• The forum software that supports hummy.tv has been upgraded to XenForo 2.3!

    Please bear with us as we continue to tweak things, and feel free to post any questions, issues or suggestions in the upgrade thread.

'Manual' HDMI switch ?

MikeSh

MikeSh

Well-Known Member
Couldn't see where else to put this, so I'm putting this here as it involves two HDRs.

I have two HDRs feeding a single HDMI port on the TV via a 3 into 1 box. The box has a remote control, but also switches automatically. It actually works quite well.
The problem is the Humax thing of momentarily activating the HDMI port when the box starts up to record, so if we are watching the other box at the time the switch gets set to the just started box. Pain!

Does anyone know of a many into 1 box (we only actually need 2 inputs) that either only switches on user command, or can be programmed to ignore requests on the HDMI inputs?
 
I know what you mean.... used to be a pain on old TV with the one HDMI input and a 3 way switch box which auto-switched like you say, though was just between HDR, blu-ray etc. so less of an issue otherwise I'd have gone manual too!

This one says "It will not switch automatically when two sources are present." ... no doubt there is a remote-controllable one somewhere that ignores singal from the boxes:

http://cpc.farnell.com/pro-signal/psg08093/hdmi-2-to-1-switch-lead/dp/AV17344

Steve
 
Black Hole said:
I suppose you don't want to walk across the room to change a physical switch?
Click to expand...

Usually I'd say no problem, and that would be ideal, but there is a catch (isn't there always?). All this stuff is inside a transparent enclosure to keep the cats out, so a remote operated switch would be a bit better.
That said it is possible, so what you got in mind?
 
dragon-it said:
This one says "It will not switch automatically when two sources are present."
Click to expand...


Hmm. That is a bit vague really - what happens when there is one source and the second comes online?
I also need a female output as the lead to the TV has a male end (or I'll be getting into adapters, which will be more grief and cost).
 
Black Hole said:
Simple mechanical HDMI selector switch, commonly available in discount stores.
Click to expand...

Cheers. Did a more specific search and found a few. Bit pricey, but that tends to happen when you want stuff with moving parts :(
Have to think about it for a while and see how irritating the current system is.
 
Yes, those look good. I'm inclined to the Lloytron, mainly because the box colour is a better match to the other stuff (which is now all black) and because it's GOLD PLATED :)
It's also described as a splitter, though the back features 2 ins and one out, so clearly isn't one. Unless they've used the wrong photo.

Hmm. Maybe I'll get the other as it has scope for expansion. And I could always paint it black ...
 
I have it on projector 2, mainly as an adapter to turn the short mini-HDMI to standard HDMI cable supplied with it into a proper HDMI socket. Rarely do I need a second port, but it was about the same price as an HDMI coupler (the usual feed comes from the HD-FOX).
 
Gaagh! The Philex is no good. When using it every so often the TV 'loses' the HDMI input for a moment, so it goes back to TV for a few seconds and then spends another 5-10 secs re-establishing the HDMI connection. Typically it will be OK for maybe an hour, and then does this 'trick' several times in 15 mins. It's a 'graded' unit, so I suppose someone else may have had the same problem and returned it - but of course on a quick test it's fine, so probably just went back on the shelf.

I took it apart and thought some of the soldering looked a bit iffy, so remade all the joints. Seemed OK for a few hours, but last night it went ga-ga again. I guess it could be a poor switch contact, but that's not really fixable, so I've ripped it out and it'll probably go in the recycling. (It was less than a fiver and if I send it back some other poor sod will just end up with it.)

So I've now ordered the Lloytron one. We'll see how that goes.
 
Did you try a different input? Is it, as I suspect, just a simple mechanical switch inside? If so, I find it hard to see how it can be causing the HDMI to drop out (even an intermittent contact, presuming it is not being disturbed).
 
Black Hole said:
Did you try a different input? Is it, as I suspect, just a simple mechanical switch inside? If so, I find it hard to see how it can be causing the HDMI to drop out (even an intermittent contact, presuming it is not being disturbed).
Click to expand...

To be honest I didn't try a different input. It disrupts SWMBO's viewing so multiple 'tests' are problematic (given it isn't repeatable at will).

It is three long, multipole (circa 20) switches and four HDMI sockets on a circuit board. Looking at the tracks I think the connections may go through all 3 switches all the time, so a bad contact could be in one of the 'off' switches. Or in a socket.

I too find it hard to believe it is causing this, but with it in use we have a problem, with the 'electronic' box we don't. The box is plastic, so it's not impossible that it is some interference effect, but there isn't anything else nearby, apart from the boxes and TV. It doesn't tie to the second Humax coming to life, or any other domestic event I'm aware of either.
So at this price I'm simply not minded to spend a lot of time on it (opening it up and resoldering about 150 blobs was long enough). If the next switch does the same I'll perhaps be intrigued enough to take investigations further, otherwise this one will go down as experience.
 
Well, I have to quote Victor Meldrew and Jeremy Clarkson:
I don't believe it! How hard can it be?
The Lloytron box doesn't work at all. When first connected the TV just stayed on its tuner input, so I forced it over to HDMI where it just presented a black screen, no sound. I switched the box back and forth between the two PVRs - nada. As the thing is called a Splitter (though it has two ports marked Input and one Output) I even tried putting a PVR on the Output and the TV on an Input, but still nothing.
So that one's going back :mad:
I had a funny feeling at the outset that a manual switch wasn't going to be as easy as it ought to be. My wife says I'm a pessimist, which I happily admit. But I do wish I was wrong more often than I am.
 
Black Hole said:
My feeling is that the Philex should be fixable.
Click to expand...

If you send me a sa jiffy bag with postage on it you can have it.

Following an incident with the 'good'switch the other night I had an idea so had another play with the Lloytron switch. If the tv is on and the switch set before turning the FOX on then the Humax boot menu gets displayed for a few seconds, twice, but the feed doesn't latch. So still no good but is passing some signal. Strange.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top