Multiple displays from same source?

[Vanhoecke]

I'm building a HT with a 1080p front projector as part of a basement remodel. Adjacent to the HT there will be a Rec. room with a wide screen (50"+) flat panel display. I'm setting up an equipment rack to house all the A/V gear for both rooms (in addition to distributed audio for three additional roms in the basement). I want to avoid purchasing duplicate HD source devices if possible. So I'm wanting to figure out how to run muptile displays from the same source. For sources I'm currently looking that the Toshiba HD-A2 HD DVD, PS3, HTPC and Cox HD DVR and Cable box. I'm planning on running HDMI from these source to a Denon AVR 4306, which will provide the video switching, and then an HDMI cable to the front projector. This is a pretty striaght forward setup. Now the tricky part. How do I get 1080p quality video to the flat panel? I'm planning on using a Denon AVR-2807 to drive the A/V in the rec. room. Is there an HDMI splitted that can be used to split the signal at each source in order to run a signal to each AVR? If not, can I run HDMI to the 4306 and component video and ditigal audio to the 2807 at the same time? This may be a second best option if it will work. I'm not sure that these source devices feed both HDMI and comonent at the same time or are they mutually exclusive (i.e., one or the other -- not both).

Just to add more data to the equation. The 2807 will also supply an audio signal to a Sonance Sonamp 275 amp which will drive a pair of in ceiling speakers in three adjacnet rooms in the basement. I throw this in only if someone knew of a AVR that would handle the entire bundle. I looked at the Denon 5805CI, it could probably handle the audio but it only has one HDMI out and therefore would handle the video needs. In addition, it costs significantly more than the three seperate amps.

Any thoughts are greatly appreciated.

 

[WeAreSurrounded]

You might not need 2807 at all ...

I'm building a HT with a 1080p front projector as part of a basement remodel. Adjacent to the HT there will be a Rec. room with a wide screen (50"+) flat panel display. I'm setting up an equipment rack to house all the A/V gear for both rooms (in addition to distributed audio for three additional roms in the basement). I want to avoid purchasing duplicate HD source devices if possible. So I'm wanting to figure out how to run muptile displays from the same source. For sources I'm currently looking that the Toshiba HD-A2 HD DVD, PS3, HTPC and Cox HD DVR and Cable box. I'm planning on running HDMI from these source to a Denon AVR 4306, which will provide the video switching, and then an HDMI cable to the front projector. This is a pretty striaght forward setup. Now the tricky part. How do I get 1080p quality video to the flat panel? I'm planning on using a Denon AVR-2807 to drive the A/V in the rec. room. Is there an HDMI splitted that can be used to split the signal at each source in order to run a signal to each AVR?

I'm sure there are HDMI splitters, but then why don't you split your 4306 HDMI-out signal between the projector and flat screen ?

If not, can I run HDMI to the 4306 and component video and ditigal audio to the 2807 at the same time? This may be a second best option if it will work. I'm not sure that these source devices feed both HDMI and component at the same time or are they mutually exclusive

I can not tell about other sources, but STB/DVR SA 8300HD (from Cox) provides both HDMI and component signal at the same time, along with the coax/tosslink/analog audio
(although not recommended by Cox N.Virginia, they don't even recognize officialy HDMI)

Just to add more data to the equation. The 2807 will also supply an audio signal to a Sonance Sonamp 275 amp which will drive a pair of in ceiling speakers in three adjacnet rooms in the basement. I throw this in only if someone knew of a AVR that would handle the entire bundle.
Any thoughts are greatly appreciated.

My take on this is as follows:
- If you need to play the same video source at the same time in both rooms:
use the HDMI splitter for your 4306 HDMI-out video signal and feed both projector and flat screen
- adding to all your digital ins, connect all the sources (audio) w/4306 by the stereo analog cables
- send the rec.room (audio) signal directly to speakers as amplified ZONE2 from your 4306
(unless you need full 7.1 in the Main Zone)
- send the pre-out ZONE3 signal from your 4306 to Sonamp 275
- choose the most important video source and additionally hook it up directly through component with your flat screen. In that case you would be able to play different video sources in different rooms. IMHO the HD signals through component and HDMI look pretty similar (for now, until we fully implement HDMI 1.3)

So, in the end, you might not even need 2807 , how about that - confusing ???

 

[Vanhoecke]

Thanks for the input. HT is 7.1 and Rec. room is 5.1 The normal operation will be two different sources at the same time (one to each display). I suspect that the only time I will run a single source to both displays is during a "big game" party. The HT will only seat 8. Otherwise, not a lot of competition to view the same source on a 50" screen vs a 110" screen.

I've found some HDMI splitters, which run about $250+ each. I would need several, one for each HD source. I'm not sure if several of these could be seperately programed into a single remote for each venue (conflicts between switches?). Also for $1000 is could buy another HD DVD and Bluray player. The seperate HDMI and Component setup may be te best plan.

 

[lmarc78]

Check this site out for HDMI splitters they have good prices and remote capabilities
http://www.monoprice.com/products/subdepartment.asp?c_id=101&cp_id=10110&style=

 

[Vanhoecke]

Thanks, According to the customer reviews, the "passive" HDMI splitter on monoprice does not work. To bad, they are priced very reasonably (e.g. $10)-- maybe that's why. These units appaer to be 2 HDMI cables spliced into one male HDMI plug. BAsed on the reviews, it doesn't apear that this HDCP complaint. Monoprice is advertising a "powered" HDMI splitter, which they claim will be HDCP cpmpliant for $125 each -- but it will not be available until next month. I need at least four (one for each source). It's not clear if these units can be controlled by remote, and if so whether seperate addresses can be assigned to each so as to avoid a conflict. Although, if it outputs a single source to both outputs at the same time, I don't think I'll need to control it with a remote. I can just switch the source via the AVR. It could work. I might wait until there are some reviews on this device before I dump $500 on this option. In the meantime, I can continue to look for a cheaper alternative.

One thought I had was to construct a patch panel on the front of my rack-- similar to what is used on a LAN. I would have four HDMI inputs from each AVR and a single HDMI output from each HD source. I could then use a small HDMI cable to jumper the connection I want. My gut hunch is that I'm not going to be switching sources too often. This option would enable me to manually redirect the source as needed. I could always buy oneof the powered splitters above in the event I wanted to see the sae source on both displays (e.g., game day). Does anyone know where I can find HDMI connectors that can be panel mounted?