Denon announced 3 port 8k HDMI 2.1 switcher

[dougi]

Consumer video is such a screwed up thing. They take a compressed stream (on disc or streamed) that is at most 100 mbit/sec, decompress it into gigabits/sec and then try to switch and send it around using HDMI. What is ironic is that the TV has full decoding capability of said streams so there is no reason for the source to decompress these bits. There is no reason at all for any upstream device to decode it.

They do it this way because hardware people comfortable with bits this way but not with software and protocols for sending compressed bits around.

If they had stayed in compressed domain as you say, then we could easily switch and route it using traditional networking gear.

In the old days broadcast TV was uncompressed so they routed it that way. But they have been sleep for years now not realizing the game has changed and keep pushing this broken idea of a high-speed serial streams over HDMI cables. And of course insanity keeps getting worse as the resolutions jump higher and higher, constantly breaking HDMI protocol and such with it.

In addition, even if you keep all video decoding in one box (e.g. a smart TV) and then just extract encoded audio you still have problems! I still can't get e-ARC working reliably between my new Samsung TV and new Yamaha AVR (and don't get me started on Samsung insisting on CEC being enabled to use e-ARC or not supporting DTS standards)

 

[dougi]

In addition, even if you keep all video decoding in one box (e.g. a smart TV) and then just extract encoded audio you still have problems! I still can't get e-ARC working reliably between my new Samsung TV and new Yamaha AVR (and don't get me started on Samsung insisting on CEC being enabled to use e-ARC or not supporting DTS standards)

Hey, I got e-ARC working properly! Using a HDMI 2.1 cable, rather than just high speed with ethernet, has made it reliable. Mind you, for TV based sources, the TV decodes everything to multichannel PCM when using it. For regular ARC it will output DD+ for surround sources.

 

[Snoopy]

Hey, I got e-ARC working properly! Using a HDMI 2.1 cable, rather than just high speed with ethernet, has made it reliable. Mind you, for TV based sources, the TV decodes everything to multichannel PCM when using it. For regular ARC it will output DD+ for surround sources.

I'm wondering if it ever will be possible to just use something like AirPlay.

I use airplay from my Apple TV 4k to my Cambridge cxn V2.

Sure I'm not getting DTS HD master etc but for my stereo setup with Netflix etc it works great and I don't need to go through the TV and have less cables.

Audio is in sync as well. That whole eARC thing seems to be a problem since it is around.

 

[Narnian]

I have a use for this apart from its intended purpose. I have a separate AVR and stereo receiver with HDMI out and I want to hook them up the the same TV. Also I want the ability to attach a computer to the screen on occasion. Most of the splitters on Amazon will not handle 4K/120 and the ones that do are questionable.

 

[bloodshoteyed]

looking at the dip switches (and is that an IR eye?) it looks like it can work as a stand alone unit?

 

[pseudoid]

The whole point of an AVR is to have one box with everything, not two boxes.

For decades Audio hardware had its own universe but a bridge had to be built to accommodate the newcomer Video in the equipment offerings... all h*ll broke loose and still continues.
There was no fighting it but not being an AiO (All-in-One) fan to begin with, I did not resist and bought into the whole "AV pre/pro" separates.
Three multi-thousand dollar investments later, I've come to the realization that my next audio system will still have a 'bridge' in between the "A" and the "V" sections but they will be separate-separates.
I would love to find a reasonably-priced but quality HDMI audio extractor box, so that when we get to HDMIv5.65[?] I can throw the old gear out but still keep the my audio system intact. My power amplifiers have been used for all those 3 generations of A/V pre/pro hardware.

If they had stayed in compressed domain as you say

You say "stayed in compressed" like compression was ever a good thing...

 

[Narnian]

Picked one for testing. Build quality is good, metal case. USB power. Has an IR remote out so I can wall mount it.

Not only that it has the Marantz logo so it must be even better!

Came with a USB power supply with international adapters.

 

[TonyJZX]

I audibly gasped when I saw the photos of the box. It looks like a generic Chinese no name switch box from wish.com!

I am also of the mind that I dont have an issue separating video switching from audio switching... I'm not such a huge fan of sticking everything in one rapidly obsolescent multi thousand dollar box.

I dont particularly mind if its a sub $1k receiver... like a Yamaha RX-V6A... which you know is outdated as soon as it arrives at Costco. You know this is the game you're playing.

But here Sound United looks like they got a random Chinese ODM to modify and existing switchbox with some modifications to the single circuit board so it meets minimum CE type requirements of a Denon/Marantz unit.

At $200 us its not even a bad ask... I mean generic boxes are anywhere from $50-$250 anyway with rack units going a fair bit up... there's a few companies that do 19" professional almost broadcast quality units... like Aten.

But I dont think they are there yet with 8k.

 

[Narnian]

But here Sound United looks like they got a random Chinese ODM to modify and existing switchbox with some modifications to the single circuit board so it meets minimum CE type requirements of a Denon/Marantz unit.

At $200 us its not even a bad ask... I mean generic boxes are anywhere from $50-$250 anyway with rack units going a fair bit up... there's a few companies that do 19" professional almost broadcast quality units... like Aten.

But I dont think they are there yet with 8k.

I am sure it is a Chinese board, but the case, the power adapters, the metal wall mount, etc. display better quality than the switches I saw on Amazon.

And the specs say it is 8K:

Marantz 8K HDMI Switcher model VS3003

support.marantz.com

 

[delta76]

I audibly gasped when I saw the photos of the box. It looks like a generic Chinese no name switch box from wish.com!

I am also of the mind that I dont have an issue separating video switching from audio switching... I'm not such a huge fan of sticking everything in one rapidly obsolescent multi thousand dollar box.

I dont particularly mind if its a sub $1k receiver... like a Yamaha RX-V6A... which you know is outdated as soon as it arrives at Costco. You know this is the game you're playing.

But here Sound United looks like they got a random Chinese ODM to modify and existing switchbox with some modifications to the single circuit board so it meets minimum CE type requirements of a Denon/Marantz unit.

At $200 us its not even a bad ask... I mean generic boxes are anywhere from $50-$250 anyway with rack units going a fair bit up... there's a few companies that do 19" professional almost broadcast quality units... like Aten.

But I dont think they are there yet with 8k.

You will hard time finding a chinese hdmi switch that supports 2.1 properly

 

[Narnian]

You will hard time finding a chinese hdmi switch that supports 2.1 properly

Another reason I went with this versus a less expensive one on Amazon - even though some were well rated there were always issues here and there with pass-through and here Marantz/Denon own the path so nobody to blame but themselves.

My only gripe so far was they included an HDMI cable ... that was only 4K compatible.

 

[Narnian]

Well, as it turned out the one I received from WW Stereo was defective. The case has some noticeable blemishes so I was going to send it back but also noticed the switching was not consistent and stopped working altogether.

Got another from Accessories4Less and that one is working as advertised.