Answered XMC - 1 & HDR/HDMI switcher

dinoprada2003

Distinguished Member
Joined
Jul 7, 2004
Messages
4,037
Reaction score
6,834
Points
1,954
Location
LONDON
Hello fellow av fans .

I’ve recently bought a PJ the Epson 9300 that supports “faux k” and HDR my problem is my processor the emotiva xmc - 1 only supports hdmi 2.0a so no HDR and even that is only on two of the 8 hdmi inputs .

Currently I have my PJ going direct to the Panasonic 4k player (the UB700) and the other hdmi from the panny to the xmc - 1 for audio

I need to find or buy a hdmi switch that will allow me to connect all my equipment to the xmc - 1

I have the PJ (HDR)
Panasonic 4k player (HDR)
Sony Multi Region Blu Ray player 1080p
Sony PS4
Soon to come a 4k Apple TV

The Epson PJ only allows 10gb over hdmi so “downscales” 18gb and can only cope with 4:2:2 for HDR

As there are so many hdmi switchers with various “functions” I’m lost as to which would be best for my situation ? And how best I should connect everything ?

Just in case anyone is not familiar with the xmc -1 it’s a processor only and I have a separate power amp so all equipment needs to work with it .


Many thanks
 
Will the XMC-1 upgrade to Atmos solve this? I know it’s 2 or 3 months away, but if you can wait that long, it might be your best option.
 
Will the XMC-1 upgrade to Atmos solve this? I know it’s 2 or 3 months away, but if you can wait that long, it might be your best option.

They have been promising the new atmos and 4 boards for years .

Anyway that’s at least a £1000 to upgrade I’d rather not as I just run 5.1
 
'The Epson PJ only allows 10gb over hdmi so “downscales” 18gb and can only cope with 4:2:2 for HDR' - the Epson instructs the Source, using EDID, what it can support and the Source has to Output a compatible signal.

HDMI 'Switch' - unless your budget can stretch to a Lumagen or similar you are potentially looking at replacing the AVP or consider how best to use a device such as the HDFury Vertex (2x2 with independent Output capabilities).

HDFury Vertex - we have supplied a few of these to Epson owners, HDfury Vertex – The Media Factory

Joe
 
'The Epson PJ only allows 10gb over hdmi so “downscales” 18gb and can only cope with 4:2:2 for HDR' - the Epson instructs the Source, using EDID, what it can support and the Source has to Output a compatible signal.

HDMI 'Switch' - unless your budget can stretch to a Lumagen or similar you are potentially looking at replacing the AVP or consider how best to use a device such as the HDFury Vertex (2x2 with independent Output capabilities).

HDFury Vertex - we have supplied a few of these to Epson owners, HDfury Vertex – The Media Factory

Joe

Thanks Joe,

The HDFury looks very nice but is way out of budget .

Any particular hmdi switch you recommend I’ve seen dozens on amazon and such ranging from £15-£65

It’s a bit of a minefield
 
Where you want to split a Source to two Sync’s (AVP + Projector) with differing capabilities you require something more capable than a budget Switch.

You could add an HDFury AVR key to each of your single HDMI Output Source devices - that way the cost is in smaller chunks.

HDfury AVR Key – The Media Factory

Joe
 
Hi Joe ,

I don’t understand what the fury/furies do that a £50 switch that supports 4k 3D and HDR passthrough with 4 hdmi out cant ?
 
You require the same connectivity which your UHD BD Player offers if you wish to optimise the system for both audio and video.

A conventional Switch, Distribution Amp or Matrix simply passes the Source signal to the next device along the signal path - which means you would still face limitations in either audio, video or both as your two Sink devices (AVP and Projector) have differing capabilities.

Add an AVR key to each Source and you can have max Video capabilities (direct) to your Projector plus max audio capabilities (direct) to your AVP.

Joe
 
You require the same connectivity which your UHD BD Player offers if you wish to optimise the system for both audio and video.

A conventional Switch, Distribution Amp or Matrix simply passes the Source signal to the next device along the signal path - which means you would still face limitations in either audio, video or both as your two Sink devices (AVP and Projector) have differing capabilities.

Add an AVR key to each Source and you can have max Video capabilities (direct) to your Projector plus max audio capabilities (direct) to your AVP.

Joe

Thanks but I’m still a bit perplexed ?

The 4k player direct to pj plus hdmi audio out to xmc

The other sources are mainly or just regular 1080p so don’t need to use 4k compliant hdmi 2.0b

All I need is for them to pass through the xmc for audio/video ? Which I assume a regular switcher could do ?



£135 for each new piece of kit via a key is a little steep

If I bit the bullet on the fury what does it bring that the cheaper individual keys don’t?
 
Now I’m perplexed :)

If you only need to support 1080p what is the problem you are trying to fix?

Joe
 
Now I’m perplexed :)

If you only need to support 1080p what is the problem you are trying to fix?

Joe

I have one 4k player with HDR

The xmc 1 only allows 4k on hdmi 2 and no HDR passthrough

So I have had to connect my 4k player direct to the PJ for video and audio out via HDMI on the 4k player to the xmc - 1 to get 4k & HDR video & audio


I have various 1080p a/v equipment like my PlayStation and multi region BR player that I need to connect for audio and video

These items only have one hdmi port on them .

Because the PJ is not direct to the xmc -1
And is connected to the 4k player at least via video

I need to find a way to connect my 1080p a/v equipment to the xmc - 1 so I can get video / audio?
 
Clearer now on what you are trying to achieve.

Your options are 1. Install a second HDMI cable to the Projector or 2. Install a 2x1 HDR capable Switch between the AVP and the Projector with the Video Output of the UHD Player being the second Input on the 2x1 Switch.

2x1 HDR capable Switch - it’ll be Trial and Error if you are going with any of the budget solutions.

Joe
 
269606BC-11C3-4C75-A156-BBF8D3FD2D29.jpeg
Clearer now on what you are trying to achieve.

Your options are 1. Install a second HDMI cable to the Projector or 2. Install a 2x1 HDR capable Switch between the AVP and the Projector with the Video Output of the UHD Player being the second Input on the 2x1 Switch.

2x1 HDR capable Switch - it’ll be Trial and Error if you are going with any of the budget solutions.

Joe

Thanks Joe

Would this “do the trick”
 
The 'Spec' looks OK - as per previous Post you'll have to plug it in and prove it actually works for you.

Joe
 
The 'Spec' looks OK - as per previous Post you'll have to plug it in and prove it actually works for you.

Joe

I take it if not then the hdfury key would be guaranteed to solve the issue .
 
'guaranteed' is always tricky with HDMI and its buddies EDID and HDCP.

The big advantage with HDFury is the products are very well supported with constant Firmware updates and Custom Firmware to fix tricky hardware combinations.

Joe
 
Clearer now on what you are trying to achieve.

Your options are 1. Install a second HDMI cable to the Projector or 2. Install a 2x1 HDR capable Switch between the AVP and the Projector with the Video Output of the UHD Player being the second Input on the 2x1 Switch.

2x1 HDR capable Switch - it’ll be Trial and Error if you are going with any of the budget solutions.

Joe

Thanks Joe

I’m having trouble connecting it all to work with the switch and tearing my hair out lol

I have the PJ that connects directly to the switch correct ? On the switches input.

Then the switch has 5 hdmi outputs

I’m assuming each source I.E 4k player and blu ray player connects to the switch
On each input

But how do I make sure the xmc is part of the chain so I get audio from each source?

To keep it simple I just want to connect my 4 k HDR player which has 2 hdmi connections and my multi region blu ray player

On the 4k player it’s

A.) is audio / video
B.) is just audio

On the Sony it only has one hdmi

A.). Audio / video


The XMC has 8 hdmi inputs but only inputs 2 & 8 allow 4k passthrough .

Help lol

The problem is the Sony BD as it only has one hmdi port so how can I make it work so I can get audio / video ?

If I connect the sony hdmi into the switch I get video but no audio

I need a way I can connect the Sony to the xmc for Audio and the pj or switch for picture ?

Or it it impossible as the Sony only has one hdmi port ?

With the 4k player I connected the video hdmi to the switch and the audio hdmi to the xmc and it works fine .
 
Last edited:
I am more confused by reading your last post. :confused:

If you have 5 hdmi sockets labelled outputs then it sounds like you have a splitter not a switch.

From reading the thread if you are only using one cable to the PJ then you should have the Panny 4K video out into Input 1 of the switch, the XMC-1 output into Input 2. The output socket of said switch should then be connected to the PJ.

Everything else including the Panny Audio out (not sure if you mean it does not have one) should be plugged into the XMC-1.

If you haven't got an audio out on the Panny then the AVR Key is the way forward.

Problem is when your Apple 4K turns up ....
 
As above - you originally linked to a 3x1 Switch not a 1x3 Distribution Amp!

Your Connectivity ought to be:

Source HDMI > Switch (Input) then Switch HDMI (Output) to Projector.

Source Optical/Coaxial Digital Audio > AVP.

As Chuck says ATV 4K is the next issue as it does not have an Optical Out - which all previous versions of ATV did have.

Joe
 
I bought the switch I linked to in post #13

XOLOR space 5X1 HDMI switch

I think with the Sony BD only having one hdmi port I will have to either send audio to the xmc via coaxial for the Sony BD OR forget the switch and just run another hdmi from the PJ to the xmc and connect everything non 4k upto the amp vis hdmi and one hdmi from the PJ to the 4k UHD for 4k HDR

I can likely forget about a second 4k source till they update the xmc - 1 boards to accept 4k and hdmi 2.0b on all inputs
 
Missing something here :confused:


XMC-1
All sources excluding the Panny UHD Video should be plugged directly into the XMC
The Panny UHD Audio should be plugged into the XMC

New Switch
The output of the XMC either 1 or 2 which ever use to go to the PJ goes into Input 1
The Panny UHD video output goes into Input 2
The cable to the PJ goes in the output 1

(You should have 3 spare input sockets)

That's it you don't need more than one output on the Sony Blu ray ??
 
Missing something here :confused:


XMC-1
All sources excluding the Panny UHD Video should be plugged directly into the XMC
The Panny UHD Audio should be plugged into the XMC

New Switch
The output of the XMC either 1 or 2 which ever use to go to the PJ goes into Input 1
The Panny UHD video output goes into Input 2
The cable to the PJ goes in the output 1

(You should have 3 spare input sockets)

That's it you don't need more than one output on the Sony Blu ray ??

Thanks I will try it and report back .
 
Missing something here :confused:


XMC-1
All sources excluding the Panny UHD Video should be plugged directly into the XMC
The Panny UHD Audio should be plugged into the XMC

New Switch
The output of the XMC either 1 or 2 which ever use to go to the PJ goes into Input 1
The Panny UHD video output goes into Input 2
The cable to the PJ goes in the output 1

(You should have 3 spare input sockets)

That's it you don't need more than one output on the Sony Blu ray ??

Thanks mate it seems it is all working perfectly now :clap:

I assume if I want 4k HDR passthrough with the Apple 4k I will need to connect it straight to the PJ via the PJ hmdi 2

As if I connect direct to the xmc the hdmi on the xmc 2.0a won’t be able to do hdmi 2.0b (HDR)

Or would I be able to connect it to the 5x1 switch ?
 

The latest video from AVForums

TV Buying Guide - Which TV Is Best For You?
Subscribe to our YouTube channel
Back
Top Bottom