Question Using a HDMI Matrix/Switch to route video to a 4K HDR capable TV and audio to an old HD (not 4K) capable amplifier (Onky TX-NR818) will that work?

arnoud67

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Currently I have the following sources a Nvidia ShieldTV, PS4Pro and SetTopBox connected to my amplifier. The amplifier is connected to my TV. The amplifier does not allow to forward 4K video to the TV. The TV is eARC capable but the amplifier is just plain ARC capable. So connecting the sources to the TV directly will not work (for all audio formats). I could buy a new amplifier, but that is wasteful and costly. So I was thinking of buying a HDMI 4x2 Matrix/Switch with 4 inputs and 2 outputs, there are a few quite cheap ones equipped with HDMI 2.0 and HDCP 2.2 and capable of handling forwarding of all audio formats. Also I need to route the Smart TV audio (Netflix, YouTube etc) to the amplifier. The sources and probably the amplifier (HDMI OUT) will be connected to the inputs. 1 output will go to the TV and the other output will go to the TV/CD HDMI IN of the amplifier.

My question is: Will this work? Are there any other people doing this already? I have been doing some searching but haven't found anything describing my use case.

Maybe there are other solutions?

Any thoughts are welcome, thanks in advance.
 
An HDMI matrix and or splitter wouldn''t seperate the HDMI signal into the audoio and the video element. Both outputs would contain the same elements and the least capable device will still be the device that determines what the source can output.

You'd need something more specialised that will not only seperate the video and audio elements of the HDMI signal, but will also deal with the HDCP 2.2 compliance issues that are in effect.


One such device is the HDFury AVR Key:



 
I'd also suggest a mod move this to the Cables and Switches forum where it will probably be better addressed?

 
An HDMI matrix and or splitter wouldn''t seperate the HDMI signal into the audoio and the video element. Both outputs would contain the same elements and the least capable device will still be the device that determines what the source can output.

You'd need something more specialised that will not only seperate the video and audio elements of the HDMI signal, but will also deal with the HDCP 2.2 compliance issues that are in effect.


One such device is the HDFury AVR Key:




Thanks for your reply and links. Indeed both video and audio would go to both. The ideas was to disable TV speaker (so not using the audio) and not displaying the video of the amplifier (HDMI OUT, which would be connected to the HDMI Matrix/Switch input). But if I understand you correctly the HDCP would in this case kick-in and prevent the use of 4K and would pass on 1080p (to both). And the HDFury would handle that case in a proper way (4K to TV). It is a bit more expensive than I had in mind, but it gives me a new direction to search for. The HDMI Matrix/Switch I had in mind was this Hdmi Matrix 4X2 Switch Splitter 4K @ 60Hz Hdmi 2.0 Matrix Met Audio Hdr Hdcp 2.2 ir Afstandsbediening Spdif 4K Hdmi 4X2 Matrix (AliExpress, title contains some Dutch words, about 30 euros). Most likely I'll end up replacing the amplifier someday thus being more future proof and less hassle (Denon AVR-X2700H maybe?) and 'only' 4 to 5 times the HDFury price. Too bad all audio/video equipment is'nt set up in a much more modular fashion where you only would have to swap/update some parts and have more control over the routing of the data (audio/video) streams ...
 
Thanks for your reply and links. Indeed both video and audio would go to both. The ideas was to disable TV speaker (so not using the audio) and not displaying the video of the amplifier (HDMI OUT, which would be connected to the HDMI Matrix/Switch input). But if I understand you correctly the HDCP would in this case kick-in and prevent the use of 4K and would pass on 1080p (to both). And the HDFury would handle that case in a proper way (4K to TV). It is a bit more expensive than I had in mind, but it gives me a new direction to search for. The HDMI Matrix/Switch I had in mind was this Hdmi Matrix 4X2 Switch Splitter 4K @ 60Hz Hdmi 2.0 Matrix Met Audio Hdr Hdcp 2.2 ir Afstandsbediening Spdif 4K Hdmi 4X2 Matrix (AliExpress, title contains some Dutch words, about 30 euros). Most likely I'll end up replacing the amplifier someday thus being more future proof and less hassle (Denon AVR-X2700H maybe?) and 'only' 4 to 5 times the HDFury price. Too bad all audio/video equipment is'nt set up in a much more modular fashion where you only would have to swap/update some parts and have more control over the routing of the data (audio/video) streams ...



The issue is that the AV receiver isn't HDCP 2.2 compliant and this will still be apparent to the source despite the matrix. The source will not therefore output anything that is protected by HDCP 2.2. Commercial UHD content requires full HDCP 2.2 compliance. The fact that the AV receiver isn't required to pass the UHD video is of no consequence and the source will still regard it as being the least capable device it detects within the HDMI chain. It is the capabilities of the least capable device that determines what the source can output.

Many UHD players include 2 HDMI outputs, one for video and the other designated for audio. The audio output is HDCP 1.4 compliant so can still convey 1080p encoded video, but not the UHD video that would require at least HDCP 2.2. You can connect the dedicated video output directly to a UHD compliant TV to convey the UHD encoded video directly to that TV while simultaneously using the audio HDMI output to convey HD audio to older non HDCP 2.2 compliant devices.

Your proposed use of a matrix to split the signal doesn't take HDCP 2.2 into consideration. You'd still not be able to convey a UHD video source to the TV because the AV receiver isn't HDCP 2.2 compliant and the source would still be regarding it as being a device to which the video is being sent. You need more than just a bog standard Matrix to enable you to do as you want to.
 
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The issue is that the AV receiver isn't HDCP 2.2 compliant and this will still be apparent to the source despite the matrix. The source will not therefore output anything that is protected by HDCP 2.2. Commercial UHD content requires full HDCP 2.2 compliance. The fact that the AV receiver isn't required to pass the UHD video is of no consequence and the source will still regard it as being the least capable device it detects within the HDMI chain. It is the capabilities of the least capable device that determines what the source can output.

Many UHD players include 2 HDMI outputs, one for video and the other designated for audio. The audio output is HDCP 1.4 compliant so can still convey 1080p encoded video, but not the UHD video that would require at least HDCP 2.2. You can connect the dedicated video output directly to a UHD compliant TV to convey the UHD encoded video directly to that TV while simultaneously using the audio HDMI output to convey HD audio to older non HDCP 2.2 compliant devices.

Your proposed use of a matrix to split the signal doesn't take HDCP 2.2 into consideration. You'd still not be able to convey a UHD video source to the TV because the AV receiver isn't HDCP 2.2 compliant and the source would still be regarding it as being a device to which the video is being sent. You need more than just a bog standard Matrix to enable you to do as you want to.
Yes I read that 'trick'/work-around with the UHD player with 2 HDMI outputs somewhere to tackle this issue. Also read about these (cheaper?) HDMI Matrix/Switches sometimes behaving a bit glitchy (in normal cases, not my case) so probably buying a new AV receiver in the future, probably the easiest and cleanest solution... But in the mean time I will do some further digging, maybe there are cheaper HDFury AVR key like solutions.

Thanks @dante01 for your extensive answers I've learnt a bit more about HDCP :)
 

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