HDMI switchbox experiences?

[joker454]

Anyone out there using an hdmi switchbox with their 360/PS3? I need 5 hdmi inputs, but getting that many inputs on an a/v receiver costs quite the sum, so it seems way cheaper to just go with one of those new Onkyo $499 receivers and an hdmi switchbox. But how well do they work together? Any connection/handshake issues? Audio/video cutouts? Image degradation? Auto scan really work? Etc... The one I'm eyeing is this one:

http://www.octavainc.com/HDMI switch 5port.htm

Seems cool in that it automatically determines which input to switch to, which is great for consoles.

 

[uumai]

Can't say about those big expensive ones, but I use a 3-port joytech switcher, works great. Never had any problems with it - and whilst 'm not the best judge - I've noticed no difference in quality. and that was only £30

 

[almighty]

I use a 3 hub HDMI switch box and ive had ZERO problems with it, and i would'nt buy an A/V amplifier just yet, id wait for amps with the new Dolby and DTS-HD formats.

 

[mrcorbo]

I use a 3 hub HDMI switch box and ive had ZERO problems with it, and i would'nt buy an A/V amplifier just yet, id wait for amps with the new Dolby and DTS-HD formats.

No need to wait. They're already here including the Onkyo 605 which can be had for only $399.

 

[Bobbler]

From what I've heard the HDMI switchers from monoprice are pretty nice -- seems to be the most common recommendation as far as switchers go (that I've seen at least).

 

[almighty]

No need to wait. They're already here including the Onkyo 605 which can be had for only $399.

Its nice to have all that but for $399 the DSP's and dacs are gonna be piss poor IMO. I bet me Denon A1 would hammer that to the floor in terms of sound quality.

 

[joker454]

Thanks for the replies guys! I was also considering the Sherwood Newcastle R-972 which is supposed to have 6 hdmi inputs, but it costs mucho dinero. For those curious, I have US satellite tv, Canadian satellite tv (ya I'm a canuck), PC, PS3 and 360, hence 5 hdmi's needed

The Onkyo 605 is actually what I was considering! Mostly because of the PS3, I want to be able to listen to the better audio streams on my blu-ray movies. I think the Onkyo may be good enough, along with a switch box. The PS3 decodes the new audio formats internally (or at least eventually for DTS-MA) so only the decoded stream gets over. I know the 605 isn't "high end", but it should sound good enough no? I'm not hugely picky, I'm still using an ancient Pioneer VSX-09TX and it sounds good to me. With all hdmi I could clean up the cable situation and get up to speed on all the latest audio formats.

 

[mrcorbo]

Its nice to have all that but for $399 the DSP's and dacs are gonna be piss poor IMO. I bet me Denon A1 would hammer that to the floor in terms of sound quality.

Heh, I said it could be bought, I didn't say I would buy it.

Honestly,though, it won't sound bad. And unless they had a higher-end system to A/B with it most people wouldn't even know what they were missing.

Thanks for the replies guys! I was also considering the Sherwood Newcastle R-972 which is supposed to have 6 hdmi inputs, but it costs mucho dinero. For those curious, I have US satellite tv, Canadian satellite tv (ya I'm a canuck), PC, PS3 and 360, hence 5 hdmi's needed

The Onkyo 605 is actually what I was considering! Mostly because of the PS3, I want to be able to listen to the better audio streams on my blu-ray movies. I think the Onkyo may be good enough, along with a switch box. The PS3 decodes the new audio formats internally (or at least eventually for DTS-MA) so only the decoded stream gets over. I know the 605 isn't "high end", but it should sound good enough no? I'm not hugely picky, I'm still using an ancient Pioneer VSX-09TX and it sounds good to me. With all hdmi I could clean up the cable situation and get up to speed on all the latest audio formats.

Well, I am looking at the Onkyo SR875 for myself. It's not yet available and MSRP is $1599, but it has an awesome feature set. Most prominent is the HQV image processing chip which will do high-quality scaling and deinterlacing to all incoming video from 480i on up to 1080i and output 1080p through HDMI to the TV. In your particular case you'd be able to connect your 360 via component & S/PDIF since there really isn't much benefit to outputting HDMI from it and still have the single cable connection to your TV. This would leave the other 4 HDMI ports available for your other components. No switchbox needed.

Check out the productwiki page: http://www.productwiki.com/onkyo-tx-sr875/

Looks like it should be able to handle anything I'd be likely to throw at it for the next several years.

 

[fiddlersu]

There are plenty of HDMI switches, but the one that really works well for me was one from Octava. The 5x1 HDMI switch
works really well and is Version 1.3. Great Smart Scan feature and it will go into sleep if either the source or HDTV is detected as OFF! I really like it because it is transparant in PQ dgeradation and very easy to use. They really made it so it is almost unecessary to think about switching.

Have a neighbor who got the 4x1 HDMI switch with addtional Toslink audio switching. He likes it because he can add it to his older surround sound receiver.

 

[joker454]

Been a while since I saw this thread! I actually ended up deciding against getting a switcher. Every now and then I hear about handshake issues with switchers, when the path is "the component"->"the switcher"->"the a/v receiver"->"the tv". Since I want hdmi audio I still have to ultimately go thru the receiver so it makes alot of hdmi hops, which I feared could lead to issues.

So instead I got the Sony STR-DA5300ES receiver, shown here:

http://reviews.cnet.com/av-receivers/sony-str-da5300es/4505-6466_7-32552105.html

It sounds awesome, supports all the latest audio formats, and has 6 hdmi inputs! Problem solved

 

[joker454]

I thought I just read in the summary that it did not support the HD audio formats. I just skimmed it from the iPhone so feel free to correct me.

It does support them all, Dolby True HD, etc.. I watch blu-ray movies so that was a must have feature.

 

[Gradthrawn]

I'm curious as to how those of you that pipe audio and video into switchers and receivers handle video calibration on your TV? Do you just modify the presets for your 3 or 4 main devices (or the devices that you actually care about calibration)? Maybe you just use 1 general setting for everything, calibrated for no particular source? Or not even bother because it could be such a pain?

 

[Gradthrawn]

So what I have done is go into the generic settings and change those to be calibrated, so what was once dynamic is now my config for HD DVD, user is for the 360, and so on... I would be lying if I didn't admit to forgetting to change the tv settings over every now and then originally, but have since programmer my 880 to do it for me. But good job bringing that up for those that have not done independent settings.

I see, and that's a good solution (using the Harmony to switch the settings is smart too). Does you TV have enough generic settings you can calibbrate to cover all of your devices? If not, what are you doing for those "other" devices, that don't have a mode you've calibrated?

I just want to get an idea of what people are doing for their switches/recievers.