HDMI Splitter

[Kyuuketsuki]

Hey,

Anyone know anything about HDMI splitters or have any advice? My TV only has one HDMI and I'd like to run, at least, two HDMI devices to it (Multimedia PC and DVD player) ... I can get a 4 port HDMI switch for £12 off eBay (apparently goes to to 1080p) which would allow me to put my xBox 360 on it as well (assuming I have 4 HDMI leads and I think I only have 3). Of course that's going to mean even more spaghetti behind my system ... think I'm going to have to design an extending shelf so I can get to it all easily (fortunately this is my den/gaming room/office so won't upset Mrs Kyu)!

Anyway, any advice appreciated.

Kyu

[athoughtfulman]

Don't really know anything about them. But it sounds like you've figured it out.

If you can get a 4 port HDMI switch, why not just get it? It's only £12.

If you wanted to avoid the messy cords you could try and find a wireless system, though that might get expensive.

[Kyuuketsuki]

If you wanted to avoid the messy cords you could try and find a wireless system, though that might get expensive.

I don't think HDMI can be done by wireless can it (awful lot of data to transfer as far as I know).

Kyu

[athoughtfulman]

Probably... At least it makes sense. But then again, they always seem to be coming up with things that were thought impossible.

[Giff]

HDMI can't be wireless, not what I've heared of though.

Isn't a HDMI splitter just deviding a single HDMI source to two seprate screens?

[leo-rcc]

Isn't a HDMI splitter just deviding a single HDMI source to two seprate screens?

Correct. An HDMI splitter allows you to split one HDMI source signal to two or more outputs. A HDMI switch however, makes more than one input possible on one output.

[Rob]

If you wanted to avoid the messy cords you could try and find a wireless system, though that might get expensive.

I don't think HDMI can be done by wireless can it (awful lot of data to transfer as far as I know).

Kyu

Hmm.

You'd need at least two computers to handle the network side of things. One plugged directly into the displays HDMI port which would then listen for incoming connections over the network. HDMI devices would then be plugged into the other computer(s) which would stream data over the network to the display connected machine. The video data would probably need to be compressed, im not sure what sort of bandwidth a real time HD stream would constitute but I'm sure its a lot. You'd need expensive wireless N gear for the additional bandwidth. Then theirs encryption to take account of. Most HDMI devices send data in a format unreadable by unauthorised devices so a lot of things just wouldn't work with this setup.

This would probably make a good experiment if you have the time and the money but I wouldn't implement it on a whim. You'd need time to prepare and such.

[Kyuuketsuki]

Isn't a HDMI splitter just deviding a single HDMI source to two seprate screens?

Correct. An HDMI splitter allows you to split one HDMI source signal to two or more outputs. A HDMI switch however, makes more than one input possible on one output.

Oh! You're saying they actual "split" the signal (like 1 signal source to 2 TV's which isn't what I want at all) ... you know I wasn't actually looking at it that way. I want 2 in, 1 out and to be fair all the "splitters" I've seen are passive so as long as I have two female in and one male out it'll be fine. The HDMI switches are mostly amplified and I suppose it would matter for them but they are all explicitly x in, 1 out.

Kyu