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Author Topic: HDMI splitter?  (Read 4139 times)

Rob Spence

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HDMI splitter?
« on: May 09, 2017, 12:36:25 AM »

I have a need to, on occasion, disconnect a tv from a satellite box to run it to a projector. It would be real helpful if I could light up the tv too.

I see adapters that look like wye cables for cheap. My concern is the projector is at the end of a 120' amplified cable and having the signal degraded.

I don't want to spend lots here. Suggestions or advice?


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rob at lynxaudioservices dot com

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Scott Holtzman

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Re: HDMI splitter?
« Reply #1 on: May 09, 2017, 02:42:50 AM »

I have a need to, on occasion, disconnect a tv from a satellite box to run it to a projector. It would be real helpful if I could light up the tv too.

I see adapters that look like wye cables for cheap. My concern is the projector is at the end of a 120' amplified cable and having the signal degraded.

I don't want to spend lots here. Suggestions or advice?


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I would go with SDI to HDMI converters.  You can use standard 75 ohm coax cables and the converters have loop through so you can chain them.  We just added LCD displays on totems and are driving them in a ring with the Blackmagic micro's.  A few members have said these are not the best option so check out the other SDI/HDMI thread that is active.  We have not had any issue with them.

I would invest in a small switcher.  The ability to fade to black, a single surface with playback deck and switcher control upped our video game for a $1300 investment (5 converters, 19" touchscreen, Intel tiny computer, Blackmagic ATEM HD switcher)  The Intel has an HDMI and a display port.  It is a player and control surface for switcher.  I am probably going to invest in the Blackmagic playback deck too. 

Oh did I mention it has two keyers with a chroma key ability?  Very slick.
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Cailen Waddell

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Re: HDMI splitter?
« Reply #2 on: May 09, 2017, 07:19:44 AM »

I would go with SDI to HDMI converters.  You can use standard 75 ohm coax cables and the converters have loop through so you can chain them.  We just added LCD displays on totems and are driving them in a ring with the Blackmagic micro's.  A few members have said these are not the best option so check out the other SDI/HDMI thread that is active.  We have not had any issue with them.

I would invest in a small switcher.  The ability to fade to black, a single surface with playback deck and switcher control upped our video game for a $1300 investment (5 converters, 19" touchscreen, Intel tiny computer, Blackmagic ATEM HD switcher)  The Intel has an HDMI and a display port.  It is a player and control surface for switcher.  I am probably going to invest in the Blackmagic playback deck too. 

Oh did I mention it has two keyers with a chroma key ability?  Very slick.

Hey Scott...  we have the BMD converters, and several other brands.  The big issue with the BMD stuff (hdmi to sdi)(in my opinion) is incorrect or incomplete EDID information fed to computers.  We keep a couple edid emulators on hand for this - if you can work around it - then they are just fine.

Honestly - for install work in a less critical environment (backstage and dressing room monitors) we love the DA's and converters from monoprice. 

For production work, the $500 datavideo up/down/cross that takes in vga hdmi and sdi is pretty hard to beat. 


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John Rutirasiri

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Re: HDMI splitter?
« Reply #3 on: May 09, 2017, 09:46:25 AM »

I have a need to, on occasion, disconnect a tv from a satellite box to run it to a projector. It would be real helpful if I could light up the tv too.

What make/model projector?  Does it have SDI input or just HDMI?

I see adapters that look like wye cables for cheap. My concern is the projector is at the end of a 120' amplified cable and having the signal degraded.

Whenever you hook up two or more HDMI display devices (TVs, projectors) that do not support exactly the same maximum resolution, you can run into an EDID race condition when using splitters that simply pass through but do not actively handle/manage EDID.  (EDID is serial data sent from display to source when cable is connected, telling the source what resolution and timing the display supports.) 

With the race condition, you can't control what display device's EDID info the source will be used to determine the resolution and timing -- it's often up to which display device responds first upon the hot plug pin being sensed.  I see this all the time with folks trying to hook up a confidence monitor (1080p) and a projector (often XGA) to a simple HDMI splitter.  One will work and not the other, or the resolution is not optimum.

If you are all HDMI, then get a splitter that manages EDID.  Gefen Toolbox series of HDMI splitters has worked well for me.  Or as Cailen suggested, have an HDMI EDID emulator to go in between the source and the splitter.

At 120', SDI (HD-SDI/3G-SDI) is no problem -- just a straight coax will be fine, but HDMI will require an active cable or an extender in the middle to go beyond 50' reliably.  Or you can just go HDBaseT using shielded CAT6 or CAT6A cable.  (With HDBaseT, anything over 100' you'd want shielded cable.)

I don't want to spend lots here. Suggestions or advice?

If this is for your business, don't buy consumer stuff like Monoprice.  They simply don't last.  HDMI devices including splitters are prone to damage from static electricity due to the connector design, so if they do not incorporate some sort of ESD caps,  they won't last.  That's been my experience with Monoprice splitters. 
 HDMI connectors are not very robust and not designed for more than 500 insertion cycles.  So I recommend getting a splitter with MORE ports than you think you'll need.  I use 1:8 splitters because it doesn't cost much more than a 1:2 or 1:4, and I have spare ports.  These connectors do go bad.

I've never had issue with AJA stuff.    As for HDMI to HD-SDI converters, I've had very good luck with the JVC ProHD-4601, which is a re-branded SWIT S-4601.  About $200.

John R.
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Rob Spence

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Re: HDMI splitter?
« Reply #4 on: May 12, 2017, 02:01:54 PM »

I don't do much video.

The projector is an older Sanyo 5000 lumen model with VGA and DVI inputs.

I use a simple A/B switch for my 2 inputs as I can't justify $1000 for a slick switcher.
I use Geffen dvi detectives and the hdmi one to lie to the input sources about resolution. Works good. Otherwise the mac goes crazy when it sees the output device go away.

I like the idea of converting to SDI. I just don't know anything about it (yet).

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rob at lynxaudioservices dot com

Dealer for: AKG, Allen & Heath, Ashley, Astatic, Audix, Blue Microphones, CAD, Chauvet, Community, Countryman, Crown, DBX, Electro-Voice, FBT, Furman, Heil, Horizon, Intellistage, JBL, Lab Gruppen, Mid Atlantic, On Stage Stands, Pelican, Peterson Tuners, Presonus, ProCo, QSC, Radial, RCF, Sennheiser, Shure, SKB, Soundcraft, TC Electronics, Telex, Whirlwind and others

ProSoundWeb Community

Re: HDMI splitter?
« Reply #4 on: May 12, 2017, 02:01:54 PM »


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