Anyone have a component video switch (with audio) they can recommend?

December 17, 2008 2:18 PM

Lots of video devices with component video outputs, but TV only has one component input. Bought an automatic component video switch from a local big-box store, turned out to be junk. Anyone have recommendations for a quality unit?

So it's not in the budget to replace the TV, but I've got 4 Composite devices and only one input for them on the TV. Getting behind the TV and swapping cables to use the DVD player got old really fast.

This is component video (Red, Green, Blue), NOT Composite (Yellow) video.

There is no mix of alternate inputs (using s-video, composite, etc.) or sending one signal through anothe component (run the XBOX through the DVR, etc.) that works. I've tried all the various wiring combinations, and there's no way to make it work without some kind of consolidating unit.

For simplicity's sake, I'd also like a unit that can handle the audio switching for those devices as well.

I found what I thought was exactly what I was looking for with this:
Philips PH61150. It takes Component and Audio inputs from 4 devices, and combines them into a single output to connect to the TV.

It could automatically switch from one device to the other (turn off the XBOX and turn on the DVD player, the switch would handle that), but a pushbutton switch or one with a remote would work too. Problem with the unit I had was that the signal would intermittently drop, especially at times when there was a lot of signal happening (heavy fast visuals in a movie, or intense combat in a game). Getting a few seconds of blank screen in the middle of fighting off a dozen zombies was not what I wanted.

Something like what I'm looking for must exist, but I don't have any friends who get the high-end audio/videophile catalogs. And I'm not fingding a lot of useful information by just googling "component video switch".

Anyone have a unit they like?

posted by penciltopper to technology (7 answers total)

I had the exact same situation you did - and I bought the exact same switch unit you did. It was a piece of junk and eventually crapped out on me.

I ended up getting a unit from BB made by Psyclone. I looked on the BB website and was not able to find the component version of it, but for reference's sake - here is a link the HDMI version : Here

I have used this (component version) for the past few years and the quality is great and I have had no issues.
posted by Brettus at 2:28 PM on December 17, 2008

Sorry for the double post, FYI I was able to find a link to one on Ebay in case you wanted to see what it looked like : Here
posted by Brettus at 2:30 PM on December 17, 2008

I bought a refurb'd Onkyo 5.1 receiver with all the speakers for some ridiculously low price when it was on sale. It does component video switching and also has digital audio (coax and optical), and of course the good old fashioned RCA inputs. Look at http://shoponkyo.com/. They seem to have sales pretty often (refurbished item + sale = big win).

As a reference point, I paid around $160 for the whole thing including shipping, around 1-2 years ago, which I feel was an outstanding deal for pretty good quality.

Disclaimer: I am not an audiophile.
posted by jclovebrew at 2:46 PM on December 17, 2008

I think jclovebrew's idea is probably the way you should be leaning: you can probably find a decent A/V receiver for a couple hundred. I like Onkyo (I have an Integra, which is made my Onkyo).
posted by Netzapper at 4:56 PM on December 17, 2008

I've got three of the "3 Plays" from Impact (link to Impact's product page), and they've worked great. They're only 3-way switches, but they're fairly cheap ($75 or so each), and I've got a pair of them cascaded (input 3 on one switch is fed from a second) in one instance where one wasn't enough.

It switches component/svideo/composite + analog stereo and toslink. They're push-button or IR remote operated; I've got them tied into a Harmony 880 remote which works fine. My only objection is that the remotes aren't "paired", so on the cascaded switch I end up covering the IR window with tape, and have to manually switch the inputs from it.
posted by nonliteral at 7:40 PM on December 17, 2008

Whoops... I had to double check; for some reason I was thinking these did svideo and composite as well, but they don't; oh well -- they DO do component, toslink and analog stereo, that I'm sure of (since I have everything hooked up component and toslink)... Sorry for any confusion.
posted by nonliteral at 7:47 PM on December 17, 2008

The Zektor HDS4.1 (review) is a high-quality four input switch. It's not automatic but it can learn IR remote codes and includes optical and coax digital inputs.

I use it with a DVD player, XBox 360, Wii, and PS2. The official store sells them for $259 and I've had zero problems with the image quality, remote control, and switching relays.
posted by llin at 4:51 PM on December 18, 2008