so I basically feel like I'm in 2nd grade on what is supposed to be a kindergarten technology. However, since that kindergarten technology is working for our HT's about aswell as a federal FAILout "plan"is working for our economy, I don't feel completely humiliated enough to stay quiet.

I'm presently drywalling my theater and have been readingthese forums for a while. It appears that there is no real solution in the mid-price range for HDMI switches that do 4x2 correctly

I want to do the folowing sources:
TivoHD
PhIllips DVD
XBOX360
PS3

To the following 2 HDMI displays
Vizio LCD
pj (undecided)

What is my best bet? Switches or AV receiver?

same output on both displays? both displays in use at same time?

same output on both displays? both displays in use at same time?
Yes
No

Thanks for the clarifying questions!

given that you are struggling finding a 4X2 switch that works to your satisfaction, then avr (although i was under the impression that the 4X2 switches had gotten better)...

option a: the new pio sc-07 does 4 in, 2 out, and is getting great reviews... i personally have a sc-05 and love it... there are also a few other avr's that do 2 out...

option b: use a 4 in, 1 out avr, and use a 1X2 splitter on the output...

option c: use a dvdo edge (yup, i have one) to handle all the inputs, then use a 1X2 splitter on the video out and run the audio out to your avr....

couple other options too, but that's a start...

do we have a budget to work with? what do you do your audio with now?

I've just not found any real solution that WORKS for 4x2. I've read about the accell (i think it was), Monoprice, then those 2 expensive ones. It's just that when I begin to spend more than $200 on a stand alone switch, I begin to think I might as well dump my old Panasonic SA-XR55S that has no HDMI and get a new one that does and use option b.

The dvdo looks like more than I need, for now. Although, apparently it actually DOES what it's advertised to do-that's a nice "feature."

option b might eliminate the autoswitch feature and I can only imagine the HDCP trash that I'd get to deal with.

I'd like to get this done for $500 total. Whether that includes an HDMI switch or an AVR or both, I don't much care. I MIGHT get $100 out of my Panasonic SA-XR55S so there's another $100 to play with here.

well, for $500 or less, that certainly limits the options...

narrows it down to either using a 4X2 switch, or an inexpensive avr with 4 hdmi inputs and then a 1X2 switch on the back end...

although someone else might come up with another option...

anyone out there doing the "inexpensive" AVR with 4 HDMI inputs and a 1x2 switch? I'd be interested to know if HDCP makes it past the switch after negotiating the innards of an AVR.

My buddy happens to be using an HDMI 4x2 Matrix switch, though it isn't fully set up yet, so I can't say with 100% certainty that it works completely. However, from some basic tests, it appears to be working. This setup allows him to output 2 different video sources to 2 different TV's or 1 video source to both TV's.

The catch is, he is using 2 Receivers (Onkyo 605 & 606). He has 2 HD Tivo's, Xbox and a PS3. Basically, he connects the 4 devices into the HDMI matrix switch and can output 1 or 2 video sources to 1 or both HDMI outputs of the matrix switch.

Each output goes to one receiver and then on to each TV.

Here is the switch. The price made me a little suspicious at first, but it seems to work great.

http://www.hdtvsupply.com/hdmi-matrix-switch.html

I'll try to remember to report back once his setup is fully up.

I am using two displays. One is a Sony LCD projector with HDMI and another is a CRT with DVI to RGBHV converter ( Dtronics dcda1).

I wish to use both displays simultaneously (they are in seperate rooms) and be able to play two different sources on the two different displays. I need a true matrix switch.

About a year ago, I tried the Monoprice 4X2 switch and it did not work well. Had a lot of handshake problems - perhaps because of my DVIto RGBHV box.

Are there any new generation true matrix switches?

Is the following a good option for true matrix switch?

http://www.hdtvsupply.com/hdmi-matrix-switch.html (http://www.hdtvsupply.com/hdmi-matrix-switch.html)

Their website states: "The older the HDMI gear the more handshaking problems are likely.". This is actually the type of problem I had earlier.. Any luck with new switches?


Any other 5X2 or 6X2 options?

Thanks

Try Gefen which has lots of switches some matrix all reportedly top quality but expensive.

http://www.gefen.com/index.jsp

No experience with this, but here is a 4x4 matrix switch.

http://www.cecompass.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=103