HDMI Video/Audio split?

This has been discussed in this thread: Why won't HDMI/HDCP-Signal-Splitters work with a separate Display & Audio Processor?.

The short answer would be that there is nothing out there "that works" yet.

From the above thread link:

"A splitter won't work. Audio can't be passed alone over HDMI, it rides on top of the video."


Paul

I am wanting to do the same thing and was looking at a 1X2 splitter on the monoprice site. It states it supports 1080P but you never know. Has anyone tried this as an option. I am trying to split between two displays as my processor does not accept HDMI but will eventually be sending one signal to the processor.

Unless I'm missing something here, I don't see why a splitter won't accomplish what Tom's asking for. Note I haven't tried this yet, but I have a situation that's similar to what I believe you're trying to do. I have a Panasonic receiver with an HDMI in/out. The Panasonic reciever only passes video up to 1080i (no 1080P). I also have a Playstation 3 where I would like to see video in 1080P and take advantage of the HDMI audio. The comment ""A splitter won't work. Audio can't be passed alone over HDMI, it rides on top of the video." I feel is not an issue in terms of what Tom is trying to accomplish (and myself) if I understand his question correctly. I think the real question is why would you want to split the audio from the video in what you're trying to accomplish? I don't think that's necessary. Again, unless I'm missing something, I planned to take the HDMI out from the Playstation 3 into a 1X2 splitter, take the 2 outs from the splitter and run 1 into my Panasonic stereo (for audio...and yes the video will be riding along with the audio here, but who cares?), and run the other out from the splitter directly to the TV. Since you'll only be running 1 out from the splitter into the stereo for audio, who cares if the video is there or not? The only issue I can think of is perhaps a delay where the video/audio will be out of sync after going via an amplified splitter....though we're talking speed of light here I would guess this is not an issue. Thoughts?

The trick is whether your Panasonic will accept the HDMI 1080p signal as a valid input, and if so, whether it will actually extract the audio from it. In addition, the source is going to see two different sets of EDID information -- one from the display and one from the receiver -- and is going to have to reconcile that against what it wants to send out, as well as handling copy protection in two directions at once. An example of the sorts of problems you might run into is that your Panasonic may not be willing/able to cooperate in setting up the copy protected link if it doesn't actually have an HDCP compliant TV powered up and connected on its HDMI output. And your display may tell the source that it can't handle more than stereo audio over HDMI and thus the PS3 might not decide it can send multi-channel PCM with the lossless audio track.

Meanwhile, apparently his Yamaha will only accept up to HDMI 1080i as a valid input. So what he needs is to get the PS3 to output *BOTH* HDMI 1080p (for his display) and HDMI 1080i (for his receiver). Taint gonna happen. I suspect your Panasonic is in the same boat.

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EDITED TO ADD: It might help you understand this better if you realize that HDMI audio is not a separate signal from HDMI video. The audio is actually multiplexed into the video stream (in the video blanking intervals). It travels on the same wires. So for any receiver to extract audio from an HDMI source it has to be able to input the HDMI video and process it at least to the degree of extracting the audio from it. An HDMI 1080i signal is not the same as an HDMI 1080p signal. There are many products out there which top out at HDMI 1080i and can't handle HDMI 1080p, or handle it only in a more limited way.

For that matter, not all HDMI 1080p is the same. For example there are Pioneer plasmas out there now which will accept HDMI 1080p but only up to HDMI 1080p/24Hz. They will not accept the higher bandwidth HDMI 1080p/60Hz signal as a valid input.
--Bob

Bob,

Sounds like I'm lucky so far! Currently I'm running my Playstation 3 to the HDMI in of the Panasonic receiver, and taking the HDMI out of the Panasonic into my TV. Both the audio and the picture is perfect, even when watching a 1080P blu-ray disk. My current display is 720P....plan to upgrade to a 1080P display soon. I have linear PCM selected as audio choice on the Playstation 3 to take advantage of the better quality audio over HDMI. I wonder if perhaps the input of my Panasonic accepts 1080P no problem(the reason it extracts the audio OK), but can't pass the 1080P at the Panasonic's HDMI output?

The PS3 has a scaler that takes the data off the disc and converts it to the output resolution you specify. I suspect you have your PS3 sending 720p or 1080i when playing that 1080p Blu-Ray disc.
--Bob

It's funny/bummer that this whole "single cable - it's so much better" push means we actually end up with worse quality. In this case (as always I suppose) the answer is to just buy new and more expensive/capable gear.

What would work, but isn't done, would be to have your hd player provide multiple hdmi jacks. With each jack acting as its own hdmi "source". This way you configure each "source's resolution.
We don't have this, so now because the audio and video are now combined your weakest component in the hdmi chain dictates the highest resolution you can use.

Let's say my receiver can accept 8 channels of lpcm for audio and sounds great, but my receiver only support 1080i, or maybe only it supports 1080p at certain frame rates 24,48,72,50,60 etc. etc.. If I now have a projector that I would like to send 1080p to I'm out of luck. The highest resolution video I can select _at the hd player_ is 1080i. The problem I run into is that I have to choose. I can either use 1080i and get audio OR if I choose to send 1080p for the video my receiver can not get audio.
A splitter won't help here, as the "source" e.g. the HD-DVD or blue ray can only send a single format for the video.

In theory a fancy video scaler could generate multiple hdmi "source" streams from the video it receives. So, each "source" could be configured to use a different resolution and each could send the highest audio information that fit in the selected bw. I don't know of any scalers yet that do this, and of course scalers aren't cheap. The vp50 and the crystallio 2 don't currently offer this though.

I haven't researched all the current lcd and plasmas, so there may well exist now a tv that will send "through" an hdmi signal for use by your receiver, and it may allow you to configure its "source" resolution options.

HDMI - so much simpler than before! When we had a cable for audio and a cable for video.

The use of the word "splitter" has injected some confusion into this thread, I think. A splitter is a passive product, like a Y-cable. Those don't work at all with HDMI or DVI, because of impedance issues, handshake issues, etc.

Using an actively powered distribution amplifier would likely allow simultaneous output to a display and an AV receiver. Items like our 1392 1x2 Distribution Amplifier would fit the bill.

HDMI Distribution amps work by handshaking with one "sink" or termination point, and duplicating the EDID information across to the other outputs. Obviously this can cause incompatibilities, but if the signal being sent is compatible with all connected devices, it will be duplicated and displayed on each device.

Trent

All the post are pretty much on point. An active splitter will produce multiple outputs that are mirrors (i.e. they have the exact same audio & video formats). So if you are sending 1080p into the splitter, both the receiving devices (such as TV and AVR) must be able to accept 1080p video input.

Like most technologies, your performance will be limited by your least common denominator in the system. If the AVR can not support 1080p, then it becomes the "bottleneck." Another solution I could suggest is to run HDMI directly from the PS3 to the projector, then SPDIF audio from the PS3 to the AVR. You admittedly won't get the latest Dolby TrueHD/DTS-HD, but you will get the standard Dolby Digital & DTS.

I just wanted to jump in and thank everyone who has posted all of this helpful information. I have been struggling through these various issues as I set up my HDMI based video distribution system at the house, and this has helped to clarify my understanding greatly.

I'm using Gefen matrix switches to distribute hi-def Tivo, Blu-ray, etc around the house to multiple displays.

I was prepared for the "least common denominator" effect in terms of video - and made sure all my displays could handle 1080i, which is good enough for me. But I was surprised that there was the same sort of effect when it came to audio. My "bedroom" displays can't handle advanced audio, which is fine, but that also means my main system can't get it - and that really sucks.

I suppose it would have been better if the HDMI spec had called for a simultaneous delivery of "basic" audio as well as "high def" audio, so that each "sink" could make use of whichever one it was designed for. I have got to believe that what I am doing is not THAT uncommon (trying to distribute HDMI based material around the house).

Am I missing something? Is there a good workaround that other people have been using short of abandoning HDMI in favor of component?

I don't know if anyone is still having problems with this, but I had bought a cheap HDMI splitter from Ebay, and it wouldn't split my HDMI out from my blu ray, and preserve 1080p video to the display, and multi pcm audio to the receiver. The cheaper splitter would only pass stereo pcm audio, which made me most melancholy.

My problem was that my panasonic plasma accepts 1080p video, but my JVC receiver would only pass 1080i. Then I found this item from monoprice, which did the trick nicely.

Edit: Well, they won't let me post the link ,but the item is titled 1X2 PRO Series Powered HDMI Splitter (1.3b ATC Certified) and they have it at monoprice.

I'm posting this because I searched and searched, but was unable to find anyone who could get this sort of setup to work. Well, I got it to work, so hopefully someone out there can benefit from this.

Which JVC receiver are you using? And, did you have to do anything special, or did it just work after you hooked it up?

I ask because I've been trying to do the same thing, but it just won't work.

I'm using:

JVC RX702 Receiver (HDMI switching up to 1080I)
Toshiba 40XF550 HDTV (

1080p)
Panasonic DMPBD35 Blu-Ray DVD Player (1080p)
Monoprice 1X2 PRO Series Powered HDMI Splitter (1.3b ATC Certified)
All HDMI cables are 1.3 capable
5.1 Speakers I want to:

Get 1080P video directly from Blu-Ray to TV; and,
Get surround sound audio from Blu-Ray to Receiver and then to speakers.

When I hook up the Monoprice splitter, while I do get 1080p video to the TV from the Blu-Ray input; I get nothing from the JVC receiver. - No audio to the speakers and no video.

One of the customer reviews of this Monoprice splitter reported total success doing exactly what I want with my exact Receiver and Blu-ray player. - The only difference is therefore the TV.

Any help, from anyone, would be most appreciated.

Thanks,
Dave

Take a look at the DVDO Edge video processor.
It takes in mutiple HDMI signals and sends out HDMI video and HD audio on separate cables