HDMI Double Adapters

Oxygen78 · 15/09/14 - 15:52

Hi,

I have a TV with a single HDMI input and want to have my Now TV and DVD player plugged in at the same time - gets annoying to keep switching the leads.

I've seen online you can get HDMI double adapters / splitters. However, I've read mixed reviews. Some saying they work fine. Some saying they don't work at all or with poor picture and sound quality.

Does anyone on here use these? Any recommendations for a good one?
Or am I destined to be switching cables until a TV upgrade?

Thanks.

chrisjr · 15/09/14 - 16:15

Clue is in the word "splitter"

A splitter takes one source and splits it to one or more destinations. It cannot be used to combine two sources to one destination.

To do what you need you need a HDMI switch. I bought one of these

http://cpc.farnell.com/jsp/search/productdetail.jsp?SKU=AV23854

for work. It is reasonably cheap and does the job perfectly well. Even has a remote control so you don't have to get out of your chair to switch sources

PsychoTherapist · 15/09/14 - 16:15

On eBay & Amazon, there are many items called HDMI Switches or Switchers, commonly found in 3-port varieties. They have a button on them to cycle through inputs manually, but many will automatically change input when a new device is switched on.

As an example, I use this one:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Betron-HDMI-Switcher-Connectors-support/dp/B00KCPY5Y0/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1410794009&sr=8-5&keywords=hdmi+switch

It works great and automatically switches input fine. It will default to whatever device is switched on first.

Oxygen78 · 15/09/14 - 16:54

Thank a lot for the advice. Think I'll try that switch from Amazon and see how it goes. Seems to have better reviews than some of the other adapters I was reading about.

Much appreciated.

David (2) · 16/09/14 - 09:01

I used to use a 3 into 1 adaptor with remote control. Quite good, but £60 a few years ago.

soulboy77 · 16/09/14 - 09:38

Oxygen78 wrote: »

...or with poor picture and sound quality.....

This is a digital feed we are talking about!

DenonDave · 16/09/14 - 12:01

PsychoTherapist wrote: »

On eBay & Amazon, there are many items called HDMI Switches or Switchers, commonly found in 3-port varieties. They have a button on them to cycle through inputs manually, but many will automatically change input when a new device is switched on.

As an example, I use this one:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Betron-HDMI-Switcher-Connectors-support/dp/B00KCPY5Y0/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1410794009&sr=8-5&keywords=hdmi+switch

It works great and automatically switches input fine. It will default to whatever device is switched on first.

The OP wants to use a NowTV box which will not "auto switch" as it never fully turns off.

Deacon1972 · 16/09/14 - 12:31

DenonDave wrote: »

The OP wants to use a NowTV box. Unfortunately this box will not "auto switch" as it never fully turns off.

Shouldn't be a problem, even if NowTV was left on, the DVD should trigger the switch, then when the DVD is switched off it should switch back, that was my experience when I used a 3port switch, I could leave the laptop on while switching on the PS3 and it would switch, once I'd finished with the PS3 it would switch back to the laptop.

I could even leave the laptop/PS3 on and switch on a third device and it would switch.

soulboy77 · 16/09/14 - 13:48

I've found the auto-switching very much hit and miss on these devices and a lot depends on the equipment connected. The other half curses the HDMI switch we have as she can never get it to show the source she wants!

DenonDave · 16/09/14 - 18:10

Deacon1972 wrote: »

Shouldn't be a problem, even if NowTV was left on, the DVD should trigger the switch, then when the DVD is switched off it should switch back, that was my experience when I used a 3port switch, I could leave the laptop on while switching on the PS3 and it would switch, once I'd finished with the PS3 it would switch back to the laptop.

I could even leave the laptop/PS3 on and switch on a third device and it would switch.

I had a NowTV box, Sat box and DVD player connected through one of these. The NowTV box wouldn't play ball at all! Tried every combination I could think of. I do have a quite old Panasonic Plasma TV though, which I believe can be a bit iffy where HDMI is concerned.

nvingo · 16/09/14 - 20:09

Oxygen78 wrote: »

Hi,

I have a TV with a single HDMI input and want to have my Now TV and DVD player ...

I would have had the DVD player connected by the TV's AV-scart input, unless it has any useful facilities enabled by being HDMI connected.
Then the TV's source control could be used without any cable plugging.

Assuming there is not another device connected to that input.

Oxygen78 · 16/09/14 - 21:28

nvingo wrote: »

I would have had the DVD player connected by the TV's AV-scart input, unless it has any useful facilities enabled by being HDMI connected.
Then the TV's source control could be used without any cable plugging.

Assuming there is not another device connected to that input.

Thanks, but the DVD player only has an HDMI output (it upscales to HD), so not an option.

Thanks for the other comments. Hoping the HDMI switch works OK with the Now TV box. I'll let you what know what happens once it arrives.

Oxygen78 · 19/09/14 - 16:40

Hi all,

As promised, an update.

So the switch arrived today. Plugged in the Now TV box, DVD player and then into the single HDMI on the TV.

And all appears to be working as expected.

The Now TV box is in input 1, DVD in input 2. When DVD is turned on it switches input automatically. Then turn off DVD player and input switches back to the Now TV box. So...for now.....all seems to be good!

Hey there!

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