Much of our visual and audio entertainment these days is powered by HDMI. No more fiddling with SCART sockets or configuring VGA cables; Just plug an HDMI cable into both ends and you're ready to go!
ContentsHow To Use An HDMI SplitterWho Are They Best For?How To Use An HDMI SwitchWho Are They Best For?When To Use ThemDo We SeparateDid you know, however, that you can buy small devices that allow you to have even more control over your HDMI management? These are called "splitters" and "switches", and they both play an important role in organizing your HDMI outputs.
Let's see what these two elements are and how they help.
If a splitter takes a single HDMI input and copies it to multiple outputs, a switch does the opposite. It takes multiple inputs and channels them into an HDMI output, which then goes to a single monitor or display.
Unfortunately, you cannot display multiple HDMI inputs on a single screen. For example, you cannot display both a video game and a desktop computer on the same screen.
You can, however, connect both the console and the computer to an HDMI switch and switch between them when you want to use one or the other. When the computer is on, you can allow it to access the monitor. Once you've shut down the PC and it's time to play, you can flip the switch on the device to display your console output instead.
A good example of a switch is the Techole HDMI Switch. This can switch between two different inputs at the press of a button. Unlike other switches, it doesn't require power, making it a great choice if you just want to switch between two inputs.
Switchers are best when you want to output from two different devices to the same monitor or screen. If you don't want to shell out for another screen and find it annoying to constantly swap HDMI cables, a switch can be a big help. They are also very inexpensive, so you won't break the bank.
Once you understand the main difference between the two, choosing one is very simple. A splitter takes one input and directs it to multiple outputs, and a switch takes multiple inputs and directs one to a single output. Which one is right for you depends on what you want to achieve with your setup.
Managing HDMI cables can be confusing, but there's an easier way than constantly unplugging and plugging cables. By using a splitter or switch, you can make it easier for yourself to direct your HDMI signals, making your life easier.
Do you plan to use one in the future? Have you already? Let us know below.
Image credit:Shinji, osde8info
