HDMI switch with support for 4k60hz and optical recommendation

[Contreramanjaro]

Hey guys. I fairly recently upgraded to a 4k monitor. I really like this thing and have been enjoying it but now I'm looking for a way to quickly (and safely) switch HDMI sources.

 

My config:

Acer CB281HK - 3840*2160 Freesync. HMDI, DP, DVI

PC w/ RX580 using DP.

 

Now I want to connect my Xbox One S, PS4, Switch, and maybe a couple more consoles but those can be switched manually.

 

My receiver only accepts optical, coax, and direct input (Logitech Z-5500 that I'd rather not replace.)

 

I've been finding some very good options on Amazon for switches that meet all my requirements but only pass 4k30hz. I was wondering if anyone has found a decent HDMI switch that can do 4K60hz with optical output (or has any recommendations for a superior setup.)

 

Thanks for replies and suggestions.

[ono]

I recently got this one and it seems mostly** fine https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01MYPSCGN/ 

 

But it doesn't have optical, as my display has optical out, so that's what connects to my audio solution.

 

**I have one issue, but I don't know if it is a problem with the product, my display, or just an HDMI/HDCP/whatever issue in general. You may run into it in your situation: mixed HD and 4K inputs on the switch. Switching from HD source --> HD source works fine. Switching HD --> 4K is fine. But once you're in 4K, switching to a 4K --> HD leaves me with a blank screen. So I ended up using two separate HDMI switches on different HDMI ports on the display, one for 4K and one for HD inputs. Now my bottleneck isn't HDMI ports. It's power plugs. I can't actually power that many devices haha

[Contreramanjaro]

12 hours ago, ono said:

I recently got this one and it seems mostly** fine https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01MYPSCGN/ 

 

But it doesn't have optical, as my display has optical out, so that's what connects to my audio solution.

 

Oh man, this is so close to what I need. I may be able to get something working for the audio for the devices without a dedicated output like the Switch. Perhaps a Bluetooth adapter may be worth it.

 

As for the power, I don't worry too much about swapping AC cables but I ruined the HDMI port on my last monitor by swapping the cables all the time. I think the 4k -> 1080 issue probably varies from display to display so I guess I'd just need to wait and see how it affects me.

 

Thanks for the great info!

[ono]

4 hours ago, Contreramanjaro said:

As for the power, I don't worry too much about swapping AC cables but I ruined the HDMI port on my last monitor by swapping the cables all the time

Yeah, that's why I got this switch because I've been constantly plugging things and was worried I could damage my display's ports. Better to break something more cheaply replaced. Update when you figure something out for your audio, as it may be helpful to me in a future setup.

[Contreramanjaro]

On 10/24/2017 at 3:33 PM, ono said:

Yeah, that's why I got this switch because I've been constantly plugging things and was worried I could damage my display's ports. Better to break something more cheaply replaced. Update when you figure something out for your audio, as it may be helpful to me in a future setup.

I've been looking at nearly every product available and what I finally (and importantly) noticed was that even the few units that had a toslink port only output stereo signals. I guess I was expecting more of a miracle device but with modern digital standards and HDCP being what they are, it seems the only way I'll get modern surround sound involves a new receiver.  I've also found that my monitor has a headphone out jack that I can use to connect to my receiver to achieve the same effect so there's basically no benefit there. Now for convenience sake I'm going to consider a bluetooth adapter for the receiver but since I won't have my Switch until Friday (I bought the Mario bundle) I'm going to hold off on that until I better understand the Switch's bluetooth capabilities. I'll probably order the unit you linked since it seems you've got the best bang-for-your-buck model. Also it matches the silver and black aesthetic on my desk.

[ono]

1 hour ago, Contreramanjaro said:

I've been looking at nearly every product available and what I finally (and importantly) noticed was that even the few units that had a toslink port only output stereo signals. I guess I was expecting more of a miracle device but with modern digital standards and HDCP being what they are, it seems the only way I'll get modern surround sound involves a new receiver.  I've also found that my monitor has a headphone out jack that I can use to connect to my receiver to achieve the same effect so there's basically no benefit there. Now for convenience sake I'm going to consider a bluetooth adapter for the receiver but since I won't have my Switch until Friday (I bought the Mario bundle) I'm going to hold off on that until I better understand the Switch's bluetooth capabilities. I'll probably order the unit you linked since it seems you've got the best bang-for-your-buck model. Also it matches the silver and black aesthetic on my desk.

Good luck. I find audio frustrating. I was looking on Amazon at a $1000 2017 Dolby Atmos soundbar (soundbar + sub is as far as I'm willing to go) from LG for use on my 4K TV, which is also from LG. Looking just out of curiosity since looks too pricey for me! Being modern it uses HDMI pass-thru. Reading further into user comments, I find it doesn't pass-thru HDR. Seriously? LG puts HDR on their TVs but they don't pass it through their soundbar. Unbelievable. Maybe the 2018 model will fix this...

[Contreramanjaro]

20 minutes ago, ono said:

Good luck. I find audio frustrating. I was looking on Amazon at a $1000 2017 Dolby Atmos soundbar (soundbar + sub is as far as I'm willing to go) from LG for use on my 4K TV, which is also from LG. Looking just out of curiosity since looks too pricey for me! Being modern it uses HDMI pass-thru. Reading further into user comments, I find it doesn't pass-thru HDR. Seriously? LG puts HDR on their TVs but they don't pass it through their soundbar. Unbelievable. Maybe the 2018 model will fix this...

That's bizarre. I know most people were excited about the prospect of using only one cable for both audio and video but it seems to me that when it's all said and done it's much simpler to just run a separate audio line. That is, if you intend to use anything beyond what's built into your TV. More and more console and device manufacturers are leaving out things like optical and I suspect that in the very near future it will be nearly impossible to use anything but stereo or HDMI. And 99% of consumers are completely fine with that. Technology used to be way more fun when an enthusiast actually got to create the exact experience they wanted.

 

Seriously, besides being a bandwidth issue, I can't imagine why a receiver wouldn't pass HDR signal through. Perhaps it's an HDCP thing.