HD output to multiple displays?

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blair003

557 posts

Ultimate Geek

#109063 11-Sep-2012 18:42

I have a lounge TV and a kitchen TV. In the past the lounge TV has been connected via HDMI and the kitchen TV on composite direct from mysky HDi.

I recently upgraded my lounge TV, and was going to use the old TV in the kitchen.

I wanted to use HDMI on both TVs so I purchased a 4x2 HDMI matrix splitter (I also have HTCP and PS3). However, I have found that if I turn a TV on or change the input on the splitter, both TVs are affected (it appears they both have to renegotiate). As far as I have read here this is expected behaviour and all HDMI splitter do it this way (I think due to HDCP).

My question - is there another way I can get HD to my second TV without it affecting the picture on my first TV?

JimmyH

2886 posts

Uber Geek

#684570 11-Sep-2012 19:11

Are you sure it's actually a matrix splitter?

A proper matrix splitter should let you route any input to any output, independently.

blair003

557 posts

Ultimate Geek

#684644 11-Sep-2012 22:34

It lets you rotate inputs no problem.

The issue is if you have one display on then you turn on the second display both displays renegotiate the connection (or something happens to the picture on both displays that I assume is the HDMI connection renegotiating on both displays).

(I think it also renegotiates the connection on both displays when you switch inputs on one display, but I will have to check)

fahrenheit

757 posts

Ultimate Geek

#684661 11-Sep-2012 23:23

Disable CEC.

blair003

557 posts

Ultimate Geek

#684667 11-Sep-2012 23:47

Disabled CEC on the samsung TV and vieralink options on the Panasonic, but this didn't seem to make any difference. If I am watching the panasonic and I turn the samsung on, both displays go blank before renegotiating and coming right around 5 seconds later.

fahrenheit

757 posts

Ultimate Geek

#684669 11-Sep-2012 23:51

Bummer.

How is resolution set on the myski box? Both TV's capable of 1080i? Try and set the box to that rather than auto and let us know if it helps.

blair003

557 posts

Ultimate Geek

#684670 12-Sep-2012 00:01

Both are capable of doing 1080i and are outputting 1080i after it negotiates.
It was set to auto, I changed it to 1080i but the problem remains - it still renegotiates the connection on both displays. Good idea though.

To clarify, I confirm that if both displays are turned on and watching the same input, then I change the input on 1 display, both displays go blank / renegotiate despite the fact that one is not having its input changed.

Does anyone use a splitter without this issue I am experiencing? If someone had it working successfully, I could drop the matrix splitter and go to a simple 1 input 2 output version and use it just for mysky which would be 90% of what I want.

fahrenheit

757 posts

Ultimate Geek

#684672 12-Sep-2012 00:07

My folks have a 1 in 2 out splitter (Dynamix) with myski hd feeding a panasonic plasma in the lounge and 32" Samsung lcd in the kitchen. Had the same problem you describe here until I disabled vierra link on the panasonic.

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blair003

557 posts

Ultimate Geek

#684674 12-Sep-2012 00:16

That is pretty much my setup, but the samsung in the kitchen is 37" being my old lounge TV. The pana is an ST50. Is this the dynamix your folks have? http://www.ascent.co.nz/productspecification.aspx?ItemID=402373

Basically this is only really an issue because while the lounge TV pretty much stays on from 5pm till bedtime (someone is always in the lounge), the kitchen TV only gets turned on only when someone is in the kitchen. With the current setup each time you turn the kitchen TV on it causes the lounge TV to renegotiate which is no good.

So another option would be to get a 1 into 2 splitter for mysky like your parents setup. Then for the HTPC, I can use the dual output (HDMI and DVI) of the video card and control each TV with the input selection.

I will make sure the CEC/viera link is disabled and power cycle the matrix splitter tomorrow. If it still doesn't work I will return it and get the dynamix.

fahrenheit

757 posts

Ultimate Geek

#684678 12-Sep-2012 00:21

Thats the one.