And to top it all, it has an S/PDIF port, if you want to connect it to a digital audio device (and bypass the HDMI audio). One of the most annoying things about TVs is the limited number of ports to connect things like streaming boxes and game consoles. An HDMI switcher gets around this, adding more ports by letting several devices share the same cable into your TV. One of the more common uses of an HDMI switcher is picture-in-picture, allowing you to watch two video sources simultaneously. If PiP functionality is a must for you, but 4K isn't, we can recommend the Orei HD-201P.

The splitter then “duplicates” the signal coming from your media device – and sends it to your two outputs. So you can watch the same stream on two TVs, a TV and a projector, and every other example you can think of. If your home entertainment setup is a bit more complicated than just one media device and two screens – the TESmart Splitter/Switcher will give you more options. 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). When you start searching for the best HDMI splitters, you’ll also see a different type of device, called “HDMI Switcher” (in fact, some places use the term interchangeably – which is quite wrong).Like the other splitters the Avedio links HDMI splitter can support a resolution of up to 4K with no lag or data loss, ensuring smooth crisp visual quality. It is also fully HDCP (an anti piracy protocol) compatible so there shouldn’t be any issues using it. If you have a 4K Ultra HD TV and 4K source components, the switcher must also be 4K compatible. If you need to pass HDR-encoded or 3D video signals, your HDMI switcher must have those capabilities. There are no exact numbers here – but roughly speaking, 15 meters are considered the limit as far as good HDMI signals go.

If you're looking for a thoughtfully designed HDMI switcher with a premium look and feel, the Zettaguard 4K is worth some consideration. Our reviewer tested it for weeks and thought the 4K content she streamed on her PC looked great, with the HDR coloring making the videos pop.

HDCP’s aim is to protect video feeds from illegal copying, and you need to make sure the HDMI splitter you’re buying supports this standard, otherwise most devices you connect to it won’t be able to broadcast anything to your screens. As you would expect, there are many cheap low-quality HDMI splitters out right now. There’s no need to worry, though. In our guide, we bring you top-notch products that are reliable and work well.

A good HDMI splitter should be able to split a signal from one source and transmit it to multiple displays. Most HDMI splitters are 1×2, meaning one input port and two output ports. If you have more than two screens that you want to duplicate the signal to, you’ll obviously need more than two output ports. Orei also fared well in our round-up of HDMI Switchers, and here they are again taking the splitter market by storm. This unit will easily duplicate a single signal to up to four 4k displays (it comes in both two and four output models) This box has eight inputs and a single output to accommodate the largest home and professional theater setups.Whether you want to build your own home theater or just learn more about TVs, displays, projectors, and more, we've got you covered. It won’t give you 4K at 120Hz, which can be beneficial for next-generation consoles like the PS5, though. The technology encrypts the signal that comes out of your media device, with your telly decrypting it on the other side. However, even that will probably be too far for the top picture quality – especially if you’re planning to stream 4K video. An HDMI Splitter lets you “split” the signal from one media box (a streaming device, a gaming console, a Freeview box, etc.) to two or more screens – be it another TV, a projector, etc.

Like most other media and data cables, the video signal on HDMI cables degrades over long distances. They even do a model that will dispense with HDMI and output over ethernet too, which is sometimes used in commercial settings. The ability to connect multiple devices to one display is the biggest draw of an HDMI switch, and the Kinivo 550BN handles this task reliably. It is designed with power users in mind and supports up to five HDMI inputs for a single output. We tested it for weeks with a BenQ HT3550 4K projector, and it was a match made in heaven. That’s because their input side is only connected to one HDMI device, which doesn’t give them enough extra power to function properly. 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.)

Products at a Glance

So if you’re planning to split one source into two screens – one in your living room and one in your bedroom – you should first consider how far that bedroom is. Zettaguard is a brand known for its HDMI switches, but its range of HDMI splitters is equally impressive. You can explore various splitters from this brand, including the 1 x 2 splitter and the 1 x 4 splitter, in addition to its popular HDMI switches. The Kinivo does come with some cable management issues. Since all the ports are lined up along one side, organizing the cables is hard. That said, it's simple and pleasant to use, and competitively priced. With so many streaming services in our lives, we sometimes find ourselves with more TV sets and screens than our streamers can handle. But even if you have more than one screen at home, you don’t necessarily need another streaming device – instead, you can use an HDMI splitter.