PureLink HDS-41R 4x1 HDMI Switcher Review

PureLink HDS-41R Introduction

HDMI is sweeping the electronics industry by storm and, not surprisingly, many manufacturers are not keeping up with the demands. On one hand you can get an HDMI-switching receiver, but you'll likely have to pay $1000 or more to do so. While this might be a cool upgrade, it really may not be something you want to rush out and buy - especially if you just bought a receiver last year that has all the latest DSP and trimmings, save the digital video support. For those people an HDMI switcher may just be the ticket.

Build Quality and First Impressions

The HDS-41R came boxed with the remote control, 5V DC power supply and User Manual. It was well-packaged and the unit feels sturdy, despite its light weight (about 3lbs). I wanted to pop open the unit to see exactly what an HDMI switch looks like underneath all that aluminum. I don't recommend users do this (don't try this at home, kids) because it will void the manufacturer's warranty.

Removing the four screws on the side allowed the unit to slide free, revealing the 7 LED lights and IR receiver mounted at the front of the circuit board. The back and front of the board are securely mounted to the aluminum base. Rear connectors are well-protected and firmly locked in place with the rear of the unit. I doubt that normal wear and tear will have any negative effects on this switcher, or its connectors, over time.

The front of the unit has LEDs for transmit and receive signals, power, and the four HDMI channels (the active channel is lit). A Select switch (which is a bit flimsy but never failed during my use) allows you to toggle through the inputs should the remote be out of reach. A remote IR sensor is also on front and worked well with an IR blaster system I have in Reference System 2. The rear of the unit sports the 5V DC adapter input, the 4 HDMI inputs and a single HDMI output connector. An RS-232C port means that this unit is well equipped to work with the "big boys" and makes it suitable for use by custom installers using AMX or Crestron systems (among others). Users can visit the PureLink website for RS-232 control codes and pinouts.

PureLink HDS-41R HDMI Switcher Setup and Conclusion

You really do not need an engineering degree to use an HDMI switcher 舰 In fact, I found that the User Manual is optional as well - it's that easy. Here are the five basic steps to getting it up and running:

• Turn off your display and source components.

• Connect your source component's HDMI output port to one of the HDMI switch's four HDMI input ports using standard HDMI cables (not included). Repeat as needed.

• Connect the HDMI switch's HDMI output port to your display.

• Plug the 5V power supply into the switch's power input port and plug it into an outlet.

• Turn on your display and video sources.

• Use the remote control or the 'Select' button on the front panel of the HDMI switch to change inputs.

That's it, folks. Compared to setting up a DVD player or receiver, this is a walk in the park.

Remote Control

The PureLink HDS-41R comes with a credit card-style remote control. It ships with a plastic protection slip over the battery which guarantees you'll never end up with a dead remote (you pull it out to allow the battery to make contact.) The remote has 4 direct-select buttons for each of the HDMI inputs - making it extremely easy to program IR commands into a universal remote control. While you can certainly add more buttons - you don't need them.

With my MX-950 system and MRF-200 I found that I could easily program the switcher commands into the system and use an IR blaster to change HDMI inputs as part of larger macro sequences. This enables me to perform some video acrobatics that bypass some cable box-induced problems I will talk about below.

Of HDMI, HDCP and Cable Boxes

There is a particular use to which we especially suggest the integration of an HDMI switcher like the PureLink HDS-41R. This situation concerns users who are having trouble connecting their cable box receiver through an HDMI-switching/upconverting receiver. Most cable boxes use HDMI 1.0 and were not originally designed to recognize a "repeater" which is what many receivers are considered in terms of their interaction with HDMI.

Conversations with several cable box hardware manufacturers revealed that they have an upgrade algorithm that is available to local cable companies. The typical cable company, however, takes 60 to 90 days (or much, much more) to issue a firmware update blast to their customers. This is primarily because they go through rigorous compatibility testing with all other software being used in their systems.

Because of this issue with cable boxes, some owners of new HDMI-switching and upconverting receivers cannot take HDMI input from their cable boxes and output the resulting signal to their displays. If you don't want to lose the convenience of HDMI upconversion for your other sources and still want to route both signals to your display, an HDMI switcher is a viable solution. Here is what the system looks like:

Simply route the cable box directly into one input of the HDS-41R and send the receiver's HDMI output into another input (you can use a 2x1 switcher like the HDS-21R if you want to save some money and do not need the additional 2 inputs). Send the HDMI output of the switcher to your display device. Now program your remote control to switch the PureLink HDMI switcher to the one input when watching cable, and the other input for everything else (the output of the AV receiver). I have done this in Reference System 2 and it works flawlessly. In my opinion this is a worthwhile stop-gap considering it could take a long time for the cable companies to get on the ball and push out a firmware solution. For more on this issue, please visit our dedicated forum thread that deals with this topic.

Conclusions and Overall Perceptions

The HDS-41R works as advertised. It switches HDMI inputs without a hitch and maintains HDCP copy-protection so you won't have any problems using it for DVD playback or high definition cable channels. It solved a very vexing problem for me as I wait for my cable company to update its hardware to be compatible with today's advanced AV receivers. But possibly even more importantly, the PureLink HDS-41R pays attention to one area that others fail to recognize: the custom installer. With RS-232C support this is a professional-grade product that integrates with AMX and Crestron (and other RS-232C-based controllers) and allows for solid 2-way communication with those systems. Overall, this is one product I can highly recommend.

PureLink (Dtrovision LLC)
150 Main Street, Suite 150
Hackensack, NJ 07601
Phone: 201-488-3232
www.PureLinkAV.com

About PureLink (Dtrovision LLC)
Dtrovison LLC (formerly known as Dtronics) is headquartered in Hackensack, NJ and is a leading manufacturer of professional and consumer digital A/V and PC connectivity products including DVI / HDMI Switching, Conversion, and Distribution Systems as well as Fiber Optic cable systems for long distance HDTV extensions when the source and display are more than 15 feet apart. The products are sold under the brand name PureLink.

Dtrovision LLC was founded in 2001. Since then, they have expanded their line to meet the needs of the explosive digital connectivity market. With the introduction of DVI Link in 2002, they successfully entered the DVI / HDMI category, bringing new products to market for extending, switching and distributing digital video signals.

The Score Card

The scoring below is based on each piece of equipment doing the duty it is designed for. The numbers are weighed heavily with respect to the individual cost of each unit, thus giving a rating roughly equal to:

Performance × Price Factor/Value = Rating

Audioholics.com note: The ratings indicated below are based on subjective listening and objective testing of the product in question. The rating scale is based on performance/value ratio. If you notice better performing products in future reviews that have lower numbers in certain areas, be aware that the value factor is most likely the culprit. Other Audioholics reviewers may rate products solely based on performance, and each reviewer has his/her own system for ratings.

Audioholics Rating Scale

• — Excellent
• — Very Good
• — Good
• — Fair
• — Poor

Metric	Rating
Video Performance
Build Quality
Ergonomics & Usability
Ease of Setup/Programming/Integration
Features
Remote Control
Performance
Value