For PS4 Pro users, this HDMI switch worked perfectly for me, which isn’t always the case – so that’s a plus, if you need it. To compensate for this power loss, active HDMI splitters add power to the HDMI signal. This is done by using an external power source (usually a Auto-switching doesn’t always work (as is the case with almost all the HDMI switchers), but other than that, manual switching is very swift, although some devices – the Google Chromecast in particular – sometimes “snatch” the focus when they’re supposed to be idle. This is also important when you have a subscription to a streaming service that limits the number of simultaneous streams you can watch. For example, if you have the Standard Netflix membership, you can only watch up to two streams at once. With audio, for instance, the voltage of the signal directly translates to how far the speaker cone is pushed from its resting position and the changes in voltage create the motion of the speaker cone. This means more voltage equals louder sound.

Internally though it comfortably passed our 4K signal with no additional artifacts appearing, and the fact you can get it in either 3, 4, or 8 port varieties means you can certainly buy the version you need without overextending yourself needlessly.

4k Hdmi Splitters

The Kinivo comes with a remote control, with the receiver built into the device itself. There’s also auto-switching, that would only work well with some configurations. An HDMI splitter is pretty intuitive in its design. Almost universally, it will take a single incoming HDMI signal and output it to multiple HDMI outputs all at the same time.

Video is a little bit more complicated, but the same basic principles apply. In theory, you can look at the voltage pattern and be able to have a rough idea of what will be displayed.

HDMI is a digital signal and won't degrade in the same way as older analog signals, even with the addition of a switcher. If you are experiencing a notable loss in signal quality, it may be due to a faulty one from your switcher or a damaged cable.

Most readers can settle for 4K@30Hz – but if you’re planning to split a 4K gaming console like the PS4 Pro, or if you want to split a 4K HDR device at the best quality (like a Blu-ray player), you would do better with a 60Hz Splitter, which lets you play 60 frames per second. So a switcher lets you switch between different HDMI signals, while a splitter lets you split one HDMI signal out to several screens. (If you need one – see our list of the best HDMI switchers.) So a switcher lets you switch between different HDMI signals, while a splitter lets you split one HDMI signal out to several screens. First, it’s a switcher with two input ports, so you can connect two media devices (streamer, DVD player, etc’) and switch between them (with a button, or with the supplied remote control). However, with the switch button, you’ll have to choose which output port to use when you’re splitting – so you can’t use both televisions at the same time, unlike with most HDMI splitters.While switching automatically sounds good on paper – in my experience, it often doesn’t work very well. Some video devices tend to “steal” the feed by sending signals even when they’re supposed to be idle. (The Google Chromecast is notorious for that!) So even though that can still happen with a manual switcher, at least you have the power to decide on the fly which device should be in the front – while an automatic switcher might drive you crazy by constantly jumping between the wrong devices. While many splitters and switches don’t require an external power source, others do. Be sure you’ll have an available outlet if that’s the case. How We Selected If that’s not possible, it’s a matter of trial and error. In my personal testing, the Belfen 4K HDMI Switcher worked flawlessly with both the PS4 Pro and the PS5, and I’m assuming the two top ones will manage it as well – but you won’t know for sure until you try, unfortunately.