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Best HDMI Intelligent Auto Switcher/Senser

post #1 of 6
3/27/12 at 11:06am
Thread Starter 
I own:

-an HTCP (Always On, HDMI Out))

-Apple TV 2 (HDMI Out, Goes to standby, but according to my testing, auto sensers can't 'see' that it's in standby)

-Wii with a Component Out (planning to get a ViewHD HDMI adapter for it so it'll be HDMI out as well, hoping it doesn't suffer from the same problems the Apple TV 2 does)

-PS3 (HDMI Out)

I basically want to plug all of my devices into a switcher and depending on which one gets turned on, I want it to automatically switch to that device (and have it go back to previous device when turned off). I basically want 'inputs' to be completely transparent. So, my questions are:

1. Are there any real intelligent auto switcher that can sense the Apple TV (or other standby mode devices) is not outputting video thus making it compatible with their flavor or intelligent sensing?

2. Are there combo HDMI/Component Auto Switchers that would work with my Wii so I wouldn't have to buy the HDMI Adapter?

3. Is there any other way I could facilitate this, at all, if an HDMI Switcher and/or HDMI/Component Switcher can't handle this?

Thank you .
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post #2 of 6
3/27/12 at 11:21am
Quote:
Originally Posted by JoelStickney View Post

I own:

-an HTCP (Always On, HDMI Out))

-Apple TV 2 (HDMI Out, Goes to standby, but according to my testing, auto sensers can't 'see' that it's in standby)

-Wii with a Component Out (planning to get a ViewHD HDMI adapter for it so it'll be HDMI out as well, hoping it doesn't suffer from the same problems the Apple TV 2 does)

-PS3 (HDMI Out)

I basically want to plug all of my devices into a switcher and depending on which one gets turned on, I want it to automatically switch to that device (and have it go back to previous device when turned off). I basically want 'inputs' to be completely transparent. So, my questions are:

1. Are there any real intelligent auto switcher that can sense the Apple TV (or other standby mode devices) is not outputting video thus making it compatible with their flavor or intelligent sensing?

2. Are there combo HDMI/Component Auto Switchers that would work with my Wii so I wouldn't have to buy the HDMI Adapter?

3. Is there any other way I could facilitate this, at all, if an HDMI Switcher and/or HDMI/Component Switcher can't handle this?

Thank you .

Autoswitchers of all varieties (component, composite, HDMI, etc) all have the same problem - they can't detect what you are thinking. I had a Audio Authority (actually still have stored away) component video auto switcher. It performed exactly as specified and half the time I would still have to get off the couch to change it to what I wanted. It was mostly because I would leave a device on or the device I really wanted to go to was a lower priority than the one I had on.

It is much easier to get a remote controlled (or RS-232) switcher with a good universal remote and then have buttons on the universal remote for all the combinations that you could want. Program the universal remote to make the switch and turn on the device. This way there are no extra button pushes required. I suppose an alternative would be to buy a switcher that responds to the on/off commands of the device you are switching to. Those exist as well.

I guess in the end, an auto-switching HDMI switch is only going to be good if the user is consistent in their selections.

As far as the Apple TV is concerned with an auto-switcher, you would make that your lowest priority item. That way whatever comes, the auto-switcher would go over to that other device. It's the only way to really handle that. Also don't forget to check about how any auto-switcher would handle EDID.
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post #3 of 6
3/27/12 at 11:37am
Thread Starter 
Quote:


Autoswitchers of all varieties (component, composite, HDMI, etc) all have the same problem - they can't detect what you are thinking. I had a Audio Authority (actually still have stored away) component video auto switcher. It performed exactly as specified and half the time I would still have to get off the couch to change it to what I wanted. It was mostly because I would leave a device on or the device I really wanted to go to was a lower priority than the one I had on.

I'm much more structured/easy. I operate my devices in a single task kind of way. My HTCP stays on all the time, handling my tv/movie fill, if I want to play a game, I grab the Wiimote or PS3 Controller, turn the device on, switch input to that device using the universal remote, play the game, turn it off, switch back. I operate that way, exclusively, always making sure I'm done with whatever input I'm using before switching.

Quote:


It is much easier to get a remote controlled (or RS-232) switcher with a good universal remote and then have buttons on the universal remote for all the combinations that you could want. Program the universal remote to make the switch and turn on the device. This way there are no extra button pushes required. I suppose an alternative would be to buy a switcher that responds to the on/off commands of the device you are switching to. Those exist as well.

I guess in the end, an auto-switching HDMI switch is only going to be good if the user is consistent in their selections.

If that's the case, perhaps I should get an auto-switcher with an IR senser/controller (to program into my Universal controller) along with:

Quote:


I suppose an alternative would be to buy a switcher that responds to the on/off commands of the device you are switching to. Those exist as well.

I haven't heard of this, but it seems like it would likely solve my AppleTV/HTCP Always-On (even in standby) problem? Does it sense it via IR? And then you somehow program the switcher to each devices IR on/off button? Obviously that wouldn't work with the PS3/Wii/Xbox 360, but those devices could be easily auto-sensed, hopefully. So a combination of all these techs could work?

Thank you for the info ^_^.
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post #4 of 6
4/7/12 at 2:53pm
I don't think there is such an Auto switcher available.

All "auto" HDMI switcher use power sensing to determine which input to switch to; it will switch to the newest ON input only.

If you use the ViewHD Wii2HDMI, then make sure you get a HDMI switcher which comes with its owner power adapter, because Wii was not designed to proivde the power to run a HDMI switcher.
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post #5 of 6
4/7/12 at 3:32pm
I just use a Harmony 880 remote with my AVR to turn on (or Off) any device I want to use, including my ATV2. Unfortunately is appears that you don't have a HTS in your setup so....
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post #6 of 6
4/8/12 at 3:25pm
The now discontinued Zektor HDMI5 acted as a 'programable' HDMI Switch - you taught it any code you wanted to select the required Source, worked very well.

You can find the odd 'Smart' Switch with a Wii compatible analogue 'component' Input alongside the HDMI Inputs!

Joel
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