1-4 HDMI Splitter to 2 tvs - but signal on TV is scaled down

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JamieDenton

2 posts

Wannabe Geek

#178951 20-Aug-2015 13:52

Hi everyone,
We have 2 tv's that we want to connect to the same HDMI source (a hard-drive recorder). We have installed a 1 to 4 HDMI splitter between the hard-drive and the TV's, and we are getting signal to both TV's (as desired) but the signal is scaled down and is not full-screen.

Any ideas?

The TV's are both Samsung branded tvs, and when we remove one from the chain the other displays signal in full-screen.

ubergeeknz

3344 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

Vocus

#1370909 20-Aug-2015 14:55

Can you set the picture mode to "just scan" ? Do they both support the same resolution?

Jaxson

8042 posts

Uber Geek

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#1370911 20-Aug-2015 15:03

ubergeeknz: Can you set the picture mode to "just scan" ? Do they both support the same resolution?

This.

HDMI is essentially based on one device to one display with a handshake to confirm abilities and resolutions. If you have two different TVs then one of them is going to answer the hdmi device call first.

mclean

581 posts

Ultimate Geek

Subscriber

#1370928 20-Aug-2015 15:51

Jaxson: HDMI is essentially based on one device to one display with a handshake to confirm abilities and resolutions. If you have two different TVs then one of them is going to answer the hdmi device call first.

I think HDMI splitters can work in one of two ways:

1. One output port on the splitter is designated to do the handshaking (usually port 1?). Then the splitter tells the sending device to output the signal that the TV on that port wants. Or

2. The splitter looks at ALL the output devices and tells the sending device to send at the worst resolution of all the devices.

Having said that, I would have thought that if one TV is holding the resolution down they would still both up-scale the signal to full screen resolution (albeit at lower quality). Are they both modern 1080p sets?

JamieDenton

2 posts

Wannabe Geek

#1370932 20-Aug-2015 15:57

Hi guys,

Thanks for the quick replies, they are much appreciated. We will try setting the "Just Scan" on each tv as soon as possible. Hopefully that fixes it!

Yep, both TVs are modern 1080p units, but are slightly mismatched in terms of their screen size - one is approx. 40 or 42inch, the other is approx. 36 or 38inch (sorry can't remember exactly the specs from the top of my head).

richms

28172 posts

Uber Geek

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Lifetime subscriber

#1370945 20-Aug-2015 16:21

Get a cheap chinese splitter.

They just tell the source they are a 1080P screen, strip off the HDCP and send it to all the outputs. No netotiation etc. just works, capture it if you want because the copy protection is gone.

The pricey ones drop out and renegotiate when you turn screens off and on because they are doing everything by the book. If some sources detect a splitter that does that they will sulk and not work properly because they are being asked to negotiate things twice if you have 2 screens on it.

Richard rich.ms