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HDMI 2.1 compliant switches

th4tguy

Member
My current living room tv is an Old Sony Bravia from 2008. It's seen better days and I'm definitely looking to upgrade. Because of my setup, I had to run 25ft of hdmi 2.0 cable to hook up to this old TV. This along with an hdmi 2.0 compliant switch, I thought I was future proofing mysetup for a future upgrade.
I was wrong.
Now I need an hdmi switch for my bedroom and I would like to simply get an hdmi 2.1 compliant switch for the living room and move the old 2.0 switch to the bedroom.
Problem is, I can't find any. Is anyone aware if there are any 2.1 compliant switches? Am I just bad at this? Is it even a good time to buy one since a lot of 2.1 tvs seem to have so many problems with the standard?
 

th4tguy

Member
I'd advise waiting 6 months. It seems like the fucking wild west for this stuff right now.

It was a pain for me just getting a 5 metre 2.1 cable for my 3080 to my tv.
I was afraid of that. I still need a switch for the bedroom so I guess I'll just try to find a cheap but good one to use.
 
I was afraid of that. I still need a switch for the bedroom so I guess I'll just try to find a cheap but good one to use.

From looking it seems like 2.1 switches don't exist yet. I expect the first wave to be fucking expensive too. I know the first AV receivers just coming out which are 2.1 compliant are super expensive. With PS5 and TVs rolling out with it now - it still might be 12 months before things make sense.
 

jshackles

Gentlemen, we can rebuild it. We have the capability to make the world's first enhanced store. Steam will be that store. Better than it was before.
I looked and looked and looked for one about a week ago, wasn't able to find anything.
 

jaysius

Banned
HDMI Switches will probably always be a nightmare with HDCP issues, it sounds like you're just throwing bad money on top of worse money and generally ending up abusing your wallet.

There has to be a smarter way to set up whatever the hell you're trying to setup.

Also, not sure if you knew this, but if you put a TV in your bedroom you're subconsciously changing what the function of the room is, many people are doing this, but it's not a smart move, bedrooms are FOR SLEEPING and FUCKING, maybe READING(not a cellphone or tablet) to lul yourself to sleep. Just because tons of people do this, doesn't mean it's the smart thing to do.


With all the bandwidth that these features consume, the HDMI Forum is continuing on with their 48 Gbps Ultra High Speed HDMI Cable, with its own as-yet unreleased logo and color requirements. Formerly known as the 48G cable, it remains backwards compatible with previous HDMI standards, features low EMI emission, and comes in the existing Type A, C, and D connector flavors. While the specification does not describe cable length, HDMI Licensing considers 2 to 3 meters as the maximum length for passive cables. In addition to passive cables, the specification permits wire, active, and converter Category 3 cable assemblies.
HDMI 2.1 Specification Released: Variable Refresh, Dynamic HDR, & More In 2018 (anandtech.com)

Even the standard isn't suited for super long runs of cables 3m= ~10 feet. What this means, is there is signal loss and other issues that can appear with LONGER than 10FT cables, if you're using a longer cable and you don't notice anything is wrong, then great, but a more closer look would more than likely reveal issues, and perhaps the gear that is being connected is of a lower quality so the difference wouldn't be noticeable.... ignorance IS bliss.
 
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Moogle11

Banned
Yeah, it's still a mess with AVRs having issues with 2.1 and there aren't any compliant switches that I'm aware of.

I'd just wait it out and deal with swapping cables for a while until that's ironed out. Thankfully my TV (Sony X900h) has two HDMI 2.1 ports and the PS5 and XSX are the only devices I have that need them. My AVR is ancient (and little used other than cable as I game with headphones) and doesn't even do 4K passthrough much less 2.1 features, but I was just able to run an optical cable from the TV to it to get sound to the speakers when needed while having all my 4K stuff hooked up directly to the TV.

I may upgrade the AVR down the road when 2.1 issues are sorted out and there are some cheaper ones that support it and I have a third 2.1 device I need to hook up (Switch successor maybe?). Or I may just scrap it and get a sound bar since I so rarely use surround sound anymore and get a cheap switcher.

Also, not sure if you knew this, but if you put a TV in your bedroom you're subconsciously changing what the function of the room is, many people are doing this, but it's not a smart move, bedrooms are FOR SLEEPING and FUCKING, maybe READING(not a cellphone or tablet) to lul yourself to sleep. Just because tons of people do this, doesn't mean it's the smart thing to do.

Definitely true, and the wife and I have never had a TV in the bedroom in any of the houses we've lived together in. That said, not everyone has the luxury of affording a house with enough space for a couple of TVs in other rooms. And we definitely need that as she has a ton of shows she watches and I do a ton of gaming (and watching my own shows, sports etc.) so we need our own set ups. We're also both very introverted and need lots of space and alone time. So if we ever had to be stuck living in a one bedroom apartment, we'd definitely need a TV in the bedroom and one in the living room and would just need rules about it only being used by one of us when the other is using the living room to minimize negative impacts on sleep, sex etc.
 

jaysius

Banned
Definitely true, and the wife and I have never had a TV in the bedroom in any of the houses we've lived together in. That said, not everyone has the luxury of affording a house with enough space for a couple of TVs in other rooms. And we definitely need that as she has a ton of shows she watches and I do a ton of gaming (and watching my own shows, sports etc.) so we need our own set ups. We're also both very introverted and need lots of space and alone time. So if we ever had to be stuck living in a one bedroom apartment, we'd definitely need a TV in the bedroom and one in the living room and would just need rules about it only being used by one of us when the other is using the living room to minimize negative impacts on sleep, sex etc.

The thing about the impact is that it's bigger than anyone suffering it thinks, because of how low and base the level it strikes, so that it's fucking your mind deeply and you can't even figure it out or overtly notice it, but it's doing plenty of mind fucking.


Why You Need To Get The TV Out Of Your Bedroom | HuffPost Australia Refresh (huffingtonpost.com.au)

"I think the bedroom is always an important place to be aware of, and I think people ignore that fact and don't put any thought into the bedroom environment," Dr Dev Banerjee, sleep specialist at Integrated Sleep Health, told HuffPost Australia.
"The bedroom should be for sleep, and therefore should be a cosy sort of place, removed from all the hullabaloo of the day. Because our lives are so busy, with so much stuff going on, you want to have a timeout zone.
"Bringing all those daytime thoughts and busy brains into the bedroom is not going to be conducive to a good night's sleep."

You can find a fuck ton of information from specialists and experts on why not to have a TV in your bedroom.
 
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th4tguy

Member
HDMI Switches will probably always be a nightmare with HDCP issues, it sounds like you're just throwing bad money on top of worse money and generally ending up abusing your wallet.

There has to be a smarter way to set up whatever the hell you're trying to setup.

Also, not sure if you knew this, but if you put a TV in your bedroom you're subconsciously changing what the function of the room is, many people are doing this, but it's not a smart move, bedrooms are FOR SLEEPING and FUCKING, maybe READING(not a cellphone or tablet) to lul yourself to sleep. Just because tons of people do this, doesn't mean it's the smart thing to do.



HDMI 2.1 Specification Released: Variable Refresh, Dynamic HDR, & More In 2018 (anandtech.com)

Even the standard isn't suited for super long runs of cables 3m= ~10 feet. What this means, is there is signal loss and other issues that can appear with LONGER than 10FT cables, if you're using a longer cable and you don't notice anything is wrong, then great, but a more closer look would more than likely reveal issues, and perhaps the gear that is being connected is of a lower quality so the difference wouldn't be noticeable.... ignorance IS bliss.
Wife uses the TV in the bedroom for casting workouts. I picked up Ring Fit and a new dock so she can do that on the same tv as well. Otherwise, the TV generally doesn't get used. By the time we get to bed, it's lights out.
 

jaysius

Banned
Wife uses the TV in the bedroom for casting workouts. I picked up Ring Fit and a new dock so she can do that on the same tv as well. Otherwise, the TV generally doesn't get used. By the time we get to bed, it's lights out.
Well shit, if you're using this cable for Switch then get another dock. This will solve the long chord that won't really fix anything and keep everyone "happy".

Another dock isn't a cheap expense I know, but it's a solution that will work better in the long run than a "futureproofed" length of cord that isn't recommended by the body that certifies and creates the technology.

It's that the TV is THERE that creates the impact.
 
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th4tguy

Member
Well shit, if you're using this cable for Switch then get another dock. This will solve the long chord that won't really fix anything and keep everyone "happy".

It's that the TV is THERE that creates the impact.
I did get another dock. For the tv in the bed room. Now I have two docks. One in the bedroom and one in the Living room. My question wasn't about finding a cable. It was about finding an hdmi switch so my tv with a lack of hdmi ports can accommodate a chromecast and switch dock at the same time.
 

Moogle11

Banned
The thing about the impact is that it's bigger than anyone suffering it thinks, because of how low and base the level it strikes, so that it's fucking your mind deeply and you can't even figure it out or overtly notice it, but it's doing plenty of mind fucking.

Why You Need To Get The TV Out Of Your Bedroom | HuffPost Australia Refresh (huffingtonpost.com.au)

You can find a fuck ton of information from specialists and experts on why not to have a TV in your bedroom.

Like I said, I get all that and we've avoided it. I just also know that we couldn't do a one TV household as we both have our own interests and need lots of alone time, so I'm sure others are in the same boat and just aren't fortunate enough to afford a big enough place to have two TV setups without one in the bedroom.

That said, it's moot for us. I'd rather get divorced than ever have to cram into a 1-bedroom apartment with my wife or anyone else. Did that once with an ex back in college and it didn't go well. I need my own space to be happy and would rather be single than crammed into a small place with no room to myself with someone else.

I will note, I think it's hard to make generalities on all this. My hobbies and interests are largely in playing games, watching movies and shows, watching sports and reading. I'm by far happiest when I have more time to focus on those things and quickly get wiped, stressed and burnt out with too much forced socialization/connection--even with my wife who's one of the few people I can be around for extended amounts of time without being miserable. So a TV in the bedroom would probably affect us less as we're both very introverted and independent people who don't have an ounce of co-dependency and who could be nearly as happy single and together. We've just never wanted it since we've only lived in 4 bedroom houses were we each have our own room (plus a living room) were we could have TVs and have our own spaces. Others are very different and need a lot more connection and a TV in the bedroom--or just spending as much time in separate rooms as we do-would make them miserable. And that's more common than us as humans are social animals and my wife and I are just outliers as extreme introverts who largely hate people and love being alone.
 

Moogle11

Banned
I did get another dock. For the tv in the bed room. Now I have two docks. One in the bedroom and one in the Living room. My question wasn't about finding a cable. It was about finding an hdmi switch so my tv with a lack of hdmi ports can accommodate a chromecast and switch dock at the same time.

If it's for Switch and Chromecast then you don't need a Switch that does HDMI 2.1. Just get any cheap Switch that does 4K for the Chromecast. Worry about a 2.1 switch down the road when you have devices that need them and some are out and hopefully cheap by then.
 

jaysius

Banned
If it's for Switch and Chromecast then you don't need a Switch that does HDMI 2.1. Just get any cheap Switch that does 4K for the Chromecast. Worry about a 2.1 switch down the road when you have devices that need them and some are out and hopefully cheap by then.

Completely agree.

The HDMI spec is going pretty fast right now, from 2.0 to 2.1, far faster than when we were all using 1.4 which was king for a very very long time.

Futureproofing is a great idea, but in this case getting a cheap hdmi 2.0 switch is the answer.

Some HDMI 2.0 switches are only $20 CND which I'm sure is cheaper in whatever country you reside.
 
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th4tguy

Member
If it's for Switch and Chromecast then you don't need a Switch that does HDMI 2.1. Just get any cheap Switch that does 4K for the Chromecast. Worry about a 2.1 switch down the road when you have devices that need them and some are out and hopefully cheap by then.
Read the OP
I want to use the hdmi switch I have in the living room for the upstairs and replace it with an HDMI 2.1 switch for future proofing mysetup. For when I update my living room tv.
 

th4tguy

Member
Completely agree.

The HDMI spec is going pretty fast right now, from 2.0 to 2.1, far faster than when we were all using 1.4 which was king for a very very long time.

Futureproofing is a great idea, but in this case getting a cheap hdmi 2.0 switch is the answer.

Some HDMI 2.0 switches are only $20 CND which I'm sure is cheaper in whatever country you reside.
That is what I ended up doing. Picked up a decently reviewed 2.0 switch. Will just need to re evaluate the living room setup when I do pull the trigger on a new tv. May not even need the hdmi switch at that point as I just remembered, most modern tvs have ROKU/ Chromcast/ etc as part of the TV OS. Yes, all of my tvs are that old.
 
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jaysius

Banned
That is what I ended up doing. Picked up a decently reviewed 2.0 switch. Will just need to re evaluate the living room setup when I do pull the trigger on a new tv. May not even need the hdmi switch at that point as I just remembered, most modern tvs have ROKU/ Chromcast/ etc as part of the TV OS. Yes, all of my tvs are that old.

Indeed, if you're looking for a TV to hang onto for a very long time, then maybe hold off until at least the next CES to see where the trends are going. I don't see HDMI 2.1 sticking around as long as 1.4 did.
 

Moogle11

Banned
Read the OP
I want to use the hdmi switch I have in the living room for the upstairs and replace it with an HDMI 2.1 switch for future proofing mysetup. For when I update my living room tv.

Sorry I missed that.

Advice is still the same though. For get that plan for now and just buy a cheap 2.0 switch for upstairs now as 2.1 is a shitshit show and we’re probably months away from a fully compliant 2.1 switch and the first ones will likely be pricey.
 

th4tguy

Member
Sorry I missed that.

Advice is still the same though. For get that plan for now and just buy a cheap 2.0 switch for upstairs now as 2.1 is a shitshit show and we’re probably months away from a fully compliant 2.1 switch and the first ones will likely be pricey.
Yeah, once I remembered that most modern tv's have built in streaming services, I realized I may not even need the hdmi switch.
 

Moogle11

Banned
Yeah, once I remembered that most modern tv's have built in streaming services, I realized I may not even need the hdmi switch.

True. And they’re much better than they used to be as most now are Roku or Android TV etc rather than on the generic TV maker software. I still use my Apple TV as I’m used to it, but the apps/Android TV part of my Sony X900 is very good and would be fine to use.
 

MrMephistoX

Member
I’ve used HDMI switches and finally found one that worked with my newer Bravis last gen...but it didn’t work with PS5 and my series X to the point where I thought I got a dud PS5 so I stopped using it.

Kind of sucks because my Bravia only allows HDR on 2 inputs so for now I’m sacrificing my Apple TV on the non HDR port with both consoles hooked up.

PC monitor though? No problem at all.
 
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Nester99

Member
Sorry OP, i cant find one either.

I need a 4x2

I have 2 TV's side by side and want to be able to switch the inputs from one to the other with no unplugging.
 
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