[jarcher]

Could use a recommendation on a good value HDMI switcher - minimum 4 inputs / 1 or even two outs - no over $500 stuff please. 

Also, though I've not found a substantial difference in quality with HDMI cables, does spending more get you anything with a HDMI switcher?  I've seen these run the gamut of prices from $14 - $500. E.g.

(1) $14 for something from Amazon
(2) $25 on blue jean cables
(3) $300 Kimber cable on Audio Advisor
(4) $500 DVDO Edge Green.  Admittedly this also does upconversion, deinterlacing, scaling, and lip sync correction as well.

This is purely for video running to a 1.3 HDMI projector, so 1.4 etc not needed.

Thanks!

[Don_S]

Not sure I recommend this one or not.  I will just relate my story.

3-ports for $30 with free shipping is what I have.  See below for the 5-port version.

http://www.amazon.com/Kinivo-301BN-Premium-wireless-adapter/dp/B0049S6ZUS/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1345672008&sr=8-1&keywords=kinivo+301bn

Received the first one and it would not automatically recognize my Philips DVR.  It was a syncing issue.  The switch would try to sync with the DVR as soon as the DVR was powered on but the DVR was not ready yet. If I cycled the switch using the remote it would link up. But the remote is a tiny little thing that I hated keeping track of and it is not really needed except for certain devices.  Best stuck in a drawer and "almost" forgotten.

My other DVR (Magnavox) and BluRay (Panasonic) link automatically when they are turned on. No remote is needed for them.

BluRigger was great about sending me another unit.  It was total crap and I could not keep the physical connections stable and therefore had problem maintaining the signal connection.

BlueRigger sent a third unit that worked like the first.  I have had it about 7 months and no problems except for needing to cycle the unit to pick up the Philips DVR.  Signal and sound quality are good but I have nothing to compare them to.

I am also not sure if other switches would pick up the Philips without being cycled.  Other than that annoyance I am happy with the switch and don't see any reason to spend more. 

FYI, a 5-port version is also offered for $39.
 http://www.amazon.com/Kinivo-501BN-Premium-wireless-adapter/dp/B0049SCB2Y/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1345672008&sr=8-2&keywords=kinivo+301bn

[Jim N.]

Good selection at Monoprice. I use one of their 5 port switches with remote. No problems at all with a Panny, Oppo 83SE and 983H players into a Sony Bravia LCD.

http://www.monoprice.com/products/subdepartment.asp?c_id=101&cp_id=10110

I use their HDMI cables. Tried a Wireworld Silverlight HDMI cable and saw no difference so I sent it back.

[Phil A]

The Monoprice stuff is always good for the money.  If you want to splurge and think you might want to do SACD via something like and Oppo player (you can even get a used older one like the 980 DVD universal I have in my basement - which you can see in person soon) and a HDMI audio de-embedder, product ID 5557 is a HDMI switch too and is a whopping $47 I believe.  I the the Oppo switch somewhere laying around.  I used that before I had HDMI in the pre/pro in the main system.

[Phil A]

The Monoprice switch I noted is my by Port-ta of Hong Kong.  I have the equivalent of product ID 5557 in the Port-ta PET 4000 which I got first.  They probably make a few of Monoprice's things Below is a pic of both de-embedders/HDMI switches - http://port-ta.com/Switcher.html

[jarcher]

Think I'm narrowing it down to the monoprice 6415, basically the same thing Phil suggested, but with two HDMI outs.  This way I can run signals to both the projector and an LCD in another room (currently using bulkier component for that). So solves two problems at once - and all for $74.50. 

http://www.monoprice.com/products/product.asp?c_id=101&cp_id=10110&cs_id=1011002&p_id=6415&seq=1&format=2

If I tried to get that functionality upgrade through Krell, assuming they would do it, it would cost me thousands!

I also like the ability to have spdif out from the HDMI via the splitter so I can save money & hassle from having to run digital audio cables independently from all the gear to the processor. 

Anyone here think that the HDMI video splitting function (1 to 2) will reduce video quality?

Anyone here think that using the spdif digital audio out of the splitter is a substantially lower quality option vs running these direct from source to the processor? 

Perhaps for more "critical" blu ray stuff will run 7.1. direct from the player to the analog in of the Krell, and for the less critical cable box, apple tv, xbox etc just accept a potential downgrade via the splitter.  That could save me hundreds vs trying to do digital audio cables from all sources to the Krell processor.  Thinking out loud here in case others have been there / done that & can share.

[jarcher]

Tried a Wireworld Silverlight HDMI cable and saw no difference so I sent it back.

Also tried a wireworld starlight 6 vs a monoprice HDMI.  Spent a half hour w/ nose against the 1080P THX plasma screen w/ a highly contrasted blu ray screen still of Inception & could not see anything but possibly the most slight differences.  The WW was red & sexy & so beautifully made, but could not justify the price difference on performance.

[Phil A]

I use the de-embedders take HDMI out of a player to coax to a DAC.  I also have in the main system the coax straight out of the Oppo into the DAC.  I really could not hear differences in CD quality audit.  For Dolby Digital sound over coax, it is delivered in packets similar to IP from my understanding.  So basically it is there or it isn't there.  I do have two HDMI outs on both the Marantz receiver in the bedroom and the Integra processor in the main system.  The bedroom and main system back to each other and are interconnected.  I have not done tons of experiments with it.  It's sort of there if I want to player something on a source from one room to the other.  With an old set-up when I was short a player in the bedroom for a little bit, it came in handy a few times.  I have those pyramid infrared repeaters so I could control a component in the other room.

[jarcher]

Thanks Phil.

Any thoughts on potential video quality degradation having 1 source to 2 displays w/ the switcher?  I know w/ coax cable you want minimize splitters as each drops the signal level, but this being HDMI, don't know that this same applies (and it's only 1 split).

[fredgarvin]

I just bought this new model HDMI switcher from Monoprice for $43 bucks. It works great with my Roku, including 5.1.

Pretty soon I'll be dumping satellite TV completely.

http://www.monoprice.com/products/product.asp?c_id=101&cp_id=10110&cs_id=1011002&p_id=5557&seq=1&format=2

[rajacat]

What's your strategy to dump sat tv?(sorry for the OT, I suppose I should start another thread) Are you going to have an external HD antenna, TIVO as well as the online interface? Any way to get ESPN for free? I know that you can subscribe to MLB.TV for extensive baseball coverage via internet. Hmm.......I'm close to the Canadian border, I wonder if that has any advantages?

[fredgarvin]

What's your strategy to dump sat tv?(sorry for the OT, I suppose I should start another thread) Are you going to have an external HD antenna, TIVO as well as the online interface? Any way to get ESPN for free? I know that you can subscribe to MLB.TV for extensive baseball coverage via internet. Hmm.......I'm close to the Canadian border, I wonder if that has any advantages?

The only thing holding me back at this point is sports coverage, mainly the NFL. Sports is the problem issue. everything else can be streamed, either on the laptop or with an app to the roku. ESPN can be found here  http://www.playon.tv/devices/roku

I'm still investigating options.