http://hd.engadget.com/2008/06/04/tvone-busts-out-two-new-hdmi-switchers-four-distribution-amplif/ Engadget HD Comments for TVOne busts out two new HDMI switchers, four distribution amplifiers http://hd.engadget.com/media/feedlogo.gif http://hd.engadget.com en-us Copyright 2009 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/http://hd.engadget.com/2008/06/04/tvone-busts-out-two-new-hdmi-switchers-four-distribution-amplif/http://hd.engadget.com/2008/06/04/tvone-busts-out-two-new-hdmi-switchers-four-distribution-amplif/
For example, a quick search took me to "ebuyhd.com" where I found this:
http://www.ebuyhd.com/products/product.asp?c_id=101&cp_id=10110&cs_id=1011002&p_id=4571&seq=1&format=2&style=
4-input HDMI 1.3a switcher for $40.

and this:
http://www.ebuyhd.com/products/product.asp?c_id=101&cp_id=10110&cs_id=1011002&p_id=4088&seq=1&format=2&style=
4-input HDMI 1.3b?? switcher for $40 with remote and built-in equalizer

or just go here:
http://www.ebuyhd.com/products/subdepartment.asp?c_id=101&cp_id=10110&style=
to see the whole list of products.

Compared to this post's $145 for a 2-input and $195 for a 4-input HDMI switcher, I can't imagine what the differences could be.

Perhaps, in the future, can engadgetHD at least note the very high prices of the posted products? Or, alternatively, tell us what about these products makes them worth 5x the price of cheap versions?]]>Jun 5th 2008 2:15AMhttp://hd.engadget.com/2008/06/04/tvone-busts-out-two-new-hdmi-switchers-four-distribution-amplif/http://hd.engadget.com/2008/06/04/tvone-busts-out-two-new-hdmi-switchers-four-distribution-amplif/
There are a whole lot of factors that make one HDMI device different than another. Buy what you want, but don't tell me your Vizio is as good as my NEC, and don't tell me your Monoprice switch is as good as my TVOne, Key Digital, Audio Authority, Gefen, etc.]]>Jun 5th 2008 9:27AMhttp://hd.engadget.com/2008/06/04/tvone-busts-out-two-new-hdmi-switchers-four-distribution-amplif/http://hd.engadget.com/2008/06/04/tvone-busts-out-two-new-hdmi-switchers-four-distribution-amplif/Jun 5th 2008 9:29AMhttp://hd.engadget.com/2008/06/04/tvone-busts-out-two-new-hdmi-switchers-four-distribution-amplif/http://hd.engadget.com/2008/06/04/tvone-busts-out-two-new-hdmi-switchers-four-distribution-amplif/
TrentD suggested that these cheap versions will be uncertified and have worse compatibility, but both products I link do say they are fully HDMI 1.3(a/b) certified. I don't know what the certification process entails, but I'd assume being 1.3a certified would imply compatibility with all 1.3a and earlier devices, and a proven capability to properly transmit the full bandwidth of the signal. I'm not sure what could go wrong when splitting/transmitting a digital signal...but I've still got no concrete reason why the devices Engadget has posted are better at doing so.

With a TV, I can understand the difference between a cheap and an expensive set: there are specs like "contrast ratio," "pixel response time" and "color accuracy" to care about....what can really be wrong with a fully certified switch box for HDMI signals? Is it possible for a certified device to mess up the digital signal somehow, and still be "certified"?

I guess you can complain about grammar on the website...but a re-seller with a lazy website doesn't imply lousy products. I've seen plenty of misspellings on the store-printed labels for products at all types of brick-and-mortar shops...that doesn't mean the products are crap.

Even if service from the website was lousy -- is that worth a 5x price premium?

Anybody able to tell me something specific about why these 5x more expensive products are actually better, if indeed they are?]]>Jun 5th 2008 12:06PM