Anything -> HDMI

From: Peter (BOUGHTONP) 3 Apr 2018 21:39
To: ALL1 of 13
I want the ability to connect any device to a HDMI screen, whatever ports the device has.

Something like this would be ok: https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/992754-REG/liberty_av_solutions_dl_ar_hdmi_to_mobile_content.html

But more ports, not costing $120 for what can't be more than $25 worth of adapters (at most), and a tidier form factor (like those 500-in-1 card readers that were available before everyone switched to SD) would be even better.

Anyone seen a thing like that?

From: ANT_THOMAS 3 Apr 2018 21:52
To: Peter (BOUGHTONP) 2 of 13
There really isn't more than £5 of adapters there. What an absolute rip off.
From: ANT_THOMAS 3 Apr 2018 21:54
To: Peter (BOUGHTONP) 3 of 13
If you're looking at various forms of digital/HDMI sizes to HDMI then I'd get a fairly simple HDMI switch and a number of adapters. I'd estimate it would cost around £10.
From: graphitone 4 Apr 2018 13:18
To: Peter (BOUGHTONP) 4 of 13
Good gravy, that's a horrible invention. As Ant said that's a few dollars of adapters and a very pricey metal ring. When I read your post I was imagining something where all those would be encased together with a single hdmi out, a many-to-one thing.

Is this for use in meeting/av rooms where someone could bring any sort of device in and then get it hooked up to a display or for your own personal use, where people could bring you any sort of device and you can then hook it up to a display?
From: Peter (BOUGHTONP) 4 Apr 2018 20:31
To: ANT_THOMAS 5 of 13
But what if they're ionised gold connectors that convert regular bits into hyper-epic bits!
From: ANT_THOMAS 4 Apr 2018 20:33
To: Peter (BOUGHTONP) 6 of 13
Still twice as much as it should be!
From: Peter (BOUGHTONP) 4 Apr 2018 20:43
To: graphitone 7 of 13
Partly for personal use, but mostly I'd like to get my parents something they can use with their TV so anyone can easily connect a camera/mobile/tablet/notebook/toaster - hence why an uncluttered box would be preferable.
From: ANT_THOMAS 4 Apr 2018 20:56
To: Peter (BOUGHTONP) 8 of 13
But surely if you're talking about various sizes of HDMI the primary cable would be small HDMI to normal HDMI, so you'd need that cable anyway. A switch box with female other sizes is pointless because you're unlikely to get, for example, a mini HDMI to mini HDMI cable. It will nearly always be a mini to normal sized cable. So what you need is a normal HDMI cable and adapters.

Unless you're talking about analogue to HDMI, then that's a different situation.

Give us an actual example with what you have in mind it actually being used for.
From: Peter (BOUGHTONP) 4 Apr 2018 22:54
To: ANT_THOMAS 9 of 13
You're right; I've not been thinking this through properly.

I do also want VGA to HDMI though. Options include a simple £18 converter, or a £100 surcharge to get one in the same box as a switch. I don't mind paying for convenience but some things are just stupid. :/

EDITED: 4 Apr 2018 22:55 by BOUGHTONP
From: graphitone 5 Apr 2018 13:01
To: Peter (BOUGHTONP) 10 of 13
I've never understood why the video adapters and switches between different formats are (usually) so expensive.

And ugly, I've never seen an aesthetically pleasing switch box. :C

From: CHYRON (DSMITHHFX) 5 Apr 2018 14:21
To: graphitone 11 of 13
My old kvm switch is sort of pretty, in an original iMac frosted blue translucent rounded plastic kind of way  :-/ .

Bonus: it has a big-ass blue led that STAYS ON ALL THE TIME.
From: graphitone 5 Apr 2018 16:47
To: CHYRON (DSMITHHFX) 12 of 13
(fail)

Sounds about as subtle as Brian Blessed dressed in tartan.
From: CHYRON (DSMITHHFX) 5 Apr 2018 17:00
To: graphitone 13 of 13
It's pretty ungainly with all the cords sticking out of it. I'm just glad it works. Also glad it has a ps2 output so I can continue to use my filthy old but thin logitech ps2 kb and not a shiny new, thick-as-a-brick Microsoft Office usb kb I had in storage.