2X1 Manual Push Button Type HDMI Switch - Cheap, Nice-Looking and Solid
Written: Jul 29 '09 (Updated Aug 10 '09)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Solid construction, nice front panel, ease of switching, low price, no power supply, performance
Cons: N/A
The Bottom Line: If you need an HDMI switch that requires no power and don't mind pushing buttons on the switch itself, I highly recommend this switch.
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| dkozin's Full Review: 2X1 Manual HDMI Switch - Push Button Type |
Since my Panasonic SA-XR57 receiver has only one HDMI input, but I have two HDMI-equipped DVD players (Pioneer Elite DV-48AV universal DVD-Audio/DVD-Video/SACD player and Toshiba HD-A3 HD DVD player), I needed an HDMI switch. So, in October of 2008 I bought a passive switch, which since worked great for me.
There are a couple of reasons I went for a mechanical/manual switch instead of an electronic one that is controlled by a remote. First, I only need to switch between the two DVD players occasionally. I also didn't want to deal with a power supply that an electronic switch requires. I didn't want yet another remote control cluttering my coffee table. And whatever little power would be consumed by an electronic switch would surely not have helped the environment. And the manual switch was noticeably cheaper.
The Switch
The 2x1 manual switch that I have is made of aluminum, is black in color, looks nice and has a hefty feel to it. The back panel has 2 HDMI inputs and one HDMI out. The inputs are clearly marked and well-spaced. The front has two translucent button, only one of which can be depressed at any given time. Depressing one of them makes another pop out. There is a red small "button" inside each of those buttons and when you depress the large button, the small red button inside it gets closer to the surface, indicating which input is currently selected. It works quite well.
There is no power supply to worry about.
Features
The switch lets you switch between two HDMI devices by pushing a corresponding button on its front panel. The device is passive, which means there should be no limitations on the kind of signal it can pass. I used it with up to 1080p resolution of video and different kinds of audio, including DVD-Audio in up to 192 kHz. Everything worked perfectly.
Operation
I have the switch sitting on top of the receiver. I have both DVD players connected to its inputs with 3-ft HDMI cables and the output jack has an HDMI cable that goes into my Panasonic SA-XR57 receiver's HDMI input. The receiver feeds the signal from its HDMI out to my 50-inch 1080p Hitachi plasma TV.
The switching is easy and the operation of the buttons is smooth. The buttons provide a feedback with a "click" sound when the switch happens (in addition to visual indication). The device is hefty enough and almost has enough friction to prevent itself from moving when you push the button, but not quite. No worries, the switching is still a one-hand operation since the device's case is not deep enough to prevent you from gripping the back of it with your index finger while pushing the button with your thumb. Frankly, it is so intuitive, you don't have to hesitate or think twice.
Picture Quality
I currently use 1080i for video output over HDMI, since my receiver likes this resolution. The box does not degrade the quality at all. Everything is razor sharp and clear. No playability issues either.
Audio and DVD-Audio
Everything plays as it should with no issues.
What I Like
Solid construction, nice front panel, ease of switching, low price, no power consumption or power supply, performance.
What I Dislike
N/A.
Bottom Line
If you need an HDMI switch that requires no power and don't mind pushing buttons on the switch itself, I highly recommend this switch.
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
dkozin
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 in Electronics |
 - Top 10 |
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Location: California
Reviews written: 838
Trusted by: 517 members
About Me:
I love to push buttons on electronic (audio and video) equipment. It makes me happy.
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