connections

A simple question, I suppose. If I want to connect a (for example) bluray to my TV, and of course my Humax as well, and the TV has only one HDMI input, what do I do please?
 
You get a passive HDMI switch box, or an active HDMI switch or matrix (some auto-switch according to which input is powered up, some come with a remote control), or you resign yourself to unplugging and plugging cables manually. I typed "hdmi switch" into the Amazon search box and came up with solutions starting from £3.48.

Alternatively you connect the BluRay (which has a far higher picture quality) by HDMI and relegate the Humax to RGB analogue.
 
The ones I have do both, they have a remote (which I have never used) and auto-select last powered item. I even tried chaining a 3 input switch to a 5 input switch and it worked just fine.
 
It was merely an experiment :). Basically to see if you would get a HDCP Handshake and the auto select would also work (somewhat surprisingly it all did). The routing was HDR FOX T2 to one of switch 1 inputs, switch 1 out to one of switch two inputs, switch 2 out to one of my AV amp's HDMI inputs, AV HDMI out via 10M cable to TV.

As to inputs, in the one rack I have the following all connected by HDMI via my amp (only 3 HDMI inputs)


HD FOX T2, HDR FOX T2, HDR1000S, Sony Blu-ray player, Denon dvd player. I keep a switch in a location where I can connect kit that isn't permanently connected. This gets used for a laptop, Miracast adaptor for Nexus 7, Media Player, HD Camcorder, DSLR and grandsons XBOX ONE (plus any other kit that someone brings round with a hdmi out)

All the above fixed kit including the amplifier is networked (except the DVD player) using a high speed network switch and a single cat 5 cable to my router. The switch is also accessible so very easy to connect anything that needs a network connection.

To answer Trev's question in my case a minimum of 6 ;), good job the Foxsat-HDR's under the TV, that would have made it 7 :eek:


As Brian says these days it's very easy to run out of sockets. :)
 
I used THIS one to increase the number of inputs and its proved very useful and a lot easier to reach than the ones on the TV!
 
That's the 5 input switch I used for the experiment :) , the other was a cheap one from Aldi. TBH they both just work. I guess they may well have the same chips inside them.
 
I am using a Tevion 3 Way HDMI remote controlled switch box, which was £9.99 from Aldi, although I purchased a second one some time later for the reduced price of £4.99.
 
I use a couple of three port Neet ones similar to that less the power supply option and remote. One for each of the TVs two HDMI ports.
 
Basically to see if you would get a HDCP Handshake and the auto select would also work (somewhat surprisingly it all did)
I am not convinced a multi-in-one-out unit needs to manage the negotiation, all it would have to do is ensure the interface was reset each time the input was switched. A multi-in-multi-out matrix does need to handle the negotiation independently though.
 
I see what you are saying, sometimes my cable box and blu ray don't work this out so then I do resort to pressing the button since I don't have the remote. But then these are the low priority bits of kit that I don't use that often. The Humax and the Technomate sat box do sort the switching out without intervention.
 
I have also used some cheaper ones but found the remote control range and responsiveness very poor in comparison the Neet. I'm often trying out new devices so I have the switch Velcroed to the back of the TV, so its easy to pull off and plug in a new connection if I need one...
 
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