11 of The Best HDMI Splitters for Multiple Devices

Switch seamlessly between4K and HDwith one of these great HDMI splitters and switchers

The most convenient way to view various devices with only one screen is to buy yourself one of these best HDMI switchers, because you won’t find better value for money anywhere else. Our selection ranges from simple a three slot splitterall the way up to professional 8 port adaptorsthat advertisers and corporations use, to suit the needs of both home and business use. If you need an HDMI splitter or switch we’ve got the best of both on our list just to make sure you won’t miss out.

Comparison of the Top HDMI Switchers & Splitters

Picture	Model	Maximum Resolution	No. of Ports	Price	Our Rating
	Kinivo 501BN 5 Port HDMI Switch	1920 x 1080 (HD)	5	$	5
	Monoprice 5X1 Enhanced HDMI Switch	1920 x 1080 (HD)	5	$	4.99
	Etekcity 4K 4 Port High Speed HDMI Splitter	4096 x 2160 (4K)	4	$	4.97
	OREI HD-501 5x1 5-Port HDMI Powered Splitter	1920 x 1080 (HD)	5	$	4.96
	IOGEAR 3-Port HD Audio/Video Switch	1920 x 1080 (HD)	3	$	4.95
	MASSCOOL HS-MA103 Mini HDMI Amplifier Splitter	1920 x 1080 (HD)	3	$	4.92
	J-Tech Digital JTD-PRO-4x8 Switch & Splitter	4096 x 2160 (4K)	8	$$$	4.90
	Fosmon HD1832 Intelligent 5-Port HDMI Switch	1920 x 1080 (HD)	5	$	4.88
	Sewell 3x1 HDMI Switch	1920 x 1080 (HD)	3	$	4.87
	AV Access HDMI Extender	4096 x 2160 (4K)	1	$$$	4.84
	C&E Ultra High Performance HDMI Splitter	1920 x 1080 (HD)	3	$	4.80

1. Kinivo 501BN Premium 5 Port HDMI Splitter

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The Kinivo 501BN splitter is first up on our review of the best HDMI changers, with five high-speed HDMI inputs and one output. This hub is affordable at just under $40, and would be perfect for home or small office use. We found that one of the top features on this video adapter is the automatic active source switching and splitting, which essentially finds which HDMI connection is currently active and changes to it without you having to lift a finger. This is recommended if you only have one or two extra connections, because you will probably turn off your PlayStation when you arent using it, or likewise allow your satellite or cable decoder to stay in standby mode so it doesnt send signal to the powerful HDTV switch. If you do have more than one active hole running the project is still not a hassle to work at all the direct infrared (IR) remote works the same as an ordinary television controller

and you can work it from the comfort of your couch. You can also handle the buttons on any adapter if you find that you require to take a more hands-on approach, so thats three separate ways that you can utilize it! The resolution capabilities of the Kinivo 501BN are quite good, and this product aids both 3D and 1920 x 1080p HD resolutions. A good plus for this hub is that it is HD-CP 1.2 compliant, so you can handle it with PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 consoles to record visuals from gaming content or to do reviews. There is a 1-year warranty on this product, for any manufacturing or assembly faults, and the package includes an AC adaptor.

Why we liked it – for this review we think that having a five holes is good to account for the average household, and the high-speed HD capabilities of this changer are fantastic. The HD-CP compliance of this video divider is also great!

2. Monoprice 5X1 Enhanced HDMI Switch

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Our second item is the Monoprice Enhanced, another five gate input unit that aids full HD and has received huge ratings all round. The bandwidth of each HDMI port reaches 2. 5Gbps per channel, which works out to a total 7.5Gbps; these speeds are perfect for streaming or recording high frame rate visual from gameplay. The colour retention is near perfection with the Monoprice, because it has deep colour support up to 12 bits per channel as well as x.v. colour. Lets just say that youll be seeing a whole rainbow of crisp colours. In terms of the sound connection of it is support for HD audio (multichannel), particularly with DTSHD Master Audio as well as Dolby True HD. The Monoprice has an automatic activity detection, so you will not have to cycle through each slot if you only have one cord plugged in. There is a controller that comes with the Monoprice switcher, and there are also buttons next to each hole which you can apply to manually detect a source if you need to. The design of this divider model is quite thoughtful too in terms of placement Monoprice has put four slots at the back for extended utilization (such as a console and satellite connection) and then the fifth slot is on the face of the box for simple cable access for cell phones or other removable media. In summary our review of this product is that this is a good contender for the number one pick on our list, and would work perfectly for household or small business purposes.

Why we liked it –the HD-CP compliance is comprehensive on the Monoprice switcher, and so it will work with any screens and inputs that you can imagine. The controller and simple source buttons on the switch are a nice design touch, as is the single front facing slot for removable media.

3. Etekcity 4K 4 Port High Speed HDMI Splitter

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Sometimes having an extra female slot doesnt necessarily mean that you have a better device. The Etekcity 4K 4 slot switcher may have one less than our previous top items, but it has something that the others cant handle: ultra-HD (UHD) 4K! Each of the slots are all 4K and 3D ready, with perfect high-speed bandwidth and deep 48bit per pixel colour range to give you an unparalleled viewing experience. Not only can you change between one slot at a time, but the picture-in-picture (PIP) technology of the Etekcity 4K 4 slotHigh Speed HDMI Splitter lets you watch all four inputs on the same screen at the same time. The adapter can be operated with the IR controller or manually, but it also has an automatic setting to find an active port if only one cord is plugged in. On the direct controller you will find three acronyms which read as follows: IN1-IN4 (select active input), PIP (select picture-in-picture mode) and SEL (select secondary input). These buttons come in handy when you dont want to fiddle around with your wire set up for your home divider. This HDMI hub is HD-CP 1.4 compliant, which means that it can be used with just about any new items such as Roku, Apple TV, Blu-ray players and many more. Your purchase is also covered by a 1-year warranty provided by Etekcity, so theres no risk of losing your hard earned cash if it arrives faulty.

Why we liked it –in review, the quality of picture you will get with this adapter is the finest quality, because it has a greatcolour bit-rate per pixel and it aids the massive 4K viewing. Being able to view each individual channel on a single screen is also a great feature for this cable divider if youre struggling to remember which cord belongs to which of your projects.

4. OREI HD-501 5×1 5-Port HDMI Powered Splitter

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One of the less pricey high-quality accessories in our reviews comes from Orei, and this divider clocks in at only $34 even though it is a 5 slot model. While it doesnt have 4K ultra HD, it does reach a sharp 1920 x 1080p HD on all inputs and the single output channel. These devices works well with all HD televisions, Blu-ray platers, Apple TV and consoles. It has the functionality to handle both DDWG and HDCP compliance regulations for the more advanced or complicated gadgets that you might require to integrate with one another. You can set up a good streaming or recording connection using this adaptor it works at fast speeds, and weve found that it allows for really smooth and rich colourful video footage. With your purchase you get one 5 cord changer, an AC adaptor and a small controller. The remote-control works via short range infrared (IR), so you can control it from just about any nearby location if you have line of sight. In terms of fitting in with your electronic set up, this product has an original modern look that gives it a little bit more style than the other units. Our final bit of advice in this review is that if youre looking for a good working adaptor that looks great too, this would be the top product for you.

Why we liked it –this product is simple and it is competitively priced for the amount of slots it offers. The sleek look of this powerful HDTV switcher is also a nice feature because you might not even want to hide it away near the back of your television.

5. IOGEAR 3-Port HD Audio/Video HDMI Switch

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The IOGEAR is a rather small product, but dont let its size fool you this little bit of technology has some powerful capabilities. The control hub can take 3 separate inputs which each support consoles, media servers, DVD and DVR players, Blu-ray players, set top boxes, computers and much more. The computer compatibility of this fantastic splitter, as it aids all viewing options from 480 to 1080p (HD) in VGA, SVGA, XGA, SXGA and WUXGA. It is even backwards compatible with DVI if you want to handle a converter or adaptor to change the cable on your switch hub output. No matter what type of presentation or screen youre running with your PC set up, this little switcher has you covered. While doing our testing for this review we immediately thought that this would be the perfect adaptor for YouTubers and gamers, because it can run your console, PC and television all at once if you require it to, all in full HD. There is no power required for this item, as it connects to your screen or computer via USB. Some benefits of the USB connection include saving space and not having to run a long cable to a wall socket or finding a convenient place that has a wall socket in the first place. To operate, simply turn it on to utilize the manual buttons, or you can apply the controller if you prefer easier access.

Why we liked it –the advanced compatibility with computer resolutions is a unique feature of this video switcher which sets it apart from the rest. The fact that it is backwards compatible with DVI connections tells us that this is going to be a go-to product for gamers.

6.MASSCOOL HS-MA103 Mini HDMI Amplifier Splitter

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The sixth splitter we just had to review was the MASSCOOL HS-MA103 Mini HDMI Amplifier Splitter, which is a HDMI switcher and extender all in one. The extender for this switch is an infrared receiver that you can place somewhere convenient in your house so that you can get the perfect signal for using the remote-control. The hub has an intelligent automatic shift to select the active channel, but you can also use the remote-control or the manual buttons on there to change which cord is giving input. The visual resolution is up to 1080p HD, with 1.3b HDMI support and 250MHz or 2.5 Gbps bandwidth per channel. While applying this shifter we noticed that the colour retention is great, as it supports a total of 36-bit deep colour pixels too. You can adopt this model for gaming and watchingsatellite television because of the DCP pass-through, and the sound quality is truly the top because of the HD uncompressed audio, including LPCM, DTS, Dolby True HD and more.

Why we liked it –the extender for this adaptor is a nice feature for larger rooms similar to lounges or long bedrooms, and it can make life so much easier and more comfortable. The HD sound and video quality truly impressed us for this review too, as did the DCP pass-through technology which makes your streaming and visual recording for smooth gaming.

7.J-Tech Digital JTD-PRO-4×8 Switch & Splitter

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The J-Tech Digital JTD-PRO-4×8 Switch really should hit the top of our review for its massive out-put capacity of 8 HDMI ports, and astounding AWG26 HDMI cable extensions of up to 66ft (20 metres), but the single set back is the big price tag. This beast of a machine has the latest technology for each port, including support for video screen previews, 3D video in 2K and 4K resolutions, MHL input at 1080p HD, and much more. You need to make sure that both your screen and the device youre working with in the input port is 3D compatible for this feature to work, so it is good to keep this in mind. In terms of audio this massive hub has DTS HD support, as well as Dolby True HD, LPCM7.1, DTS, Dolby AC3 and DSD compatible software. No matter what type of audio / video stream youre running you can be assured that this divider delivers the very finest, sharpest quality. This J-Tech control has DCP 1.4 compliance for recording live video directly from your screen, MHL 2.0 compliance for port number 3 and a specified HDMI 1.4b driver. Apart from the great resolutions and being able to fit these regulations, this divider has 3 hole on-chip EDID RAM, and 3 hole on-chip programmable active or passive DDC. The technical support and warranty for this model is up to one year, so if anything goes wrong in that time you are fully covered for a free replacement.

Why we liked it –this switcher is the biggest on our list, and it can deliver a powerful service in almost any situation. From the 4K HD video to the HD audio capabilities, this adaptor is truly an investment for the AV fanatic.

8.Fosmon HD1832 Intelligent 5 Port HDMI Switch

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The Fosmon HD1832 Intelligent 5 Port is a clever unit that has five channels. This product can connect five various gadgets into one HD T.V., and it delivers crisp 1080p HD video across all five channels. It can automatically detect the source thats working and change to it, but it also has a functioning remote-control and manual buttons you can use. This little box does support 3D video as long as each of the inputs and outputs also support 3D visuals. For full HD we found that this it can handle Blu-Ray, PS3, Xbox 360, HD DVD, HD DVR, satellite set-top boxes, as well as some streaming boxes similar to Roku. Adaptors similar to this are a good purchase for a household that has a lot of various entertainment systems, because having a 5 slotchanger really helps you to keep your games room neat and tidy. There is even an infrared range extender included in the package, as well as an AC energy adaptor. These are some great additions to an already exciting product.

Why we liked it –these brilliant products has a good number of HD slots to plug in different gadgets, and the high definition audio-visual gives the Fosmon some good ratings.

9.Sewell 3×1 HDMI Switch

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Apart from being able to deliver perfect HD 1080p videos, the Sewell HDMI Switch has a special trick up its sleeve it doesnt need any external power at all. Yes, you read that right. This unit works off of the energy provided by the HDMI cords themselves, so you dont take up extra space and energy running a energy cord from the wall or having to adopt a special USB adapter. The plug and play similar to this is a convenient function that is entirely hassle free, all you have to do is hook up a cable to each device and away you go. On both ends of these devices, you can run 16 metre cables to extend the reach of the connections. This is great if you have to centralise your hub in order to reach two rooms at once. The support that comes with these adaptors is for HDMI 1.3b which is a slightly less updated version, but this will work well for most modern products regardless. The ports are high speed, working at a fast 2.5Gbps, and they also support the DCP work around for recording visuals and sound live from your screen without having to run a separate microphone.

Why we liked it –the energy is provided by the HDMI cord, so it doesnt have any extra power. This cuts down on your plug space and energy usage tremendously, and ensures that your excellent cable divider will always work when your gadgets have power.

10.AV AccessHDMI Extender

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For something unconventionalwe wanted review the AV Access HDMI Extender. The resolution out-put of these is 4K ultra HD, not to mention that it can handle 24 60Hz frequency. Unlike the other accessories on our list these units offer two various out-puts one HDMI and one HDBT production. Along with the HD screen you have HD audio, and this supports 5.1 and 7.1 surround sound, Dolby True HD, DTS HD Master audio and more. These each have an Ethernet hole for smooth connection to computers and networks, but with this package you get a ton of various goodies: one 4KEX100-L TX unit, one 4KEX100-L RX unit, a free energy supply, an infrared emitter, a wide-band infrared receiver, 2 pairs of mounting ears, 2 three-pin phoenix connectors and a user manual to make sure you get all of the instructions you need. You can mount these boxes on the wall behind your television for the greatest possible positioning, and its perfectly safe to do so as they are completely surge protected by ESD +/-8kV by air-gap discharge, and +/- 4kV by contact discharge. This is one of the longest lasting warranties we have in our review, at 3 years with full customer service. This double pack is truly a bargain!

Why we liked it –this pair has the most extra connections you will find on any of them out there. It has two separate outputs which is unique, and it can work with super high 4K HD!

11.C&E Ultra High Performance HDMI Splitter

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Last but not least we have our review of the X, a high performance HDMI divider that supports full 1080p HD at 250MHz / 2.5Gbps per channel. This unit has three input slots and one out-put, which each support high quality sound visuals for Xbox, PlayStation, SKY-STB, cable television and more. The switching between channels is simple with the intelligent-auto function, or there is a manual and remote-operation that you can utilize too. Apart from 1080p definition you can apply this for, it also includes 3D videos support by HDMI 1.3b, provided that all of the components work with 3D. In terms of sound, the uncompressed audio decoding aids DTS and all Dolby tech, which each emit clear and crisp sound. If you want to utilize this product as an HDCP workaround youre in luck, because these adaptors havea H-DCP pass-thorough to smite those irritating error messages.

Why we liked it –this is great for home use, similar to PlayStation recording and linking various consoles into the same T.V. It is nice and small so it will save space and wont look too bulky near your other electronics. It is also very simple to use.

What are HDMI Switchers Used For?

HMDI switchers are used to view various products working with only one screen, one at a time. There are various reasons why you would want to apply one of these items, for all manner of work and pleasure, but owning an switcher is all about convenience. Less hassle and more free time spend relaxing in front of your favourite shows! Below are a few applications of HDMI switchers:

Multiple PCs: when you are working with two or more computers you might want to utilize of of the items mentioned, instead of buying fully kitted computers, so that you can spare costs on the screen and other products. The HDMI switch will allow you to seamlessly shift from working on one computer to another without having to leave your seat; for example, if you run a dedicated server from one PC you probably wont have to access it that often, but when you do it would be better to not have to scramble underneath your desk to connect your screen to it. Instead of buying a brand new keyboard, mouse and other peripheral products, you can simply work from a wireless set that you change from one computer to another as often as you need to. This can save time because you arent having to change cables over, it can save space and money because you wont have to find a place for an extra monitor.

Streaming: if you want to be able to watch streamed content from a media devices such as a Roku box, you might have a compatibility problem with your T.V. screen, and this is where a HDMI switcher comes in handy. You can plug your T.V. in to the switch, and plug the product into the Roku device, and this bypasses the HD-CP limitations on either of your devices. You can change between watching regular wired television and your favourite streaming sites similar to Netflix with just the touch of a button. Although it is not strictly legal, you can also link up your changer to a computer and record live television through the HCP workaround. You could have a laptop, desktop pc, cable television, Roku device and a PlayStation all plugged in to the same product, and this will be far easier than having to get behind your T.V. each time you want to change the display to a separate source.

 

Gaming / Live Streaming: some people dream of making a living from showing off their gaming expertise and sense of humour to the online community, but there is one problem that often stands in the way. The large issue that console gamers and YouTubers have is not being able to link their PlayStation or Xbox up to the television with an HDMI cable because the gadgets are not compatible with one another.

This oversight can be accounted for the streaming problem, although the video feed is being blocked from exporting signal rather than importing it. Instead of not being able to get your game to display on the screen, you will not be able to get your video to stream live out to a site similar to YouTube or Twitch. This gadget changer allows you to get around the problem and stream right from your PlayStation or Xbox while you play, so that you can give live commentary instead of having to add recorded voice later on during editing. This will make your content more genuine, and you can react to game-play in real time!

Image / Video Editing: if you work on creative or commercial content in the imaging or cinematographic world, working on two computers can be very useful. Having an HDMI switch that you can utilize to refer back to your source imagery or a previous run of your video will save you a lot of free time and energy that you would be utilizing between windows on a single PC. Another advantage of having two computers in these lines of work is that you have more free processing energy devoted to single tasks. Instead of having one computer take on the load of all your programs, you can have two less powerful computers that you assign several uses for. One can be for creating a database of your content, and the other can be for editing it, or simply as a backup should anything go wrong with your core files.

Surveillance: keeping security camera footage is a big job in the modern world, and working with a whole system of cameras and computers can often get messy. Especially if you have hqsurveillance equipment and want to install your own private system, having a changer will let you automatically run through the displays of these various cameras. If you are ever unsure about how to get a surveillance system to work you can always go through a company, but the less people you grant access to your footage and your security the better!

As you can see there are lots of varied uses for the HDMI switcher, so no matter who you are, this is an essential tool for the digital age.

What is the difference between HDMI Switchers and Splitters?

The HDMI switcher as we described above is intended to change between various unique inputs, for example from watching regular television to your Xbox One when you want to play games, to your laptop when you want to watch your family holiday movie. Using a switcher is helpful in that you dont have to get up and change the HDMI cable between your screen and the various gadgets each time, and this saves you a lot of extra effort.

Key feature: many inputs, one output.

A HDMIcontrol works nearly the exact opposite way around it takes a single input, and splits that feed up into several outputs. When you want to have a lot of screens showing the same video or image, you would utilize an HDMI splitter instead of a switch.

Key feature: one input, various outputs.

So now that you know what these two bits of technology do, you may be wondering where one of these would be useful if it can only duplicate one single data feed. There are three main areas that we can imagine.

Home having a T.V. screen in your lounge and your bedroom might be a reason to get an adaptor, because it will save you from doubling the cost of your subscription to whichever satellite company you are with. Say you have a teenage child who wants to be able to watch the same television programmes as you, but they would rather have the comfort of their own bed. This application can give them their personal space without much extra cost to you, but be prepared for nagging if youre watching something they find totally boring.

Business think of a conference room that you want to fill with various screens all playing a company video. Instead of setting up a complex Local Area Network (LAN) to computers that would have to be linked up to the monitors, you could simply feed a single input into an HDMI hub. That way you would have all of the screens synchronised perfectly to one another, and you could make the IT departments life much easier.

Mass Advertising have you ever been in a mall where there are endless screens playing the same adverts all day long in perfect harmony? Theyre probably using a great splitter, because it simply wouldnt be cost effective to dedicate a media player to each screen when nobody will be maintaining them day after day. Having a streamlined product makes streaming advertising at large locations including malls and public attractions a much more manageable task.

If you can think of another application for a hub why not let us know in the comments below? Wed be interested to have your take on where else they could be put to use.

Do All HDMI Switchers Need Power?

Yes, all HDMI switchers require some power source or other in order to work, because they constantly want to feed electrical signal from the various inputs to the outputs. If there was no power provided, there could be no flow of data in the HDMI cables, and this would be beside the point. There are three main types of power that we can see in HDMI switchers, including Alternating Current (AC), Universal Serial Bus (USB) as well as battery power which is less prevalent.

AC (Wall Socket)

Benefits: these are the most reliable energy sources because they come directly from the house or business power sockets. These are perfect for long term fixtures of these hubs because they will be able to operate as long as they are plugged in, and dont have to be near a USB port.

Drawbacks: these are slightly more space consuming, and need to continually be plugged in so that they can work. If the energy fails, a unit on AC power will immediately shut off. This may not be a problem if you have a generator that you apply in the event of an emergency, but it can put a strain on things if you have limited energy adaptors when an outage occurs.

USB (Cable)

Benefits: whenever the display has power, your switch will have power, so you wont have to worry about forgetting to turn on the wall plug. This saves space and keeps your cable hub close to the other devices youre pairing it with.

Drawbacks: if you have no USB ports on your television or screen, you will want to power this type of changer with a laptop or power bank, which is a big draw back in terms of convenience and cost. You will also have to keep the switch rather close to the screen if it does have a USB slot, because USB cables are traditionally rather short.

Battery

Benefits: these units are portable because they dont want to work with a wall plug or a separate USB wire, but they will inevitably be linked to the screen and other devices you want them to work with. You can work with battery powered units when there are no wall sockets or ample extensions around (such as outdoors), and still get the convenience of splitting or switching your HDMI signal.

Drawbacks: batteries can die, and replacing them can get expensive. You could buy rechargeable batteries to reduce your cost, but you are then looking at having to rotate sets of charging batteries to make sure you have some ready when the others fail. Battery pack units are most suited being left for intermittent professional use, not home or business where you will need a more permanent solution.

Understanding HDCP & HDMI Switchers

High-bandwidth Digital Content Protection is a legal standard that prevents gadgets from pairing in order to make sure that no video or sound content is being recorded. Because many older gadgets will not be HD-CP compliant they will simply show up with an error message and not allow you to control your console or streaming.

This can even happen when both your input and out are HD-CP compliant, for example with the PlayStation 3 and Playstation 4, which prevent you from being able to live stream content directly from your television to your YouTube channel, or directly into a capture program on your computer. The result is that you will end up with poor quality video from using a VGA cable or an external capture card in your computer, and this will be as good as trying to start up YouTube channel with a point and shoot camera. The footage will be separate from the sound that you record if youre providing commentary, and the whole experience will be frustrating to say the least. You want to be able to have the ability to record HD and even ultra-high definition (UHD, otherwise known as 4K) to really make a splash in the market these days.

High-bandwidth Content Protection technology is in place so that piracy doesnt occur from recording live or recorded television shows, movies and other copy-write protected content. DCP is intended to prevent people from stealing content that other people pay to watch, but as we have mentioned it can get in the way of otherwise legal activities such as streaming your console gaming to YouTube or Twitch, or even recording your own videos from your console for later playback to show your friends.

You might be wondering why you dont have this problem when you plug your laptop into the television with your HDMI cable, and the answer is rather simple. Personal computers usually do not need to be DCP compliant because they are thought to operate largely with your own content, and because of this they are less likely to require HD-CP. The problem arises when you have external tool that can connect to televisions or monitors, because this is where the compatibility issues begin. Over at HowToAV.tv, you can learn more about the technical aspects to HD-CP and why it poses problems to users:

One topic that the guys at HowToAV do not seem to talk about as in depth as they could have done is to discuss how to bypass the HD-CP issue. A great way to overcome it is by using an appropriate changer, because these do not show up as problems. Even when you dont require more than one connection, using the right switches can override the HD-CP protocol of a screen to allow you to record footage directly from the T.V. screen in the highest pixel rate possible. Say goodbye to bad quality recordings: with these accessories you will soon be happily streaming and creating content!

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