Gotta Get a Gefen (HDMI switch)
August 2nd, 2006 by Jeremy Toeman
Funny how easy it can be to accidentally create need in our lives. About a year ago this time I had a simple big-screen TV (used to do the projector thing, but the wife didn’t much care for it), a DVD player, surround sound, and an Xbox. Then around Thanksgiving I see this great sale on a 32″ LCD set from Syntax Olevia, and I buy one. A week or so later and I get a Comcast HD DVR, hook it up with component video cables, and am happy in HD-land.
But then I discover HDMI and learn a few more things about HDTV. And I get a Moviebeam and a Samsung upconverting DVD player. And everything became a problem, as I literally had to leave HDMI cables dangling behind my mess of a ‘rack’ and picked up a DVI-HDMI adapter from the ‘Shack. Everything looked good on-screen, but was a major pain to manage.
Until I discovered Gefen. Gefen sells a variety of products all designed to help clean up the variety of messes caused by, funny enough, upgrading to HDTV. Simply put, most LCD and plasma displays only have one or two HDMI/DVI inputs. I have 3 HDMI sources. Compounding the matter my Syntax has a DVI input. Boys and girls, we are in luck, because they make a video switch with four (yes 4) HDMI inputs and a DVI output. They call it, simply enough, their 4×1 HDMI switch.
The unit comes in very simple packaging (somewhat like Sonos - I guess the more expensive the equipment, the less refinement that goes into the box), and includes a few cables which might come in handy depending on your particular configuration. Also in the packaging is a simple setup/installation guide (plug A into socket A, etc) and a 4-button remote control.
The Gefen 4×1 switch is fairly small, about the size of a tissue box, and is finished in a metallic silver and light blue combination. I personally think it has a bit of a ‘refined elegance’ to its appearance. The back of the unit has power and the four HDMI inputs, while the front has a couple of LEDs, the DVI output, and a discrete remote control input.
Hooking up the Gefen was beyond simple, nobody (and I mean nobody) should have any problems with it. I have a grand total of two complaints about the product, and here’s the first one: the DVI output is on the front of the unit, which made placing the device a lot more complex than needed. The problem for me is I need the ability to control the Gefen via infrared (using my handy-dandy Harmony 880 remote), so it needs to be ‘in view’ in my rack of devices (which is really just a shelf, but I can dream). This creates a very awkward setup where the switch is underneath my LCD, and the DVI cable effectively snakes back around behind it, then up to the LCD. In the grand scheme of things, its only a nuisance, and the company assures me the next version of the product has all the ports on the back.
The two LEDs on the unit show power (the red light - on or off), and input (the blue light - one through four). The remote control has 4 buttons, which are labelled one through four, and switch inputs accordingly. I guess that’s probably pretty obvious, but I like the simplicity so much I wanted to make sure that came through! Complaint number two is the LEDs - I’d like an option to turn them off, or just lower the brightness significantly. Definitely being nitpicky, but otherwise this would just be an overly glowing review, and we can’t have that, can we?
On to the technical side for a moment. The Gefen switch properly passes through an HDCP signal, which is very important for copyrighted content. Moviebeam, for example, only outputs HD content if it detects an HDCP-enabled output, and my Comcast HD DVR is also aware of HDCP (although I don’t believe it makes a difference at present). Actually, I’ve discovered (and dutifully reported) a slight flaw with the Moviebeam device as a result of moving to HDMI. It turns out if the Moviebeam unit is powered up without detecting HDCP it boots into standard-definition mode, and it also turns out the unit reboots itself every now and then with software updates. What this adds up to is a problem whereby I have to physically remove the power from the back of Moviebeam, and then plug it back in and let it reboot if I want it back into HD mode. Hopefully the Moviebeam guys will take my suggestion of adding a ‘redetect HD’ option somewhere in the advanced options menus. Sorry for the long digression, back to Gefen!
Another feature for the technically sophisticated folks is the Gefen switch has an RJ-45 connector to allow for discrete IR control. If those words don’t mean anything to you, well, you can probably scroll down a little bit. For consumers who have built a home-control system, you can easily integrate the switch into your setup, and allow other devices and control systems to ‘talk’ to the Gefen unit. As I stated above, I use a Harmony 880, which does include Gefen products in their amazing database, so didn’t try out this feature of the switch.
In summary, I really like the Gefen 4×1 HDMI switch. If you have more than one digital HDTV source, you might need a switch. If you currently use component cables because you don’t have another solution, you might need a switch. If you have every episode of Hee-Haw on tape, you might be a redneck.
As I said earlier, my needs were multiple HDMI inputs, single DVI output. You may need a different combination for your particular setup, and lucky for you, Gefen offers a few different switches to choose from! The one I tried here retails for about $300. Chalk down the next version of the switch (with all inputs/outputs on the back) as “LD Approved” and this one as “really really good, but needs one fix to be perfect”.
Now if only I can clean up my cable mess, I’d be one happy guy!
August 3rd, 2006 at 10:45 am
[...] Posted Aug 3rd 2006 1:35PM by Erik Hanson Filed under: Digital TV, Reviews Jeremy Toeman reviews the Gefen 4×1 HDMI switcher on his LIVEdigitally site, and talks about its ease of use (it is HDMI after all), as well as his few minor complaints about the unit. It’s good to see manufacturers getting in on HD componentry, as Gefen also makes some other switching and extending products, as we’ve mentioned before, and the reviews have all been pretty positive as well. This particular model takes up to four HDMI (or DVI with adapter) inputs and sends any one of them to a DVI output. Being that he works at Sling Media, Jeremy knows about marketing products, and he likes what he sees in this product. Gefen also makes an HDMI-output model with the same four inputs (and yes, it comes in black, too). So, good times for those of you who have that new-fangled digital cabling, now when are we going to see some component switching love from Gefen for us poor analog HDTV users? [...]
August 3rd, 2006 at 1:21 pm
I realize this is much more expensive but I find it a lot more useful for people that have large hometheatre setups that have projectors for instance. $550
http://www.gefen.com/kvm/product.jsp?prod_id=3099
It has 4 HDMI inputs and 2 HDMI outputs (cloned)
So if you don’t want to turn on the projector but still want to use the sound system or something else off of a WinMCE machine for instance you can still do it.
August 4th, 2006 at 2:33 pm
Found this article linked at HDBeat, and I’ll echo my comment from there …
I wonder how (if at all) this is better than the even-smaller (& cheaper) 5×1 MonoPrice HDMI switch (that has all HDMI, including output, and all slots conveniently in the back)?
Of course, it’s possible the Geffen ‘extends’ signal better, but with a mix of PCs, HD DVRs from Dish, and now Cable and an upconverting DVD player connected to my monoPrice switch, with cables varying in length from 3 to 15+ feet, I see no problems at all. Everything happily renegotiates through the switch whenever needed.
Product ID 2777 at http://www.monoprice.com
And yes, it comes with a remote, 5 lights and is controlled by Logitech Harmony remotes too.
August 7th, 2006 at 4:54 am
$300 seems extreme when considering most of the boxes I’m connecting cost less (such as my LG LST3510). My solution in the den has been to use analog cables with the LG and HDMI with the MovieBeam… though occasionally, I’ll flip them. My strategy has always been less boxes… I used the LG box with my former projector (two devices [dvd player and hd tuner] in one = one cable) and prior to that HTPCs (all devices in one = one cable). Fortunately, newer sets have multiple HDMI interfaces which has become the standard. If we don’t go back to a p rojector with our next move, whatever 50″-60″ set we get should have multiple inputs.
August 8th, 2006 at 10:55 am
http://hometheaterview.typepad.com/hometheaterview/2006/08/livedigitally_r.html
August 8th, 2006 at 8:59 pm
Jeremy,
Thought I would pass along this little accessory that Gefen offers. The remote IR extender is compatible with several of their products including the HDMI-DVI out switch you reviewd here. It allows you to hide the switch without losing any functionality or IR performance. TWO added benefits that eliminate your negatives - hide those bright LEDs and eliminate the odd cable routing. eg. Flip the switch upright on its short side behind the TV stand, HDMI cables coming into the left side, DVI out the right and up to the TV (or reverse based on which side your HDMI cables tend to be in your component stack and the input on the TV…) = hidden LEDs, less cable strain, no more odd routing -> Home Theater Bliss.
http://www.gefen.com/kvm/product.jsp?prod_id=2207
Oh, and the RJ-45/Cat5 port is for extended distance switching using an additional mechanical switch box such as http://www.gefen.com/kvm/product.jsp?prod_id=1315
The automation system integration for ‘discrete control’ uses the RS-232 port.
Great Review - I have always been impressed with Gefen products.
James Depew
http://www.linksysinfo.org - The most comprehensive and original 3rd party support and firmware for Linksys Routers - including the WRT54G!
August 26th, 2006 at 7:29 pm
So with GenFen were you able to go from HDMI-to-DVI using the Moviebeam? I was under the impression that Moviebeam disables DVI cabilities even if it support HDCP.
December 30th, 2007 at 5:04 pm
Go to Monoprice.com and look for an HDMI switch box, it can be had for under a $100. The box only accepts HDMI cables, but it does come with a remote.