component splitter box

[J0e Musashi]

The JVC one is teh best one you can get imo.

[fallenangle]

theres the jvc one,

http://www.svideo.com/com3.html

i was using that till i got an amp with component switching, it's really solidly built, all gold connectors, can switch coax digital audio too.

At that sale price the JVC looks a bargain even with import costs. Does it really switch coax audio though? All it says is L/R stereo inputs/outputs.

For me though the pity is it doesn't have digital optical audio connections. I know, if it does do coax audio switching, you could use a converter(s) or just employ a separate optical source selector. However I feel that rather defeats the point of spending anything but the bare minimum on a component switcher.

[Freddo]

well, it doesn't specificly say digital coax but each input has a composite video input and you can just use that for coax instead, since the cable impedance requirements are the same.

[fallenangle]

OK thanks. It was just that the other component switchers available from the same place actually specify digital coax switching and the JVC one doesn't.

[scottbpm]

hi everyone, i have got one of the component switcher boxes mentioned in the first message of this post. got it from ebay for ?16 delivered.
i have my xbox 360 (set to 1080i) and my wii (set to 480p) through this box feeding my projector, and there is no noticeable degradation of picture / sound quality.

[fallenangle]

Two positive reports - looks like it might make a good stop gap then.

Still can't find any user reviews of that B-Tech BT947 component switcher. I found a 2 year old post about one of their other models, a similar design SCART controller, which, apparently, had interference problems when used with a DC. I had similar problems with the DC when sharing a SCART block with a PS2.

[JP]

I ended up buying 5 of these from eBay:

Cost be 99p each and, as long as they work Ok, are exactly what I wanted!

[Shou]

Any opinions on the Joytech ones?

[fallenangle]

I ended up buying 5 of these from eBay:

Cost be 99p each and, as long as they work Ok, are exactly what I wanted!

Oh, I see, I wondered what your earlier post was suggesting. So you've found that just plugging a M/2F RCA splitter in each of the TV's component sockets actually works as a simple input doubler. There must be some signal loss without separate switching but it sounds like an interesting cheap solution if the loss isn't visible.

Only problem, for me, is that it only allows two component devices to be attached and, more importantly I think the physical position of the sockets on my TV makes using that particular design difficult. It's definitely worth experimentating though.

I'd actually dismissed this sort of solution as I tried the same sort of thing for sound, using a 2 way Toslink splitter. It didn't work at all with the splitter I bought although some people have reported success with other makes.

[dvdx2]

I ended up buying 5 of these from eBay:

Cost be 99p each and, as long as they work Ok, are exactly what I wanted!

thats an interesting idea!

let us know if it works ok and your amp/tv detects the two different signals ok.

[JP]

I've used them some time back for audio splitting when I was a kid and I really didn't notice any loss of quality in the sound. Obviously I was a kid and I may not have been the best person to pick up any quality issues at the time.

Bear in mind that I will have my Wii and my PSP connected using them, the PSP won't actually be connected most of the time and when it is the Wii will be switched off.

I wouldn't consider doing it with HD things like my PS3, Elite or PVR as I think any drop in quality would be far more noticeable due to the quality of them without splitting.

RCA connectors are essentially the same design as component leads but you may be right about a certain loss in quality but I'm hoping that it won't be noticeable on the SD equipment that I'm using.

To be honest, the price didn't really come into it. I just wanted a way of having them both connected without a switching mechanism. Due to the price on these I'm thinking of them as a quality test and if the result is OK for me I'd happily spend more on a decent set which aren't going to fall apart in 2 weeks!

I'm not quite sure how this would work with a Toslink cable due to the fact that it's an optical signal and as both inputs would be open at the same time I imagine that some of the data is going to be lost where the second Toslink cable is connected?

I don't know that but from the way that optical cables work it makes sense to me that some of the light is escaping via any available inlets therefore degrading the signal quality. Somebody may well jump in and tell me that I'm completely wrong though!

As to one of you needing more than the two inputs, I wouldn't even attempt daisy chaining them. With that design just not being suitable for your TV there is always the option of using short extension leads to move them away from the TV but again, I really wouldn't recommend adding anything that isn't required into the setup.

I'll let you both know how I get on when they arrive. I really had problems finding those to be honest, it was a private seller on eBay and that was the only thing that was even close to AV equipment in their sale so I think they just happened to 5 lying around for some reason and decided to see if some sap would pay good money for then lol.

[fallenangle]

You can get those M/2F splitters from almost any online electronics/AV cable supplier but not at that price (my 2005 Lektropacks catalogue. has them at ?3.30 ea.). Buying 5 would work out more expensive than the eBay component box we've been discussing here. I'm sure Maplins or somewhere else similar must do them cheaper.

I think you're right about the Toslink splitter - that's exactly the conclusion I settled on when it didn't work, although, as said, I've read some people have used other makes with success, apparently.

[Shadow_Zero]

Unfortunately not - everybody I know is too busy spending their dosh on home, kids and things like narrow boats to bother with long distance travel to the US.

You would have thought that with the proliferation of HD capable TVs, home cinema and the high popularity of gaming in general some enterprising UK electronics or AV company would have stepped in and either imported or produced their own quality switcher by now.

There's definitely a demand; I've found similar threads on forums from people looking for good component switchers which go back for years.

http://www.joytech.net/1/products/av/9/AV-Equipment.htm ?

Still in the process of getting my unit to work properly with my tv (http://ntsc-uk.domino.org/showthread.php?t=68671&page=3)
But I also have the SCART edition which is a fine piece of equipment.

[Pavey]

Thanks Andy for bringing this up, as i was using a pony Farmer in the bedroom, ordered one of the Dragon's, got it today, and would say it's as good as my ?90 Audio Authority one in the front room.

Got my component leads and audio leads from tv cables, so good ones, but not bank busting, and the picture sound through the Dragon is as good as can be.

[JP]

Got my gubbins today and I've had a bit of a play with them. I'm really not noticing any loss in quality at all so far.

I'll spend some more time over the weekend to see if there is any noticeable loss while using them.

I think because I'm using my PSP and Wii the quality should hold up well when using it.

With my Wii and (Shortly to be hacked) PSP running on it it's going to be retro component heaven for me from now on lol!!