Monoprice has just posted their 4x1 1.3b HDMI switch - Page 3

I doubt if another switch will work for you. It sounds lik something is wrong somewhere. I have the same switch and I have a Bd 30 and it works great. Check the settings on your BD30 and XBox. I would hook them up using a video cable first if you are getting no signal through HDMI and check the settings to make sure you are using HDMI output from the BD30. I would also check the output resolutions that you have set on the BD 30 & the Xbox 360 I would also check the input resolutions that you have set on the Panasonic TV. I really doubt it is the switch. I have set up many systems and I have discovered often that one little error can casue havoc.

I actually tried this last night. Hooked up the BD30 to the TV via HDMI to make sure it worked (i had this & the xbox connected to the TV via HDMI before I got the switch). Then I hooked up the BD30 to the switch by itself, then to the TV. Still doesn't work. I get an error message that reads "U73" on the front of the BD player when connected through the switch. I then hooked the BD player back up to the TV and checked the settings. I tried it on automatic, then selected the "1080p" option and tried them both on the switch. Just doesn't work for some reason.

I know it is very frustrating. I have experience all kinds of HDMI issues in the past. The U73 is a handshake error message. I am sure you have tried different cables with no success. You might want to try different ports on the switch. I would try one more thing if you have not done this already. Try the the exact same inputs on your tv that worked with the BD30 from the output of the switch. I would also try to seat and unseat the cable before you give up.

Thanks for the help. I tried this last night; switched ports, re-seated cables, swapped cables, used the same input on the TV, used the second HDMI input on the TV, the works. I'll give it another shot tonight though. I really have patience when it comes to electronics and am pretty home theater savvy also. Just stinks that i've been having bad luck. I noticed that this switch (as well as the other) sounds like there is stuff rattling around inside when it is barely shaken. Not sure if this is normal or not since i've never taken apart an HDMI switch before.

I have a Westinghouse 47w1 (1080p) and I hook up a cable box DCH6416, an Xbox 360 Premium HDMI, and soon a PS3. The cable box works flawlessly in all configurations, however, the Xbox 360 will only work in the 3 and 4 slot and has green sparkles when set to 1080p but looks fine when set lower. I have tried all the cables singularly into the tv and I don't get the sparkles in 1080p. Is this most likely a problem with the switcher not being able to display just 1080p? What would cause 1080i and not 1080p to work within the switcher? Should I RMA it and try a new one? Thanks ahead of time.

I ordered this a couple of weeks ago and have been using it ever since with:

Sources:
SA8300HD Cable Box
Sony Playstation 3
HTPC

Display:
Mitsubishi HC4900

As others have mentioned, programming this into a Harmony remote is a very easy and everything is working perfectly.

Xbox 360
PS3
AppleTV
Moto 3416 DVR
Macbook Pro

all work flawlessly with the switch (though not at the same time ) I keep the macbook in my 2nd HDMI port on my TV and use the switch for the other. TV is a 1080p Panny pz77u Plasma, everything controlled with my Harmony One remote. Odd to see that a poster with the 700u can't get many similar components working.

With 5 HDMI devices already, I might invest in a second one to bring my ports up to 8, but that would probably confuse the hell out of the harmony one...but it could work.

4X1 Enhanced 1.3b Certified HDMI Switch with built-in Equalizer and Remote (REV.3.0)

just got mine today.... I am going to return it because it does not work.

by the way.... I am not the only person having problems with this switch.

I would stay far away from this switch unless you plan on never upgrading your HT because you take the risk of it not working for new equipment.

Comcast Cable Box.... no luck!

Samsung Blu Ray Player.... no luck!

what a waste of time.

Monoprice seems like a good company, responsive to customer inquiries, and they have excellent return policies. Unfortunately SOME of their HDMI switchers are unreliable. Here's my experience.
System:
1. Sharp BD-HP20u Blu-Ray DVD
2. Toshiba HD-D3 HD-DVD
3. DirecTV HR21-700 HD-DVR
4. DirecTV H10-250 HD-DVR
5. DISPLAY: Sim2 HT-300+ DLP Projector

I've tried two different HDMI switchers from Monoprice. The first, the 4x2 switcher, randomly lost the HDMI handshake. After a week, I was forced to return it.

My 2nd attempt was with the 5x1 switcher. Similar problems would occur, including loop through feedback from one source component to another! I normally leave my DirecTV boxes "on", and it appears that the switcher becomes horribly confused by this. On both units, swapping cables and trying different input configurations did not help. In fact, it seemed to make things worse! All source units work fine when plugged directly into the Display.

Yesterday I was forced to remove the 5x1 and request an RMA. I then hooked up my 3x1 Oppo switcher. Though I only can run my two DVD players and 1 D-TV box, this device works perfectly. Granted, the Oppo cost $100 while the Monoprice was $40. I guess you get what you pay for. Still, I'd really like a 4x1.

Does anyone know where I can get some short HDMI cables? Monoprice is out of everything under 6'. They do have some 28AWG short cables, but I don't know how much I could trust those.

Does your screen just got black, and then video/sound come back about 1-2 seconds? I got this switch last week as well and when I play my 360 it was doing that. I checked the cables and it didn't do it for a bit. Later on it started to do that again.

yes.... but if they send you a defective product they rip you off by making you pay for all the shipping!

so you first waste your time getting the product... then when you get it you have to waste more time working to pay for the money it cost to ship BOTH WAYS! I will tell you... if they do not pay for my return shipping.... they will wish they never had the rip off policy!

+1

they should pay for return shipping...

Add one more dissatisfied customer to the list.
Mine worked with the Computer and the Oppo DVD but not the PS3 at all.
I had been satisfied with Monoprice up till now, but it took a week and 2 rounds of emails before they sent me an RMA.
It cost me $9 to ship it back (The post office refused to do a cheaper rate since it was in a Priority Flat Rate Box) for a total of 1/2 the price of the switch lost on shipping for something they probably knew was defective and should have never sold.
I will be much more careful and read threads here before I buy from Monoprice again.

I bought a 4X1 monoprice switch and it kinda works. You get what you pay for in this case

I just noticed that the way Monoprice lists User reviews is Best review first, Worst last, not by date like it should be, so even with a 78% (and falling) rating for this switch they always show great reviews first, giving unwary buyers the impression "All is fine" with this product unless they look at reviews at the end.

Well I just ordered one as lately everything I've bought is HDMI or has it included as a option. I only have 2 inputs on my TV and about 4 devices now so it's getting hard to decide which ones get HDMI and which get another input.
I hope mine works OK for me after reading all this after I ordered it

I am wondering what display the people with issues are sending the signal to. I am using the switch with no issues. I had A Toshiba XA2, A Panasonic BD30, A SA cable box and a PS3. I am going to a Onkyo 605 to a Panasonic Ae900 projector. I think that some may be having handshake issues caused by other equipment they own. There have been some many issues with HDMI since day one and we often blame the new addition. I would bet that the issue is with the handshake sequence. Sometimes the set has to be on first in other cases the other component has to be on first. It is possible that during the switching process the link is broken and that is were the problem is. It may not be possible to use any switch in some cases. Blame it on the poor design of HDCP/HDMI. It would be interesting to see which display devices have the biggest issues. I know Samsung and Sanyo had many issues in the past. Panasonic has had fewer issues. I know it is frustrating and it is easy to blame Monoprice but I would guess that it is something else since many have had no problem with the switch.

There is no perfect solution at this time. What is needed is a better certification of all HDMI equipment. Even if the switch is certified it does not mean that other components in the chain will be. In over 3 years of working with HDMI/HDCP I have discovered that the biggest problem is often in the display device. That is not to say that I have not experienced other issues. When SA came out with there first cable box I could not get the HDCP handshake. They have resolved the issue with firmware updates. The same is true for Toshiba with their players and other manufactures. I just read last week that Panasonic in their latest firmeware update for their Blu-Ray BD 30 made a change to fix a issue with Samsung displays. As one can see there are no easy answers. One must remember that the people who post have issues. Most who have tried and are using this switch have had good luck. We see many Monoprice posts because they sell tons of switches. Regarding their return policy, They can not be responible for HDMI/HDCP issues caused by other links. They do take the units back with no question. I don't understand the $9 return shipping. You could use a USPS flat rate priority envelope or a small box and the shipping would be only $4.50. If one reads the many other threads including the one on the Marantz for $350 you will see that there are all kinds of issues with handshakes in all price ranges

I love Monoprice, I always recommend them to friends.

I'm considering buying an HDX-401E.

On the remote are there 4 dedicated buttons, one for each channel, or are you forced to use a pair of channel up/down buttons?

Yes, possibly.



True, but many (not all) have changed their switch and the problems disappeared.



This is my problem - the switch works fine with my Toshiba player, but not with my Moto DCT3416I STB. Some on that box's thread hint that a firmware fix could be the solution. Too bad Comcast won't release the newest firmware in my area.


I think it is a lot more complex than that.


What we are talking about here is more of a quality control issue. Sure there are a lot of people who use this switch without any issues. But, when the manufacturer responds to a request for an RMA with instructions to try each HDMI input on the device to see if using a different input solves your handshake problem, that indicates to me that the device they shipped is not 100% compatible on all ports. All the inputs should work the same, right? But I've seen some people report that indeed, changing the input port solved their problem.

While my problem is definitely the Moto STB, I think it is possible that the problems others are experiencing are more likely due to the switch as opposed to their other equipment.

And lastly, yes - damn HDCP!

Question to anyone that owns one of these HDX-401E:

Are you forced to use a pair of channel up/down buttons on the remote to select the input or does the remote have 4 dedicated buttons, one for each channel. The picture makes it look like they have both ways but it's not clear. Want to know before I buy. Feedback would be appreciated.

I agree -damn HDCP. It has caused hours of pain for many since day one. I just noticed someting yesterday when I switched inputs with my 4x1 Monoprice switch that might help some. When I first turned my system on I had no picture. I just hit the input again and the handshake worked. It makes me think that the problem is that using a switch breaks the sequence of the handshake. Different equipment seems to have different sequences to the handshake and that is why hitting the input on the switch probably worked. I have tried all my equipment on all inputs and everything works. I would also check that the cables are secure. Another bad HDMI design. It is amazing that they put 19 connectors in this small cable and designed such an insecure connection. Any weight on the input can cause the cable to become loose. I know how
frustrating it can be having spent countless hours dealing with HDMI/HDCP issues in the past.

I also don't think it is a quality control issue with the switches but a problem with poor implementation of the HDCP standard by many manufactures. Even if the Monoprice 4x1 switch is 3.1 certified it can not help with problems caused by other equipment. I go back to the different ways companies make the hdcp handshake. Take a look at the thread on satellite/cable receivers to see the problems some are having even without a switch. The key is to get the cable companies to upgrade their firmware. I live on Long Island and use Cablevision and they have been very good about updating firmware. In fact, Cisco, SA people work with them in their
main office with these issues.

Quite frankly the HDMI connector should have been optical. It's crazy having 19 connections. Not in the least bit user friendly.

So, why then does Monoprice respond to the request for an RMA with a set of questions that include trying your device on each of the different ports on their switch? If the issue was that a connector hadn't seated properly, and it was a result of a faulty cable or human error, then the port changing should not be the solution. But, as noted before, many folks - including Monoprice - have found that sometimes a device won't work with one (or more) of the ports on this Monoprice switch. Call me stupid, but that is a pretty clear indication that there is a known level of variance in quality between ports on the switch.

The reason why Monoprices respons as it does is there are so many issues that can cause HDMI isssues including a faulty cable, human error or the sequence of the handshake. I really don't think it is the switch as I have been involved with HDMI/HDCP issues since day one. The problem is that putting anyting in the chain sometimes can cause issues. I have spent countless hours resolving HDCP issues and the causes can be many. Usually I have found it not to be the switch. I am luck in that I am using the 4x1 1.3 Monoprice switch with A PS3, A Toshiba XA2, an Oppo 981, & A Panasonic BD30 going to a Onkyo 605 going to A Panasonic AE900 with no issue. If I don't get a handshake I hit the remote control on the switch and change inputs it usually works and does the handshake.

FYI....Recieved the Monoprice HDZ-401E 4x1 hdmi switcher. Hooked it up and have no problems. I have it hooked to:

LG 50" Plasma
Motorola DCT6412 III Comcast HD/DVR box (input 1)
Panasonic DMP-BD30 Blu-ray (input 3)

Inputs were the 1st ones I tried. They worked, so I left it alone. So far so good......

Just a suggestion for those who might be having some issues. Try hitting the input on the remote a few times. The problem that some are having is for the HDCP handshake to take place. This can be caused by may things other than the switch including the sequence in which you start each unit. I have lost the handshake only a few times and by hitting the input number on the remote I have always been able to restore it. This happens with other switches I have tried as well.

Mine showed up Thursday and I wired it all up with a couple generic HDMI's and 3 ferrite core Generic 1.3a Cables and all my equipment works just fine with it
I have a Toshiba 34hfx84 TV, Toshiba A2 Hd player, Panasonic BDP-10a BD player, Denon 757 DVD-Audio/SACD player, and a Philips 375h dvd recorder/Hard drive unit that's hooked up by itself to the second input on my TV.
It does take a second to sync up every time I change live inputs and I think once it lost one, all I had to do was cycle power and it was good again.
I'd say either those having problems have bad cables or other issues with a bad unit as well.
It really is a nicely built compact unit and I still have one input left for the next toy. Audio and everything seem to work fine directly into my TV, My older Onkyo 777 doesn't have any HDMI inputs.

I think we appreciate your suggestions and eagerness to help, but that doesn't change the fact that there are problems with this switch (and other Monoprice switches). Sure, the price is great, but they shouldn't be selling a switch and claiming that it will work without many hours of trial and error. Several of their switches should be sold as switches with the disclaimer that this switch may not work as intended. I have the 4x2 switch and I have spent a good 8 hours trying to figure out how to get Dolby Digital out of my xbox 360 consistently. I have tried everything and I still can't figure out why sometimes it only sends 2 channel PCM, even with no other source or display units connected to it. The point is, these switches hae a high failure rate and the only reason people are still buying them is that the price is low enough to take a risk on it.