I've just bought the Joytech HDMI TriLink Switcher for PS3. Ostensibly for PS3 but it works with all other HDMI kit.
I now have one Telewest TVDive (or Virgin V+) and a PS3 connected to a 43" Pioneer Plasma TV with space for one more HDMI Device at some point.
Picture is great with no loss of quality whatsoever. This surprised me because my old SCART switcher softened the picture ever so slightly and, believing in the Laws of Thermodynamics, I wasn't expecting something for nothing.
Plus point(s)
i) a USB cable comes with the device as well as a mains transformer. Mine is powered using the said USB connector by my TVDrive (V+). This is great because I'm stuck for power outlets for all my AV kit;
ii) one can hide the device out of the way at the back of one's kit if space is a problem and use the Remote Sensor affixed somewhere discrete on one's AV Rack.
Minus points
i) Only three inputs
ii) sends a pulse down the audio line when switching from input 2 to input 1. On my TV this mutes the sound for some reason requiring me to turn the TV off then on again to get sound back. Going from input 1 to 2 seems ok.
Just to explain. I am on my second JoyTech Trilink. With the first one, the picture was excellent. When switching from Input 1 to 2 I experienced no problems. However, when I switched back again, from Input 2 back to Input 1, I experienced a loud thump through the audio channel and severe disturbance of the video channel. In fact the power surge through the audio channel was so strong that it actually reset my Pioneer Plasma TV back to its factory defaults making it necessary to retune the digital receiver every time. This situation happened to me once before when there was a power cut. On that occasion, the power surge also rest my TV Tuner to its factory settings and I was afraid my TV had been damaged.
This happened every time I changed from Input 2 to Input 1. I found that to avoid doing all this I had to turn off my TV, switch inputs, then turn my TV on again to avoid resetting my TV tuner.
This morning I received a replacement device. The original had failed after a few about ten days - no signal at all via input 2.
The new device works perfectly picture wise and transmits digital sound ok too. However, I note that it still fritzes the picture data when switching from Input 2 back to input 1 and that there is still a pulse on the audio channel(s). However all this is no longer so severe that it resets my TV's tuner. This is a huge relief.
It still mutes my TV's sound for some reason so I still need to turn the TV off then on again.
If you don't have a £3500 TV and tuner combo and you aren't worried that the device will fry your TV's ICs then the Trilink does the job well.
There are other solutions out there with more inputs but they seem to be triple the price of the TriLink and with out the USB power option (the decider in my case) or the remote sensor extension. They may not fritz the audio when switching inputs however.
