When the bartender turns the channel on one, some other sets flip too. So how are they splitting that hi-def signal?

I'd like to feed 3 sets simultaneously from one hi-def box since I dont care if they are all on the same channel...and I only want to pay for one Hi def box.

so, can it be done? If so how? (All 3 sets have HDMI and component inputs)

Since you're feeding from one HD box, you can only output one channel at a time. You can use an HDMI splitter for the purpose of splitting an HDMI signal and sending output to multiple devices.

splitter (http://www.hdtvsupply.com/1x4hdsphdand.html)

If you would like to share multiple HDMI signals between TV's and have each TV able to select any of the shared signals, you need a matrix switch.

Matrix Switch (http://www.hdtvsupply.com/hdmasw1.html)

ok TKO, will that work? I seen on the forums that HDMI when split can cause "Handshake issues". Does the device you posted the link for get around that?

Thanks,
Billy

If all of you TV's are HDCP compliant then you should not have a problem. If one is not then it will not get video because the other TV's already did the HDCP handshake. It would also work if none of your TV's were HDCP compliant because they would function in the same mode.

I wonder if people were having problems with TV's that implemented different versions of the HDCP standard.

You have to get an HDMI multiport distribution amplifier a splitter will not work since your card can only communicate with one other device at a time since HDMI is a handshaking protocol.

You can do component analog distribution as well. In fact I'll bet this is more popular because it's far less trouble than HDMI. Also analog cables can run farther than HDMI without issues. Sure the quality is a bit less but who cares in a sports bar.

www.keydigital.com makes makes many different models of dist amps.

You can do component analog distribution as well. In fact I'll bet this is more popular because it's far less trouble than HDMI. Also analog cables can run farther than HDMI without issues.

Yes, for commercial use, component video would be vastly preferred. It's easy and less expensive to amplify and distribute to any number of displays. It can also be easily and relatively inexpensively used in a system that allows direct access to each display for different sources, like a sports bar.

Even for residential use, I'd still probably go with component video.

ok thanks guys, sounds like component would be the way to go for additional sets off one box