HDMI Splitters

[Lucid]

Hmm,

Six people responding to the thread excluding my own. Just one recommendation neet by phatboy (exclude mine as I don't doubt the comments made re self powered units ). So what gives ?

Do you well informed guys have none to recommend?

Try having another read of the thread....

The OP explained what they want to do and asked what SPLITTER to buy. The first response was from Grizzly. Helpful point 1: he corrected the OP's mistake; it's called a switch and not a splitter. Helpful point 2: He provided a LINK to a CYP switch off the CPC web site. I can't check that at the mo, the site is down for maintenance.

Now, bearing in mind that the OP now know what to look for, we come to the second response which is from SamFIDS. "There's loads on Ebay and they're mostly the same" We're all big boys (and girls?) and we know what Ebay is and how to find stuff on there. Of course you could be picky and say there's a lot of rubbish on Ebay; I certainly wouldn't argue. But I think you'd have to be quite hard faced to deny that the OP has been pointed in a direction with a lot of choice. Google is always available as a means to research particular brands and issues.

phatboy and Jaidge both made specific recommendations for Neet. So what's the tally now? Three direct recommendations plus all of Ebay's range. Is there really much more that can be said for HDMI switches costing from a couple of quid to twenty?

There then followed some useful side information about HDMI issues. I'd call that helpful too.

I can't speak for others, but as a professional installer I won't use cheap gear off Ebay. The brands I use are at the upper end of the price range for the simple reason that I know I can rely on them. It's very unlikely I'll need to call back to rectify a problem. However, it's a waste of time recommending someone spend £20-£30 on a switch when something that "appears" to do the same job is available for £4 inc postage.

Then there's the "it's digital... all noughts and ones" argument. It's not true, of course. There's no such thing as a digital cable for HDMI. It's a square wave operating at high frequency. But who really wants to hear that or be bothered to understand it when the mob is screaming "It's noughts and ones"?

Let's not forget the "It either works or it doesn't" argument. In some respects that's true. If the signal is corrupted beyond a certain tolerance then yes, there's no picture or sound. Once again though, it's only part of the story for this apparently "simple" digital circuit. But we won't get bogged down in all these pesky details. The chances are that the switch will work well enough that it seems to do an okay job for not much money, and when someone is looking for a cheap solution then not much else matters at the time of purchase.

 

[Blagard]

Pointing to an example if not recommending.

Acknowledging the descriptive terms are technically wrong. Switches are frequently advertised as Spitters everywhere I am looking.

So don't get too wound up.

I used this thread to actually try and get something useful out of it.
Power supply already acknowledged but really all you tech guys have really offered nothing positive in terms of which unit to buy.

 

[Sam Gangee]

Actually, you are right about learning. Chris and I are both in similar trades but he's forever coming up with facts that I didn't know and (I assume) vice-versa.

As for recommending, that's more difficult. I have personally never used an HDMI splitter as I retired from doing installations before they were invented. Consequently, most of my work is now in the workshop and on-line. I have to rely on what others tell me about newer technology.

 

[phatboy]

So does phatboy use external power with his?

Yes I do use the PSU, but it did come standard. Needed to use it as the PS3 wasn't happy!

 

[Lucid]

Acknowledging the descriptive terms are technically wrong. Switches are frequently advertised as Spitters everywhere I am looking.

I don't know where you are looking. Perhaps it's those places that sell HDMI splitters and switches for £4 including postage. If so, then I wouldn't be too surprised that they do get the term wrong, probably on purpose as a catch-all. However, just because the product is incorrectly labelled it doesn't make it any less wrong.

If you're going to try and pick holes in a thread then please, at least get your facts right. There was quite a lot of help offered, and I think that in general we do a damned fine job in this particular forum. If you'd actually spent much time here then you'd realise that.

BTW, I think your point about "Pointing to an example if not recommending" is petty TBH.

But I guess we've are treated to your presence what, every 6 months or so? Sept 2012, then again Feb 2013, and now. So it's hardly surprising that you have little respect for those of us who are here almost every day, month after month, year after year. My own history here appears relatively short. But I was registered under a different forum name before consolidating IDs across several fora sites where I contribute.

Of course if you have some sort of encyclopaedic knowledge on the subject of HDMI switches then please do regale us. We are nothing here if not open minded. As Sam Gangee said, we learn from each other. I've certainly learned a lot from him and the stuff he has posted via links too. The Satcure site is my bible when it comes to all things Sky remote.

I think it comes down to this....There's a lot of cheap Chinese crap on the market. I also suspect that if a brand name gets a bad rap then it is dumped and the same product surfaces again but is called something different. Chances are that a lot of the gear is the same thing, it's just called something different.

This is not like plumbing supplies where you're using the same consumables day in, day out. In that situation you get to know what's good and what's rubbish by repetition. For most buyers a HDMI switch is a one-off purchase. It either works or it doesn't. Face facts, it's very unlikely that one person will have used enough of these to give a an overview of the cheap products in the market.

What we have done, and I think it's what you are struggling to recognise, is that we have equipped the buyer with sufficient knowledge to make their own informed choice. What could be more helpful than that?

edit: typo

 

[Lucid]

Edit again: LOL it would seem the HDMI 5V is not the only thing used for handshaking.

Well come on then, educate us with your new found knowledge.