HDMI splitter problem
Keefy-boy
Posts: 13,613 Forum Member
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i have just bought an HDMI splitter to split the output on my sky box between two rooms.
one tv is at the end of a 5m hdmi cable, the other at the end of a 20m cable.
both tvs work when connected directly to the sky box but if i connect through the splitter via a 1m hdmi cable, both tvs say no signal.
if however i put the splitter at the end of either connection when connected to the sky box then connect the splitter to the tv using same 1m hdmi lead i can get a signal and the tv will work. this does not of course enable me to split the signal at the sky box end, which is what i want to do, but it shows that the splitter box is capable of passing a signal.
any suggestions?
the website i bought the splitter from does not give a phone number, only a fax number!
one tv is at the end of a 5m hdmi cable, the other at the end of a 20m cable.
both tvs work when connected directly to the sky box but if i connect through the splitter via a 1m hdmi cable, both tvs say no signal.
if however i put the splitter at the end of either connection when connected to the sky box then connect the splitter to the tv using same 1m hdmi lead i can get a signal and the tv will work. this does not of course enable me to split the signal at the sky box end, which is what i want to do, but it shows that the splitter box is capable of passing a signal.
any suggestions?
the website i bought the splitter from does not give a phone number, only a fax number!
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Comments
How much was the splitter, I only ask as the only ones I have seen are made by Gefen and retail for about £200-£350.
Have you thought about using the component output, this way you won't have any problems and the signal won't be degraded.
here it is:
http://www.cableuniverse.co.uk/catalog/cables/1-to-2-hdmi-distribution-amplifier.html
around £65 delivered.
i was all set to use component over cat5 but decided this would be much less effort, cheaper, and probably a better result, and what clinched it was reading that the next generation of sky hd boxes are unlikely to support hd over component.
Is it possible to try it with shorter runs?
Have you tried it with just one TV connected?
Component would have been ideal, but as you say the next gen boxes will not support this, if anything happened to your box you would then have to find an alternative method, which would have to be the HDMI splitter you now have.
I have a phone number for the company if that's any help.....
0845 2577621
trying it with shorter runs not easy - one tv is 50" plasma which aint gonna move, the other is a 40" lcd on another floor of the house, and my sky box is housed in a custom unit with connections built in so that can't move far either! also i dont have any shorter hdmi cables hanging around and they sure ain't cheap!
i think though that as each tv works through it's cable without problem when directly connected then this device, that is supposed to amplify the signal, should manage the long runs.
i have tried with just one tv connected same result.
it was a lot cheaper than anything similar, maybe i should have been wary, but the build quality (metal case) seems pretty good.
thanks for the phone number, i've emailed them, if i dont get a response will call them. got a feeling i'll be posting it back though!
(In an HDMI connection, the Sky box reads configuration data from the TV, so it knows what format audio and video to ouput.)
Ask the splitter manufacturers whether it's been certified compliant by an HDMI test centre.
i'm now trading emails with the supplier who is somewhat stumped, at the end of the day if it doesn't work it's going back!
ps many thanks for your interest
they are fedexing a new one today, with a paid return envelope for the original unit. can't fault their customer service!
hopefully the new one will work.
thanks Dave and Tommy for your help.
the replacement unit didn't work either! both returned and refunded no probs.
now sourced another box from keene:
http://www.keene.co.uk/electronics/multi.php?mycode=CHDMI2
twice the price but it works!
The splitter was then driving both my lounge TV and an HDMI over CAT6 Balun. The CAT6 was run through to the TV in my bedroom.
The first splitter I received refused to work and having spoken to the supplier we concluded it was faulty and I got a new one.
Unfortunatly the replacement worked for only 4 days. One of the output ports on the splitter starting playing up and my bedroom TV wouldnt get any picture. If I swapped the ports around the lounge TV would get no sound in the lounge but the bedroom was fine.
Needless to say Im giving up with this budget splitter and Im going to buy a branded Kramer device and hope for better luck. Its £150 more but if it works reliably then its well spent.
and a single Output socket. I wished to connect a tablet computer and an HD set top
box to my single HDMI socket TV. I find that when both connected both units display on
the TV and I can switch between STB and tablet but if the tablet is unplugged I get no
display from the HD set top box whether it is on or in standby. Does anyone have any
ideas as to why this happens and how to cure the problem.
Deleted - just read the post date
You have a switch not a splitter.
A splitter has one input and sends the the same signal to all it's outputs at the same time.
A switch has multiple inputs and one output. Only one of the inputs is routed to the output at any one time.
At a guess the tablet is providing power for the switch. An external powered switch may well solve the problem. Has the splitter got a small power input socket ?.
Do you get the same issue if you swap the inputs ?
Does the switch have a button to manually select the input you send to the output ?
It will split a HDMI signal without power on, but wont accept sky signal to work unless its plugged in
You cant have a splitter with 2 inputs and 1 output. It has to be 1 input which goes to multiple outputs (2 in this case).
The Sky box HDMI output is the input to the splitter, The two outputs of the splitter connect to the hdmi inputs of two display devices.
Some splitters can be used in reverse as combiners but HDMI isn't something you can combine. An example would be a VHF and UHF aerial combined to a single coax cable.
The linked device is a splitter so it was obviously just a typo by nial in swapping INPUTS and OUTPUTS.
You could simply buy a new slingbox for similar price to splitters above and connect it to sky box by the component output, then put a chromecast on remote dongle hdmi input and then output of sky will be be sent via wifi to second TV.
Beauty is you can move chromecast to any TV in wifi range, and as it is a slingbox, you will be also able to watch it on any phone/laptop in wifi range or via internet on other side of the word (assuming a reasonable internet upload speed).
Sky boxes haven't had component output for a very long time. Other than HDMI the only analogue output you will get is CVBS unless some still have s-video. Neither of these is RGB.
The only boxes with Component were the original Thomson HD boxes, and those were only allowed as HDMI had yet to make an impact on the TV market - and it was stated at the time that it 'could' be disabled in a later software update (but never was).
Very few boxes ever had S-Video, only the superior RGB, and the inferior CVBS.
If you are having HDMI splitter problems this so fixes the problem and allows a choice of 4 sources.