Axiom Home Page Forums General Discussion Advice from Axiom Owners HDMI Switcher recommendation

Can anyone here possibly recommend an HDMI switcher? I just bought a Kinivo and after spending 2 hours rerouting and rearranging cables and trying everything I could think of to get this stupid "plug and Play" unit to work I finally realized it does not. I need to run Fios box, Samsung Blu Ray and HK AVR to Panny Plasma and would prefer it to be an auto switcher for the wife and kids. Thanks for your help

I tried two models. The second actually worked as promised. I can't recall the model but I will "try" to remember to take a peek tonight. You will probably get more useful advice before I ever remember.

I have a monoprice.com 5x1 switcher that has been used with my system for the past three or four years without any trouble, it is remote controlled.

http://www.monoprice.com/products/produc...=1&format=2

I also have a monoprice but a 4x1 switcher. It’s also worked perfect for about 4 years or more. I got it after trying one I bought at a local electronics store but theirs didn’t play nice with my Xbox 360.

I have a monoprice 4x1 with a remote that works just fine. I did buy their fat cables to go with it, but the last device I added, I just used the one that came with it.

Thanks!! You guys are the best. I will order one today

monoprice

I have an Oppo that is auto switching. It also has a remote but the auto switching works so well I have never had to use it.

Sure, Mike; no good reason to pay more than for the MonoPrice unit.

Of course, I forgot to check my model. I know I purchased it locally at The Source for more than it was worth. It works great though. The remote sits idle after using it to program my URC.

However, I will duck, cover and risk saying that it was a Monoprice model that I had trouble with. From the above, it sounds like it was an anomaly and it should have been returned. However, the return shipping was almost as much as it was worth so I just bought a new one.

That is one problem with Monoprice, they are so inexpensive that return shipping costs for the odd problematic piece is more than the cost of another purchase.

So I got the Monoprice 4x1 switcher model HDX-401E and now my oppo DVD running through HK 645 works but the damn Samsung Bluray still does not?? I dont get it. I believe the model number is BD6500 on the bluray. If I turn on Bluray then switch it nothing happens, if I switch it first then turn on Bluray I get the opening screen of the player "welcome to samsung bluray" (or something like that)then the screen goes blank and thats it, no video or audio. I have tried different ports and switched cables. I only have the DVD and Bluray running through switch, Fios box has seperate feed to monitor. Anybody have any ideas?

I used to have a previous Samsung BD___ can't remember which #, model that worked fine. However, since I can't remember the model #, that is irrelevant.

However, I can tell you there are simply some devices that are not HDMI switch friendly. For instance, after a lot of troubleshooting, I discovered from some Sony forums that a PS3 almost always needs a direct connection as it does not play nice with almost any switch.

This HDMI/HDCP handshake issue for many pieces of equipment never seems to go away and it is a pain. It has come to the point where now a number of companies like Atlona, HDFury, Geffen and others have introduced separate products to deal with this issue, however, once again, it results in having to spend more money to deal with a problem that the individual hardware manufacturers should have solved long ago.

Maybe I am better off running the AVR to the monitor with component cables (TV is 720p) and use optical audio cable from both DVD and Bluray to AVR? I am more concerned about audio quality than video quality with the DVD anyway. Will I get the same audio quality using optical cable as I will with HDMI?

As long as you are only listening/watching Cd/DVDs, yes you will get the same audio quality. Once you move to Blu Ray you have to use HDMI to get the HD Audio tracks.

Thank you. Is there any reason to run 8 channel analog instead of optical when playing cd and DVD?

There isn't any real difference from the 8 channel analog out from your DVDPlayer to the optical out and having your avr do the decoding.

Thank you...I got the switch to work on Fios box and HK 645. I am going to run HDMI from Oppo DVD to AVR to switch to TV, HDMI from BR to TV and 8 channel from BR to AVR then HDMI from Fios DVR to switch to TV and Optical from Fios DVR to AVR. After all the help I got from you great guys here I believe this is the ideal setup for optimal quality.

Recycled thread!

My inquiry is prompted by my increasing fascination with the possibilities of AppleTV. I might want to give it a go as a music client and to put iPad content onto the bigger screen.

Two problems.

First, my trusty old Onkyo 805 only has 3 HDMI inputs. While my ancient TV has two, the switching and audio routing on the TV is sufficiently cumbersome as to merit derision but not consideration.

Two of the three HDMI inputs on the Onkyo are taken by the DirecTV and the blue-ray player. We use those a lot and I don't want to mess with them, especially relative to programming the remote.

The third input is currently used for XBox 360. That's the one I want to split with the AppleTV.

My first inclination was to get a Monoprice switcher and be done with it. But there are a lot of models, and I thought I'd try to check with you all about both specific item numbers, and also whether you know any perils of trying to get my two particular devices to play nice. Does the AppleTV ever really turn itself off?

Second problem is that if I use the ATV for a music client, I need to deliver both analog and digital sound to the Onkyo, because a lot of my music consumption is in Zone2.

Is there a single box out there that will not only switch the HDMI but also do DAC work?

Or is this going to require multiple devices or end up being "just get a new receiver so never mind"?

Reminder - cheap.

Thanks!

I was thinking new reciever.
But a new cable will be anounced soon.

http://www.monoprice.com/products/produc...=1&format=2

Damn I'm good.

Given the reviews, however, I wouldn't count on anything spectacular.

I doubt the ATV ever turns off, but I haven't got one.

Thank you, Ken. That is helpful.

I think if you want a DAC built in to a HDMI switcher, you are indeed looking at a new receiver.

I wish I could remember the model of the Monoprice switcher I tossed. You can probably find my post if you have patience enough with the search engine. It just didn't work well at all. I'm normally not a NexxTech fan but I got fed up and went to 'The Source" and bought one and it has been working flawlessly since I put it in. It even switches the PS3 which proved the most finicky of devices in my earlier two failures.

Edit:
Probably does not need to be said but I prefer ones with an IR remote. That way you can program it into your universal remote macros and remove any auto-sensing concerns from the picture.

Wow, you are a buzzkill today, Murph.

I don't HAVE to have the DAC built-in to the switcher, I just need to perform both of those functions if I want zone2 audio from the Apple TV. Whether I buy a new receiver or not; the ATV doesn't have analog audio out, and I'm (still) not aware of any receivers that will let you decode two DAC streams in different zones simultaneously.

I'm with you on the IR control; don't know how we'd live without the MX-700.

I'm not buying a new receiver.

Yet.

I'm watching the big brother to my current Yamaha.
Once the new cable is anounced its value should drop another hundred or two.

Murph giveth and Murph taketh away.

Well, the first link is appropriate but I'm a bit concerned about the dead bug.

My intent was to positively influence his life by helping him avoid a product that would have a negative impact. I didn't want to exterminate him. Of course, if I were to exterminate anyone, it would involve giant blue lasers and Dalek sound effects.

Blue lasers sound an awful lot like blue LEDs. Put me down as wanting termination that way.

I thought the general goal here was to post photos and make other people spend their money.

Did I misread the mission statement?

I still haven't done anything about this a year later.

Man, I suck.

I did get the AppleTV, but am currently just unplugging/replugging when I want to switch between that and the XBox. Plus, I got a Chromecast that is still in the box.

It doesn't look like Monoprice is really much cheaper than the other Chinese crap available at Amazon.

Anything new here?

And, no, I'm still not buying a new receiver.

JohnK will be by shortly to tell you which refurbished Onkyo from Accessories4Less will best suit your needs.

Dude, ShopOnkyo is usually even better, but the selection isn't usually as broad.