132433

I bought 2, but the 5 input version, which seems to be out of stock at the mo,
Good bit of kit, well made, and cheap

[romerojpg]

Looks better than the usual cheaper ones as well

Someone says you need a PSU for it sometimes? did you?

[alcarmichael]

I need a switch with 2 outputs so I can connect to my projector and my TV.

[PHOTOSHOP KID]

Originally Posted by romerojpg

Looks better than the usual cheaper ones as well

Someone says you need a PSU for it sometimes? did you?

I think you need a psu if you want to run a Sky box, I dont have that prob, I dont have a Sky box, I run a PS3, a Sony dvd player, and a Sony dvd recorder, And they auto switch, they are also very small units, they are a great buy.

If you read the customer feedback on Ebuyer I think there is some ref to the Sky box issue

One last point, you can manually switch the inputs if you have problems with a Sky box

[romerojpg]

Ahhh I read them comments on Ebuyer guess I went too quick to take it all in.

I have a PS3, HD DVD, DVD and PC for use with it so no need for a PSU then.

Thing is £20 sounds easier to swallow than the prices I am seeing others pay for Switchers. As long as the image quality is identical to what I get now without a Switcher, well thats all I am after, even if I have to switch manually which takes a few seconds at most.


Hope this thread still helps alcarmichael in some way

[davepuma]

A few folks on avforums have had success with these. The reason some folks pay a bit more and get a brand name model as these are simply almost guaranteed to work. The cheap unbranded/rebranded stuff doesn't always work and if you buy it from fleabay, you're often stuck if you have to return it. I use an Oppo HM31 swithing unit and if Oppo ever decide to make a splitter, that's where I would put my money. At present, I don't need to split the output as I use my projector for HDMI. I haven't heard of anyone having problems with the likes of Gefen, Zektor and Octava, they work, it's as simple as that.

Also I wouldn't recommend constantly connecting and disconnecting HDMI cables as they're c**p. They're fragile at best.

Buy once would be my advice.

[Heavysalad]

I've had a splitter and a switch from here and both have been spot on. Killer price too, infact the spltter is exactly the same as the one in davepumas link above only it was £30 instead of £50 so someone is either charging way too much or way too little, just glad i got the £30 one

having a quick scan it looks like they have upgraded the switch I bought to include a remote as well as auto switching since I got mine but it autoswitches fine anyway.

I don't think any brand can 'guarantee' any switch to work with all equipment and mixes of different kit, there is just too much variation with HDMI eg; i bough a Humax Freesat HD box and that doesn't send any power signal over HDMI so it won't power the switch unless the switch is plugged in (which it doesn't need with my other kit) and that would be the same with any brand of switch. HDCP can also cause problems with some devices. Its not quite as 'simple as that' with these things no matter what brand name or logo is printed on it. Many of them are using the same internal electronics anyway, just different branded housings.

I also don't agree with fleabay being any issue, quite the opposite in fact. Its easy to spot good kit and good sellers if you look and there you have clear and detailed feedback which joe bloggs HD switch shop dot com doesn't have. Also, on eBay any decent seller will bend over backwards to please, more often than not more so than via their website or real store etc. I'll admit to it, I have a very highly respected real world shop and webshop and we also sell on ebay. Same products, same seller, same service and if aything we'll go the extra mile on ebay because of the public feedback being so important.

Good advice form davepuma about not messing with HDMI connections ... very good move getting a switch instead of consantly swapping leads around and stressing sockets.

[HDMIHead]

Originally Posted by davepuma

A few folks on avforums have had success with these. The reason some folks pay a bit more and get a brand name model as these are simply almost guaranteed to work. The cheap unbranded/rebranded stuff doesn't always work and if you buy it from fleabay, you're often stuck if you have to return it. I use an Oppo HM31 swithing unit and if Oppo ever decide to make a splitter, that's where I would put my money. At present, I don't need to split the output as I use my projector for HDMI. I haven't heard of anyone having problems with the likes of Gefen, Zektor and Octava, they work, it's as simple as that.

Also I wouldn't recommend constantly connecting and disconnecting HDMI cables as they're c**p. They're fragile at best.

Buy once would be my advice.

Oppo aka BBK just wants to kill sony with their DVD players.. they wont go into the HDMI Switch/Splitter business according to my source in the factory. the best switch/splitters in the market are CYP(QED/Lindy..etc), Octava and Gefen.

[Mad Mr H]

I bought an Octava 3 in 4 out switcher last week.

Very good device, cheap as well .

comes with remote.

And you can switch off the LEDS - which I always like to see as a feature .

They do a range so should be one to suit you.

[Heavysalad]

Originally Posted by Mad Mr H

And you can switch off the LEDS - which I always like to see as a feature .

Thats a nice touch ... be nice to see more kit have that facility.

[SportiveUK]

I hope noone minds if I join in this thread, rather than starting a similar new one. My AV amp (Yamaha 2600) only has 2 HDMI inputs but other than that at this stage does everything I need. I have found this which should completely solve my problem and is auto-switching which is even better. the Oppo HM31.

• Has anyone used this model for an extended period of time? The reviews I have found have all been favourable.
• Am I likely to run into any issues sending the output from the switcher to the amp? I can't think why but if anyone knows of likely snags, I'd be grateful to know.

At present I would be connecting an Xbox360, PS3 and Pioneer DV600 DVD player with the output going to the second HDMI input on the amp. Is anyone aware of these devices having an "active" output, even when they are off? SkyHD would remain direct to the main HDMI input on the amp for this reason.

I don't want to get into issues of having to turn things on in defined orders or I'll be in big trouble with the boss of the house(!). I just want to leave the switcher on and it all to work regardless of what is used and when. Generally the display always goes on first anyway and the 3 devices that would be connected would not be on at the same time.

Thanks

[Joe Fernand]

Hello all

PHOTOSHOP KID - where did you get that lot of tosh from

The Supply Channel (Pin 18) on the HDMI bus carries +5v power that's designed to power the DDC (Digital Display Control channel) communication circuitry in your Display when your Display is in standby; that way you ought to get near instant sound and vision when you power the Display back on without a lengthy HDCP renegotiation (doesn't always work but that's the theory).

Problems on the DDC line are one of the main reasons why folk end up with no signal or a corrupted signal.

If a Switch or DA 'steals' its Power off of the Supply Channel you run the risk of other problems elsewhere in your system.

All HDMI cables are more than capable of carrying +5v on Pin 18 - not just v1.3 compliant cables.

Heavysalad - if a Manufacturer has spent the extra Money on v1.3 Certification and Licensing they are bound to tell you in big bold letters

romerojpg - HDMI Switch gear that is produced Legally under Licence is far more expensive to Design, Program and Manufacturer than the SCART switch gear of yesteryear.

The often rebranded CMI gear is great value when it works and a pain when it doesn't - it does work well for lots of folk but is not such a Universal 'Plug and Play' brand compared with certain other brands; its often down to the quality of the Programming of the Inuit/Output chip sets.

SportiveUK - your four Sources ought not to be a problem with an Auto Switch; as long as you put SKY HD on Input 01. (See Octava link below).

Anyone looking for Dual Outputs ought to have a look at the various options now available from Octava Inc. - see http://www.tmfsolutions.co.uk/Octava.htm

Joe

[alcarmichael]

After a think I've decided I only need 1 input with 2 outputs and have found this simple item splitter

[andy1249]

This is nonsense , complete rubbish in fact , especially the part in bold.

“Due to the advanced technology of this unit, it must be used with HDMI v1.3 cables. HDMI v1.3 cables can carry sufficient power and bandwidth to ensure proper functioning of the switch and no degradation in image quality. So if your cables are more than a year old, or came with your HD device, then it is unlikely that they are HDMI v1.3 compliant and so it is strongly recommended that you upgrade your cabling to a good quality HDMI v1.3 cable when using this switch unit.”

Thats a cable sellers spiel , all Mechanically sound HDMI cables of a given short length will perform the same and whats more there are no V1.3 cables , that is an interface spec not a cable spec , there are category 1 and category 2 cables , not v1.3 cables , there is no such thing as a v1.3 cable no matter how they are labelled.

If your equipment works fine with the cables you have then there is absolutely no justifiable reason to upgrade them to incorporate a switch! Even if the nonsense about bandwidth in the above was correct , which its not , there is no way I can think off that a increase in cable bandwidth should be needed to add a switch , unless said switch was itself limiting the existing bandwidth !!

I would be more inclined to suspect the quality of this switch if there are any problems , and not the cable. HDMI switches and distribution boxes are a lot more complicated than any analog switcher , the interfaces for both in and out of the switch are what must be 1.3 compliant , not the cable for heavens sake !

[romerojpg]

Keep it up guys it all good very helpful.

[Heavysalad]

Originally Posted by Joe Fernand

Heavysalad - if a Manufacturer has spent the extra Money on v1.3 Certification and Licensing they are bound to tell you in big bold letters

It does clearly say its 1.3 and they are an HDMI adopter etc etc. But HDMIhead says that its actualy 1.2 despite that ... I naturaly don't expect him to say anything other than the products he sells are better than his competitors product but I was just curious as to how he would actualy know that something was 1.2 and not 1.3 ?

Re: needing 1.3 cables, agreed, it sounds like a blag designed to get you to buy a cable at the same time.

[Mad Mr H]

Originally Posted by Joe Fernand

Anyone looking for Dual Outputs ought to have a look at the various options now available from Octava Inc. - see http://www.tmfsolutions.co.uk/Octava.htm

Joe

This is where I bought my 3 In 4 Out unit from.

Next day delivery

I have a fairly complicated system and this unit intergrated instantly in my video signal path.

I "think" that the unit also AUTO switches , its new to me only a couple of days so not had that much time to play.

It can sense inputs that are available and change to an input when previously everything else was off.

Joe should be able to explain better .


From my experience of this unit so far I would not hesitate to purchase from this range.

[CJPowers81]

I'm also in need of a switcher as my LCD only as the one HDMI input. Is this switcher any good and would I need to buy another HDMI lead to connect it to my TV?

Also does using a switcher like this have any kind of effect on PQ quality in anyway?

http://www.ebuyer.com/product/132433...roduct_reviews

Other recommendations are also welcome.

[Heavysalad]

Originally Posted by chrisjohnp

I'm also in need of a switcher as my LCD only as the one HDMI input. Is this switcher any good and would I need to buy another HDMI lead to connect it to my TV?

Also does using a switcher like this have any kind of effect on PQ quality in anyway?

http://www.ebuyer.com/product/132433...roduct_reviews

Other recommendations are also welcome.

Coincidentaly I think that is the seller that came up with this pearl of wisdom that we are all agreeing is rubbish:

“Due to the advanced technology of this unit, it must be used with HDMI v1.3 cables. HDMI v1.3 cables can carry sufficient power and bandwidth to ensure proper functioning of the switch and no degradation in image quality. So if your cables are more than a year old, or came with your HD device, then it is unlikely that they are HDMI v1.3 compliant and so it is strongly recommended that you upgrade your cabling to a good quality HDMI v1.3 cable when using this switch unit.”

Blag aside it seems expensive too with the shipping, I paid about the same for a 5 input version of the same thing from here although the one I got seems to have been changed for one with a remote and LEDs. I don't miss an extra remote to be honest but i can see it might come in handy. Same price anyway.

The Octava ones sound good too if you want to spend some more moolah. I think I'd maybe look at these if I had a multi-million dollar home multiplex like the Mad Mr H One day

[Joe Fernand]

Hello Heavysalad

The CMI Website has no mention of v1.3 Compliant 1x2 DA's in the 'Mini' (Plastic chassis) or 'Metal' Series units - see http://www.cmicable.com/en/products.asp?id=65

I have the May 08 CMI price list and no mention of v1.3 support on the DA's.

Joe

PS Once you have your Multi-million Dollar Home we'll set you up with one of these - http://www.digitalextender.com/Searc...?CategoryID=19

[alcarmichael]

Originally Posted by Joe Fernand

Hello Heavysalad

The CMI Website has no mention of v1.3 Compliant 1x2 DA's in the 'Mini' (Plastic chassis) or 'Metal' Series units - see http://www.cmicable.com/en/products.asp?id=65

I have the May 08 CMI price list and no mention of v1.3 support on the DA's.

Joe

PS Once you have your Multi-million Dollar Home we'll set you up with one of these - http://www.digitalextender.com/Searc...?CategoryID=19

What benefit is there to use a switch like you have listed to a Y splitter such as this

[MarkTaylor]

Originally Posted by alcarmichael

What benefit is there to use a switch like you have listed to a Y splitter such as this

First off remember that a switch and a splitter are two different things, switch is n inputs one output and a splitter is 1 input n outputs.

The simple splitter you linked will just share the input signal between two outputs, it makes no attempt to help with hand-shaking, signal levels or anything else so if it works then great, but don't be surprised if you have problems, especially if you are splitting to devices with different resolutions and capabilities.

[Joe Fernand]

Hello alancharmichael

The folk who designed HDMI always envisaged any Switch, DA or Repeater to be an active device so passive devices don't meet any formal Tech spec.

Where you have a 'Splitter' then each Output ought to be active and ought to be establishing an HDCP session between the Active Display(s) and your Source; obviously you cant on a Y cable as it has no active electronics.

Having tried out various 'Passive' Y splitters I can predict that you A. May be lucky and get on OK with it, B. Initially seem to be lucky and then start to come across problems or C. Tear your hair out wondering what these things are supposed to do.

I don't believe you require anything as complex as the RTComUSA gear - maybe an Octava 1x2 is a more realistic option for you; see http://www.tmfsolutions.co.uk/Octava_HDDA12-UK.htm

Joe

[alcarmichael]

Thanks for your advice Joe, I've decided that for £20 it's worth the gamble, I'll try the Y splitter and if it works then bonus, if not I wont have lost much.

[Heavysalad]

Originally Posted by Joe Fernand

Hello Heavysalad

The CMI Website has no mention of v1.3 Compliant 1x2 DA's in the 'Mini' (Plastic chassis) or 'Metal' Series units - see http://www.cmicable.com/en/products.asp?id=65

I have the May 08 CMI price list and no mention of v1.3 support on the DA's.

Joe

PS Once you have your Multi-million Dollar Home we'll set you up with one of these - http://www.digitalextender.com/Searc...?CategoryID=19

18x18 $39k and thats after you've bought the 18 sources and 18 displays

My switch is for sure the 5*1 on that CMI website link. To be fair, there is only a short specification on the website, it seems more about production and export quantity info for the importers etc.

I have an instruction booklet for the mini series that came with it in the box and there is a more complete specification in it which says "HDMI version 1.3" and "HDCP version 1.2" along with listing support for deep colour and HD audio as well as 'data transfer speed: 10.2Gbps' and lots of other guff about temperature ranges and max working current etc etc.

Anyway, it does what its supposed to do for me and I don't have 18 blurays and plasmas so I'll not be upgrading to that 40k number for a while yet

[davepuma]

Originally Posted by alcarmichael

Thanks for your advice Joe, I've decided that for £20 it's worth the gamble, I'll try the Y splitter and if it works then bonus, if not I wont have lost much.

Personally I wouldn't have bothered, I would have rather had 10 pints or a flutter down the bookies than waste £20 on cheap av switching/splitting but that's me

[alcarmichael]

Well I had a couple of bottles of wine last night and lost £30 down the bookies when Ricky Hatton never knoced out Lazcano so I may as well waste another £20
PS where do you get 10 pints for £20?????

[Stuart Wright]

Just a note to say that I have removed some unsubstantiated remarks and all the replies in order to keep this thread on topic.