Recommended HDMI/component switch boxes?

[Xeogred]

So after getting my new TV I think it's time to get it connected with everything I want it to be with.

This looks really nice for HDMI, but maybe you guys have better ideas or there's something out there that can do both component/HDMI?

Funny I really only need like one more input for each. I've got my PS3/360 hooked up via HDMI, and want to get my PC connected as well now, then maybe a DVD player or something (gonna get something that can do region free). Then I've got my Wii and PS2 via component, but only one slot for component so I'd have to switch them out all the time.

I used to be against switches because they always looked so crappy and cheap, maybe loss some quality, etc, but maybe they've improved over the years. lol

[pierrot]

I have 4 HDMI ports and really haven't had any need for more yet, so I can't comment on those. I use the monoprice component switchbox for Wii and PS2 + the stereo audio from scart cables. It works pretty well. I don't notice any serious loss in picture quality from those systems. I do notice some loss in quality if I feed my scart to component converter box through it, but this could possibly be more to do with the extra component cables I have than with the switchbox itself.

[SpaceBooger]

I have this one since my TV only had 2 hdmi inputs: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0015YWKYY/

There is no power supply unless you want to use the remote. I don't use the remote. If you use devices that are not always powered on the box will automatically switch to any device that is currently powered on. I have my PS3 and my Blu Ray player hooked to it and it works perfectly with no noticeable loss in picture quality.

[Ziggy]

Funny I really only need like one more input for each.

You don't usually wanna settle for "just enough," you want some open inputs for the future. You'll eventually get a Wii U or a PS4 or a Green Ray Player or something else.

This is my HDMI switch...

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a ... 6882120195

It has some... extra features, if you will.


And I have this component switch...



Got that component switch a long time before my receiver, in Wal Mart for $20 or $30. I don't know why the price of it has gone up. It's a great switch box with some limitations. I originally got it because it has front facing component inputs, which I like to use for the PSP Slim. Another good thing is it auto switches, so you rarely have to touch the thing.

For years, I ran my DVD player, PS2 and Wii through this switch box. Everything worked fine, but I couldn't set the Wii to 480p (I had to keep it on 480i) which is weird considering the DVD player was 480p. I guess it just didn't like the Wii. Or it might have been my TV. Anyway, now that I've got the receiver linked above my Wii has its own dedicated component input, the DVD player is now HDMI, but I still have it hooked up for my PS2 and the front facing ports. And I guess, I have 2 extra component inputs with it now.

Oh yeah, it's also a composite and S-Video switch box (but of course, it will not transcode between the different formats).

[Anapan]

I also recommend Phillips PH61150 auto switchers. It's great because it detects what's on and automatically routes it to the TV. I can't see any signal degredation even with 2 chained together. I got them for almost nothing from a liquidation store.

[Ziggy]

High Five!

[Xeogred]

Alright thanks Ziggy, that one for component looks top notch and I was having a harder time finding options for component.

What do you mean by...

"Oh yeah, it's also a composite and S-Video switch box (but of course, it will not transcode between the different formats)."

Though? Would you recommend not using the S-video? If it does S-video well on an HDTV then dang, I probably won't need to use my old tube for awhile. I busted that out mainly to get my Saturn hooked up sometime, and possibly some older Nintendo systems via S-video. It's a fun TV I'll keep around though... only one S-video input, but I forget it has 5 for AV. Not bad.

And yeah, that is a good point about "being prepared" for more inputs someday.

[Ziggy]

That Philips switch box has composite, S-Video and component inputs and output. But, it doesn't convert between different formats. Example, you can't plug something into S-Video and have it output over component. You can't plug something into component and output it over composite. Et cetera.

[deathsled]

I recommend a decent AV receiver that has analog to digital conversion capability.

I run everything to my pioneer receiver (2 ps3s and a computer over hdmi, Wii over component, Sega CD over composite, etc) and let it output everything to the TV (projector actually) over 1 hdmi cable.

[Ziggy]

Yeah, that's the way to go. One single HDMI out that your receiver converts every input to. I wish I would have gotten one that did that, but I got my Onkyo (linked above) on sale.

It's hard, if not impossible, to find S-Video inputs on current models though. So you might wanna research slightly older models (from just a few years ago) that still have S-Video on them. You might have to buy one used from eBay or something, but it'd be worth it.