[Macworld]

Post your comments for HDMI switches to the rescue here

[j1h15233]

I recently bought one of these off of Amazon. I can't remember the brand but it was really cheap and works really well. It's got 3 ports and automatically switches to the device that's on or if they're both on, to the device in port 1. I've got an Xbox 360 and my Apple TV running through it and it's been great. Plus, it's easier on the wife when all she needs to know is tv on HDMI 1, anything else on HDMI 2.

[Jean-RobertAdam]

Some of these switches should be equipped with Optical Audio input in case on in case one of your device cannot pass through Audio. I ran into this problem with my Samsung DVD player. I can pass High Definition Video; but I get a message on screen indicating: HDMI Audio is not supported. I ended up utilizing an Optical Cable for the audio signal. In the long run, the Audio quality is sounds very pure with great brilliance.
Btw-These HDMI switches should be powered also.

[flybynight]

Luckily the Onkyo receiver I bought a few years ago does the HDMI switching and audio processing... but I'm at the point now where one more device will hit the limit of selectable video inputs. Always get something with a couple more ports than you think you will ever need, because you will inevitably be wrong!

[Macnutjohn]

Good article! I've been wondering about using one of these switches. I have an original ATV and a sat receiver that both have HDMI out, but my TV has only one HDMI input. Currently I'm using the HDMI for the sat, and running the ATV on the component side. I was wondering about how the automatic switches would handle an "always on" unit like my sat receiver. Thanks for addressing that question! Now that I have more info, I'll have to start shopping.

[kevinv]

I've got the Pioneer VSX pictured. Works great, I pulled out my HDMI switcher when I got it. It supports 1.4 HDMI. Some of the setup is terrible. If you want to name the ports after the device plugged in, the interface is via remote control only, renaming ports isn't available via it's web interface. selecting each individual letter is painful.

One note on auto-switchers, if you have a DVR that is always on it can get confused (i.e. how do you switch to the TiVO since it's never the "most recently turned on device".) Apple TV can cause the same problem as it has no power off, but if you set the sleep to a short time it'll work.

[kevinv]

i see you covered the auto-switch bit, my mistake for missing it, but how do you switch from Apple TV to DVR? Apple TV has no (easy) power off option, and the DVR has no easy on solution.

[deadparrot]

j1h15233, on 04 January 2011 - 05:34 AM, said:

Plus, it's easier on the wife when all she needs to know is tv on HDMI 1, anything else on HDMI 2.

In many families it might also be easier on the husband.

[ppartekim]

kevinv, on 04 January 2011 - 09:25 AM, said:

i see you covered the auto-switch bit, my mistake for missing it, but how do you switch from Apple TV to DVR? Apple TV has no (easy) power off option, and the DVR has no easy on solution.

If the DVR has a standby switch that should do it. Typically, standby mode will kill the video signal without turning off the DVR. With no video signal the switch will assume the device is powered off and will switch to the next input.

[bettercitizens]

I recently bought an active (5V power adapter) HDMI switcher with a remote to switch between our Blu-Ray player and current Apple TV and it works great.

[bknight]

Interestingly timely and informative article. I have a related issue, have an Onkyo receiver that contains an HDMI switch (similar to another responder here), and have just inserted a Smart TV product (Revue) into the HDMI feed from the digital cable/DVR box to the Onkyo. Now I'm finding that my cable box has a limitation on the number of HDMI downstream devices (2), so with the Revue now making 3 (Revue, Onkyo and HD monitor), the cable box will not provide HDMI output. I've tried working with my cable company but they see this as not their problem. Does a simple 2-way switch count as a "device", as referenced to the device limitation that I am experiencing? If not, I could get a workaround solution from purchasing one of them. Thanks, Bruce.

[stevebert]

bettercitizens, on 04 January 2011 - 10:20 AM, said:

I recently bought an active (5V power adapter) HDMI switcher with a remote to switch between our Blu-Ray player and current Apple TV and it works great.

Can you share which product you are using so others can check it out too? Thanks!

[mark1965]

The final paragraph mentioned the Yamaha 667 receiver. I have this unit. It works very nicely. 4 HDMI inputs/1 HDMI output.

The price listed in the article is nowhere near correct. ABC Warehouse for $320. This was about Sept 2010.

[NathanJohnson13]

This 5-port HDMI switcher is awesome and very inexpensive: http://www.ebay.com/...-U/290888943450 It has the intelligent (automatic) switching and has input prioritization too (input1>input2>input3>input4>input5) and a remote & external sensor. Even though it's on eBay it is brand new so don't let the site it's on put you off. I got it last week so I can have just one HDMI wire running up to the TV behind the wall and all the components (AT&T box, DVD, XBOX, etc.) plugged into the HDMI switcher and it's working perfectly