HDMI Splitter
Using an HDMI interface, you can easily transmit digital audio or video from one device to another, while the HDMI Splitter allows you to transmit the same signal, both audio and video, to more than one monitor, video projector, or TV screen at the same time. The HDMI Splitter could have a two, four, or eight ports, and two by two and four by four matrix formats are available as well. The HDMI Splitter is ideal if you need to connect a large number of devices since it reduces the number of cables and makes your setup less messy.
Most splitters have built-in signal boosters, which allows for more complicated connections, where one or more of the receiving devices are quite far from the source. For instance, you can have a setup, where one DVD sends signals to two TV sets, each one in a different room; keep in mind that the HDMI cables should be able to send superb quality audio and video in 10meters, even up to 15 meters distance, but anything above that requires a booster/repeater. Even your application calls for it, you can also chain or cascade a number of HDMI Splitters and connect numerous devices for larger HDMI distribution. The HDMI technology supports all PC and TV video formats and can distribute 720p, 1080i, and 1080p and even 1440p, 1600p, 2160p video signals. Of course, at the time of this writing, even content in 1080p is hardly ever available, and most HD broadcasters still use 710p, while 1080p is supported only on Blu-ray and by some video on demand providers.
What devices can you connect with a HDMI splitter?
HD DVD, Blu-ray Disc, personal computers (hardware dependent), set top boxes, camcorders, and gaming consoles such as Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 can be connected to PC monitors, video projectors, and TVs. Many of the latest camcorders are also HDMI-ready and come shipped with mini-HDMI cables, while even old TV sets could be used with the help of digital-to-analog converters known as scalers. When buying a splitter, you need to be aware of the fact the really cheap ones could be quite a disappointment and not be able to deliver on their promise. If you want to spend just a few pounds on a splitter, there is a good chance that you would be disappointed and end up with poor audio and video quality. A top of the range HDMI Splitter is well worth investing it, considering that they are relatively inexpensive, and would give you better setup with fewer cables and superb sound and picture!