By using a HDMI Switch you will be able to use multiple devices that connect via HDMI to your TV. This means you won’t have to re-plug devices whenever you’re switching devices to a TV with a limited number of HDMI inputs.

What is a HDMI Switch?

As the name suggests, a HDMI Switch is a device which selects a video source for the TV via the HDMI interface. It can select from many devices that are connected for example a Blu-ray Player, Xbox, DVR, Cable box or laptop. We can then use physical buttons on the device or a remote control to switch between different HDMI input devices. HDMI switches can come in different configurations with 3x1 HDMI switching and 5x1 HDMI switching being more common.

Are all HDMI Switch the same?

Some features of HDMI are, support for external power, HDCP transparency, CEC, ARC and 7.1 Channel Audio Support. Two features which are support for external power and HDCP transparency will be talked about in this article to distinguish between different HDMI Switches. CEC, ARC and 7.1 Channel Audio Support will be explained in a future article.

A switch that comes with its own power source will help deliver signals better and reduce distortion over longer distances. Often splitters with no external power cannot send quality signal beyond a certain distance and image qualities after often of lower quality in this case.

The next feature is for the HDMI Switch to have High-bandwidth Digital Content Protection (HDCP) support. This is important as contents that are protected by this feature needs HDCP-certified products to receive HDCP encrypted signal otherwise the content may not be viewable. HDCP protection is widely used in Blu-ray/DVD disc, Satellite TV Service or Cable, or pay per-view programs.

Does the TV affect the Switch I use?

Taking the AcePro 5x1 4K HDMI Switch with Remote Control for example, if you have a 4K 60Hz TV then all you’ll need to do is make sure your source device which could be a Blu-ray player, XBOX or PC is set to deliver 4K resolution and it will show such resolutions on your 4K TV as this Switch and TV supports it. The Switch will automatically perform video data pass through at the same resolution as the source.

What else can I expect from a HDMI switch?

If your switch is outside of arms reach, then having support for a remote control allows you to switch to different HDMI source from a distance. That being said, the AcePro 5x1 4K HDMI Switch use an infrared remote control to Switch between different HDMI source and also has physical buttons on the equipment for uses in close proximity.

It is highly recommended to use a HDMI Switch when you have limited HDMI input for your TV and also provides a quick way of switching between different HDMI sources remotely make it quicker to access your media.

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