# How to split HDMI output for Series 3 HD Tivo



## BuckWinston (May 19, 2007)

I have the Series 3 HD Tivo and I want to use it on two different dispalys (1 in living room, 2nd in bedroom). I found a very inexpensive HDMI splitter for under $10 and I thought I was ready to go. But I discovered that TIVO doesn't like displaying to 2 devices. Do I have to go with a different HDMI splitter? Like the type that has a power supply? My LR display has hdmi input, the bedroom uses DVI. I could go with the component output for the 2nd tv but then it eliminates the ability using my DVD. The spiltter works if I unplug one of the devices, but I rather have config that was little easier to manage .

Also, since I'm at it I'm looking for an IR emitter so that I can manage my Tivo (and DVD player) that resides in the living room from my bedroom. Any recommendations would be appreciated.

Buck


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## bdraw (Aug 1, 2004)

I have a similar setup and I use this component matrix switch.
http://www.video-storm.com/proddetail.asp?prod=CSM42

It allows me to connect my 2 Series3, my Blu-ray player and my Apple TV to either of my two HDTVs. (One in the bedroom and one in the living room)

I use this Xantech IR system to distribute the IR commands from the rooms into my closet where the equipment is. 
Distribution block with power supply.
http://www.xantech.com/products/p_folder/p_78944.htm
These LCD friendly IR receivers.
http://www.xantech.com/products/p_folder/p_48080.htm
And these emmiters
http://www.xantech.com/products/p_folder/p_283m.htm

You can use HDMI if you want, but the switchers are much more expensive. 
Here is a 4x4 that is $2000, vs the Video storm 4x2 component which is $200.
http://www.engadgethd.com/2007/04/27/gefens-new-4x4-hdmi-matrix-switch/


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## mikeyts (Jul 10, 2004)

HDMI has an active security protocol for transporting "high value media" (video+sound) in encrypted form. By the FCC's "encoding rules" regulations, cable providers can encrypt anything that's not in their (typically) 20-channel-or-less core basic cable tier, so its possible that much of the digital content that you receive is marked to be encrypted or otherwise protected on output (Macromedia ColorStripe, AGC, etc).

When receiving secure content, the HDMI sink (television, A/V receiver, etc) must negotiate with the source (cable STB, DVR, DVD player, etc) in order to prove to source that it's a licensed participant in the HDCP protocol after which the source will give it the key value that the source is using to encrypt the content. A source has to do this individually for every sink that's going to receive the signal and can't just transmit the same authentication sequence to multiple devices over split wires (when it transmits the content encryption key, it encrypts it with a unique key which they establish using their HDCP credentials). I don't know where your $10 split cable came from and what its purpose is but a switch or splitter for HDMI has to be some kind of powered box with separate connections for every source and sink involved. It has to individually maintain a secure connection to each of them, decrypting any content that it receives from any source and re-encrypting it with keys that it gave to a sink before sharing it.


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## bdraw (Aug 1, 2004)

Mike,
Sounds like another reason to use component!

To date no one has limited content on component yet, and down-rezing has not happened.
If you want to know more search "selectable output control"


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## missiontortilla (Sep 26, 2006)

There are two types of HDMI splitters, active and passive. You have a passive splitter which just passes the signal on dumbly to the 2 displays, but the 2 way communication to negotiate the HDCP will fail. The second kind of splitter, the active one, acts supports HDCP in between such that it will negotiate the HDCP credentials with each display individually. However, the price of an active splitter is about 130$. Monoprice.com carries one.


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## aaronwt (Jan 31, 2002)

You can get a Connectgear 1x2 HDMI splitter(active) for around $90. I use a couple of them although not with my S3. I use them with a PS3 and my VP50 so I can send audio over HDMI straight to my receiver and video to my TV. But the audio and video info is there on both HDMI outputs of the connectGear HDMI splitter. Monoprice also has an active HDMI splitter, but it is more expensive and over 3 times the size of the Connectgear.


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## BuckWinston (May 19, 2007)

Well it looks like I'm going to have to invest a bit more money... It's funny I got the passive HDMI spiltter from monoprice. I also got a passive component splitter as well (for my DVD player). I havn't gotten around to configuring my DVD with the 2nd display... wonder if I would run into the same problem as my HDMI? My Tivo will display on both sets thru HDMI, my DVD thru component. Maybe I should get an active HDMI/component splitter that fits this requirement?

Thanks for the feedback.


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## Arcady (Oct 14, 2004)

Why not just connect one display to component and the other to HDMI?


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## mikeyts (Jul 10, 2004)

I'm not sure what a passive HDMI splitter is good for. If you never watch anything that will be encrypted on HDMI (all over-the-air broadcasts or rebroadcast thereof on cable, and all other core basic cable channels), then you _might_ be able to use it to display the source of that video on two displays simultaneously. The only other way that I can see that you could use it is to connect one source to two displays when you can guarantee that only one of the displays is on at any given time. Wouldn't see as if there'd be much market for those applications.


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## BuckWinston (May 19, 2007)

I'm going to try using the 1x2 HDMI active splitter 

The only problem I see now is that it has a 10m device to display spec. The cable I'm using to connect is 35ft. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that I can get by with the 2.19061 extra feet.


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## Surrealone (Dec 8, 2006)

This is what I did and it works great. I have S3 PS3 and PC all hooked up with no problems
All to my Sony SXRD

http://www.xtrememac.com/audio/av_cables/switcher/


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## missiontortilla (Sep 26, 2006)

Surrealone said:


> This is what I did and it works great. I have S3 PS3 and PC all hooked up with no problems
> All to my Sony SXRD
> 
> http://www.xtrememac.com/audio/av_cables/switcher/


What you have is a switch which is a little different than the splitter the other guys were talking about, but that switch looks pretty nice, would look good with an Apple TV.


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## BuckWinston (May 19, 2007)

Well I received my active HDMI splitter from MonoPrice and I was psyched that it would work like a charm. Unfortunately it did not. Splitting the HDMI to 2 displays was not completely successful. The HDMI connection to my Pioneer PDP-5070HD worked beautifully. The HDMI to DVI connection to my Sony PFM-42X1 did not. The display shows "snow". I thought at first it might be cause of the 35ft cable exceeded the 10m spec but I tried using a shorter cable and had the same problem. The Tivo displays fine if I connect it directly to the Sony using an HDMI cable with DVI adapter. But connecting thru the active splitter does not. I also tried setting different video formats under Tivo settings. When I switch to different resolutions it would change the res on the Sony display but the picture would remain snow. Does anyone have any advice? I don't want to split my Tivo output over component for a few reasons. The major reason is because my single component input port on my Sony will be used for my DVD player. I might have to go all component switching which would mean buying a 2x1 component splitter. But that is going to be my last resort.


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## Arcady (Oct 14, 2004)

Get a nice upscaling DVD player with HDMI and save that input for the TiVo?


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