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Thread: Good HDMI switch for modern gaming

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    Pretzel (Level 4) Clownzilla's Avatar
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    Default Good HDMI switch for modern gaming

    Pretty much what the title says. I have a receiver with a limited number of HDMI ports and I need to try to combine a Wii-U & a PS4 into one port. I have read several reviews on HDMI switches and it seems like somebody is always complaining about audio or video cutting out on one system or the other. Anybody have experience with a switch that does the job effectively? I will be running surround sound along with my video.
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    Kirby (Level 13) Tanooki's Avatar
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    I bought this in 2013 and the seller still sells them for around what I paid I think, and it's cheap like $12~ cheap.
    http://www.ebay.com/itm/5-PORT-HDMI-...-/170794798906

    It has 5 ports of which I'm currently using 2 for the Wii U and the PS3. It has a power plug, not sure why, it doesn't need it, and it has a remote control with a plug in IR eye to pick it up. It's smart enough on its own. If you just switch to HDMI that it's plugged into (2 for me) and then flip on one system or the other it will automaticaly pop to that plug on the switch and it just works that easy. If you try and do two at once, it just won't display the other so you don't get confused signals.

    I know it looks like cheap chinese crap, but it's solid and looks/sounds as nice as if it was straight from the TV itself and for little cost.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Tanooki View Post
    I bought this in 2013 and the seller still sells them for around what I paid I think, and it's cheap like $12~ cheap.
    http://www.ebay.com/itm/5-PORT-HDMI-...-/170794798906

    It has 5 ports of which I'm currently using 2 for the Wii U and the PS3. It has a power plug, not sure why, it doesn't need it, and it has a remote control with a plug in IR eye to pick it up. It's smart enough on its own. If you just switch to HDMI that it's plugged into (2 for me) and then flip on one system or the other it will automaticaly pop to that plug on the switch and it just works that easy. If you try and do two at once, it just won't display the other so you don't get confused signals.

    I know it looks like cheap chinese crap, but it's solid and looks/sounds as nice as if it was straight from the TV itself and for little cost.

    Can confirm, I use the same exact one. I honestly expected it to be a piece of shit but it works way better than hoped. It auto detects which device is on and automatically switches. My old tv before I replaced it also only had 1 hdmi port so a device like this was perfect for me.

    Psyclone also makes an hdmi switchbox but theirs only has 4 ports i beleive, its huge and cost way more
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    Kirby (Level 13) Leo_A's Avatar
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    Monoprice makes good (and cheap) HDMI switchers.

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    http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_no...el%20switchbox

    Don't know if price is an issue, but this is the best switch box I have ever used.

    5 ports, autoswitching, manual override if needed; shuts itself off when not in use.

    Works flawlessly.

    Too bad Amazon sometimes just runs out of them for six months at a time, and even now the wait time is 2-5 weeks.
    Last edited by lagartija_nick; 03-04-2014 at 03:11 AM.

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    Kirby (Level 13) Tanooki's Avatar
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    The one I listed also you can switch manually as it has a button on the body and it doesn't light up (on) if there's no feed going to it either as it switches off.

    Why pay more than $12 if it's a solid device and gets the job done as something more expensive right?

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    Pretzel (Level 4) Clownzilla's Avatar
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    Thanks for the advice fellow gamers. I think I will go with the switch suggested by Tanooki and others. Have to be honest, this thing looks like crap but it's hard to argue with the experience of others
    Wherever politics tries to be redemptive, it is promising too much. Where it wishes to do the work of God, it becomes not divine, but demonic.

    Pope Benedict XVI

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    I said the same thing last year. I asked about one on NintendoAge and one of the more honest non attitude reliable types there popped in and mentioned that one and gave me a link to the seller. It has been rock solid and does everything it should and more so I went into my ebay history to grab the link.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Leo_A View Post
    Monoprice makes good (and cheap) HDMI switchers.
    This.

    I have one purchased from them and it's still going strong after over a year of use.

    The only down part is the blue LED that indicates when it's on...it's super bright and can be very distracting. Fortunately, a bit of electrical tape will solve that problem quickly.

    Though get a active/powered one, though (one that uses AC). I have one of those passive ones and if the console doesn't output enough power through the HDMI, you will not be able to see the signal on the TV. This happened to me while using the Raspberry Pi and realized it was because of how underpowered the Pi was. Using an active switch resolved this.
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    I agree with the above about one being 'powered' as I know from others that the Ouya like the Pi will not work on it without power. The one I have will take a plug, but you'll have to go buy one at a Radio Shack or whatever to get the right voltage. The dying and new generation systems shove enough juice through they work fine.

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    I managed to find the psyclone hdmi switcher for $10 from a garage sale. It's nice considering what I paid for it. What I like about it is that its compatible with my logitech harmony remote.

    I don't find a lot of games lately at garage sales, but I have found some electronic stuff.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Leo_A View Post
    Monoprice makes good (and cheap) HDMI switchers.
    For the record, everything I've bought from Monoprice has been good except the velcro straps, which are too thick and stiff to be of much use to me.



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    I've heard much good about monoprice, but I ignored it in my suggestion since I was recommended it by another very reputable game player on NA so I went with it and it works.

    As to that other one found at a garage sale, damn nice find. Sadly I also agree, you don't find games at them much anymore at all. Last year I hit maybe a dozen community wide garage sales and it would be like a couple communities a weekend some times, others just one, but regardless I'd always just find ONE house in all of it with stuff (sometimes two but it was dollar value junk and well 'used' items.) I find also electronics are a great thing to come across, but sometimes also other just random useful items and cool vintage/antique stuff.

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    I've had good experiences with a couple Monoprice HDMI switchers/selectors and powered distributors. Prices have come waaaaay down too since the early days. I remember when a 2 input switcher was 100 bucks!

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    Quote Originally Posted by Tanooki View Post
    I bought this in 2013 and the seller still sells them for around what I paid I think, and it's cheap like $12~ cheap.
    http://www.ebay.com/itm/5-PORT-HDMI-...-/170794798906

    It has 5 ports of which I'm currently using 2 for the Wii U and the PS3. It has a power plug, not sure why, it doesn't need it, and it has a remote control with a plug in IR eye to pick it up. It's smart enough on its own. If you just switch to HDMI that it's plugged into (2 for me) and then flip on one system or the other it will automaticaly pop to that plug on the switch and it just works that easy. If you try and do two at once, it just won't display the other so you don't get confused signals.

    I know it looks like cheap chinese crap, but it's solid and looks/sounds as nice as if it was straight from the TV itself and for little cost.

    I picked it up this week. not bad it works. The only thing that threw me off was the port for a power adaptor and one didn't come with it. but it worked nonetheless.
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    Kirby (Level 13) Tanooki's Avatar
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    Got me too, and the one who recommended it to me I noted it to him as well. I think you'd need a really power hungry system that doesn't give some juice to the HDMI port to cause it to be needed, kind of like how some usb switches may or may not need power depending on what goes in. If a system has it's own source it's fine and supplies it enough juice, but if a system(item) doesn't power itself or gives enough, then you need to plug in the switch. You'll also find the remote and receiver useless too since it auto-switches.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Tanooki View Post
    You'll also find the remote and receiver useless too since it auto-switches.
    Maybe not. My dad got one of these, and it won't auto switch between his BR player and his Apple TV. Someone said it depends on which port you plug the Apple TV into (as it apparently always sends a signal even in sleep mode) but moving that around didn't help. It's not a huge hardship to have to press a button to change inputs, though, I mean, with composite/S-video switchboxes you had to get up and go over to the TV to press a button, this at least has a remote.

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