If you bought a 1080p HDTV a few years ago and figured one or two HDMI inputs would be good enough, you've probably come to the sad realization that you were wrong--cable and satellite set-top boxes, game consoles including the Xbox 360 Elite and PlayStation 3, and of course Blu-ray and HD-DVD players all support the High Definition Multimedia Interface. As switchers have tended to be on the expensive side, many users have settled for relying on the component or (say it ain't so) S-Video and even composite video inputs instead.

But if you have a 1080p set, you should take advantage of what HDMI has to offer--and finally there is an affordable switcher on the market. Belkin has introduced the new HDMI 2-to-1 Video Switch, which can link two sources through a single HDMI or DVI connection. Available for $54.99, it supports 480i, 480p, 720i, 720p, 1080i, and 1080p resolutions; is compatible with HDCP-compliant devices; and lets you select inputs from the IR remote control. While we'll still have to wait for an affordable 3-to-1, or better still, 4-to-1 switcher, this 2-to-1 device is the a godsend at the price.

Post by Peter Suciu