If you're an HDTV fanatic, then you know that the best way to connect high-definition devices to your HDTV is via the HDMI port. Chances are, you're also an HDMI snob and will only connect your devices via HDMI (good for you).

Problem: Your $1,000-plus HDTV probably has only one HDMI input--maybe two if you bought an HDTV in the past year, and three if you're lucky enough to scoop up a really high-end set like the Sony XBR2.

Solution: XtremeMac's $100 HDMI Switcher allows you to plug up to four HDMI devices into one HDMI port on your HDTV.

Last year I got to play around with the Gefen 4 port HDMI switch. At that time, it was the only game in town, so the company got away with charging $400. XtremeMac is not having that. Let's see how its $100 switch performs.

At first glance, you could almost mistake the switch for an Apple TV. The bottom has a rubbery feel to it that enables the entire unit to grip the surface it's placed on, so it won't be easily knocked over. The remote is tiny but functional (similar to the size of an Apple Remote). It uses a 3-volt battery and communicates via IR, which allows it to be programmed by the Logitech Harmony remotes (and this is where the real fun begins). When powered on, the numbers on the front display light up brightly enough to indicate which input is active, but aren't so bright as to detract from your viewing experience.

Hypothetically, since information being sent via HDMI is digital, it shouldn't matter whether you use inexpensive HDMI cables or an inexpensive switch. The data being sent via HDMI should remain intact, kind of like using a USB cable through a USB hub. So I tested the switch by plugging an Xbox 360 Elite and PS3 through the switch and into our HP 58" 1080p HDTV. I set each console's display to 1080p, turned on the HDTV, and switched back and forth through the two sources. The HDTV confirmed that both signals it was receiving were 1080p, so it would appear that the switch is capable of passing through the 1080p signal. To my eye, there was no degradation in video quality when the consoles were plugged through the switch as opposed to plugging it directly into the HDMI port on the HDTV.

Bonus: If you really want to seamlessly integrate the switch into your home theater, I found that it works with the Logitech Harmony line of remotes. I was able to use the Logitech Harmony 890 Advanced Universal Remote to control the switch and even program it into a macro; for example, I programmed a "watch TV" button on the remote. With one click, the remote:

• Turns on the HDTV.
• Sets the HDTV to the HDMI input.
• Turns on the XtremeMac HDMI switch.
• Sets the HDMI switch to the input that is connected to my cable box.
• Turns on my cable box.
• Turns on my audio receiver.
• Turns on the input that is connected to the optical cable from my cable box.

PIMP!

Post by PJ Jacobowitz