Can an HDMI switcher cause input lag?

Tech Talk
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Hey all, as a primarily PC gamer unplugging my HDMI cable from my PC to my PS3 always seemed like a hassle, to hook it up to my monitor. If I want to play USF4 on Steam, it’s just a click away. However if I want to play 3S: OE on my PS3, due to the lack of space it’s annoying to unplug the cable from the PC and put it into the PS3, plus I can’t pay attention to Steam messages and such.
So I just had this bright idea and on impulse bought this HDMI switcher. amazon.com/gp/product/B0049S6ZUS/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Then I had the thought… what if this causes extra input lag, for both my PC and my PS3? Any thoughts on if this HDMI switcher would cause that, and anyway to test it?

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If it’s a powered HDMI switch (don’t believe I’ve ever seen a non powered one like existed with analog signals), I don’t see why it would cause any latency as it’s not changing or converting the signal, but just rerouting it. Same goes for a coupler or any extension of any type.

As long as the signal is unchanged for each wire from point A to point B there shouldn’t be any issues (unless you’re talking signal loss due to long distances and high AWG cords like trying to use a 100 foot HDMI cable that’s 26 AWG and expecting the same quality as a 10 foot cable)

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I have used this and it works fine. Its just a mechanical switch in which I have an HDMI cable from my 360 and another HDMI cable from myxbox one plugged into as well as an HDMI out cable to my ASUS monitor.

http://www.monoprice.com/Product?c_id=101&cp_id=10110&cs_id=1011001&p_id=2786&seq=1&format=2

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Curious about this. Has any testing been done with these types of mechanical HDMI switches?

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I looked up a video recently where Alex Valle (I think?) tested a monoprice switcher extensively and concluded it introduced no lag (need a powered one).

Personally I got a powered kinivo one, I haven’t noticed any lag but then again I’m the person who can’t notice the lag in PS3 SF4 compared to the PC so what do I know.

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Splitters which split a HDMI signal into 2 signals do introduce lag, but what I and the OG poster needed was a simple switch.

I got some information from this thread (I need more HDMI ports a couple years ago. It was my understanding at the time that non matrix switches such as the one I linked to do not introduce lag because there is no software processing. It is just a hardwired switch. If you open it up you will see that all the switch does is complete a hard connection between the HDMI cables. I stayed away from powered simple switches, because they switch the signal being viewed on the display based upon which connection is being powered on. With most modern consoles, the system really isn’t off but in some sort of sleep mode and periodically they cycle power through there connections. With some powered switches this lead to the display switching to one console and back briefly based on some reviews I read online. But this was awhile ago and I am sure the tech has changed.

I wound up selecting the switch I did because it was recommended by a local streamer who demonstrated there was no lag in his setup.

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This is part of the reason I want a mechanical switch. My laptop is the other thing connected to the monitor, and I want it so that the switch flat out disconnects the laptop when I switch it to the PS4 (and making my laptop use its own screen instead).