Reddit reviews SOWTECH 1X2 HDMI Splitter Version 1.4 Full HD 1080P Powered HDMI Splitter 1 in 2 Out Support 3D for Duplicated/Mirror Dual Monitor

Here's what I'm using:

HDMI Splitter

HDMI to AV converter

HueImmersive

And really any USB AV grabber, as long as it can grab the image it should be fine. Doesn't even have to be a good quality image or high framerate either. I'm also using a long USB extension cable I had laying around.

The colors aren't always perfect since it just takes the average color of the whole screen and it's slightly delayed, but I'm sure if you play around with settings/other programs/light configuration you can get even more accurate results.

Yes. I've been using this one for about two years.

Look into an "HDMI splitter". It's a box that takes one video input and duplicates it into several outputs. I did some review reading, and this is the best one I could find. If you need another HDMI cable, you can get one from Amazon Basics on the cheap.

Also, thank you! I hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving, too!

When buying a capture card, you might as well go big the first time around since a good one will pretty fulfill all your needs for a long time.

Whatever you get, I'd suggest an internal capture card or 3.0 USB external. Using an external card through 2.0 USB is viable (and probably the cheapest option), but it adds an extra layer of complexity to your stream - having to contend with video delay from the capture card within your broadcasting software. Basically the footage from the card will anywhere from 1-3 seconds behind your facecam / mic. For example, say you're playing a horror game. Without adjusting for the 2.0 USB capture card's delay, you will react to a jump scare on your facecam and mic before it actually happens in the game footage from the perspective of your viewers.

You fix this by adding a delay to your facecam and mic. Obviously it is for you to decide what is worth it, but I feel paying extra to not have to deal with that extra layer of complexity and set up is worth it, which is why I suggest picking up an internal capture card over a 3.0 USB external.

For a solution that can capture HDMI with little delay, deff consider the HD60 Pro
(full disclosure Elgato sent us an advanced release of the HD60 Pro before it was officially out), or, if you're also considering streaming anything retro at any point, my personal favorite, the Micomsoft SC-512N1-L/DVI.

http://solarisjapan.com/products/sc-512n1-l-dvi-component-hd-and-dvi-capture-board

There's also a variant that's $100 less but doesn't have a pass through (it's also been out of stock for a while). If you get this version you'd either need a splitter or to capture the game footage from something like Amarec. Getting splitters and cables might end up costing more than the $100 you save though.

https://www.sabrepc.com/yuan-sc512-n1-l-dvi-single-channel-dvi-capture-card.html

I suggest this card because it has very, very little latency, is easy to plug and play one you have the drivers installed (no fiddling with the capture card's resolution settings to get it see whatever it is you're trying to capture), can pretty much capture anything, and won't incur any screen tearing when capturing a second PC unlike some cheaper capture cards (the previous statement is assuming you're not using a 144hrz monitor). I feel the quality of of this card is as good as you're going to get (720p / 30 FPS) when streaming at 3500.

The HD60 Pro is just as capable when capturing HDMI, but I only suggest the SC-512 due to the ability to capture a greater number of sources. If you don't see yourself branching out you will probably be better served with the HD60 Pro or the HD 60 S which is the same thing but 3.0 USB.

As for stripping HDCP, from my experience most capture cards will not do that, but an HDMI splitter will. Here is one that most certainly will:

HDMI Splitter, SOWTECH Digital 1X2 HDMI Splitter for Full HD 1080P Support 3D (One Input To Two Outputs) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01CCMOMM0/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_xvvvybR5SMSZ1

Most cheap HDMI splitters like this (though note I don't know if this specific one does or not) will strip HDCP.

The problem is it's literally illegal (to the best of my knowledge) to sell a device that does that, and so they'll never be advertised as such on a storefront you actually want to order from. Meaning it all comes down to looking at reviews, and confirming which ones do it or not.

Totally. Pretty sure this is the one i bought,

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B01CCMOMM0/ref=mp_s_a_1_26?ie=UTF8&qid=1521067160&sr=8-26&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=hdmi+splitters

Inexpensive and did the job.

I don't know about the ones you have but this is the one I bought and it works:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01CCMOMM0/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o06_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Here’s the link, it says that it doesn’t do HDCP bypass. But it does.

SOWTECH 1X2 HDMI Splitter Version 1.4 Full HD 1080P Powered HDMI Splitter 1 in 2 Out Support 3D for Duplicated/Mirror Dual Monitor https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01CCMOMM0/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apip_lT883qwtNP5ec

There are basically two video setups. Onboard, where the outputs are built into the motherboard and discrete,where you use a video card with outputs.

If your video card has more than one output, then plug the second monitor into the second output.

If your video card does not have two outputs, then you can try using one of the motherboard outputs. You may have to re-enable onboard video in the BIOS as they will usually disable themselves when you plug in a discrete card. This will usually work. However, some boards will not allow you to use both onboard and discrete video at the same time.

In those cases you have three options:

1. Replace your video card with one that has multiple outputs (or buy a USB video card which may or may not work for you)
   
   
2. Disable your video card and use only the onboard video, which probably sucks.
   
   
3. Buy a splitter. This may or may not allow max resolutions on each display. It depends on the card. (Link is not a recommendation. It is literally the first one that came up when I searched "monitor spliltter")

Ok that's what I thought you meant.

SOWTECH ST-HDSP0001 1X2 HDMI Splitter for Full HD 1080P Support 3D (One Input To Two Outputs) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01CCMOMM0/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apip_Gocr62ZnI2oau

It comes with a power supply but it's not needed for short distances.

I have this. My setup is ps4, PS3, computer to signal router. Signal router to splitter. Splitter to surround receiver and optoma projector. I don't use the power supply for it. 3' cables into the splitter and one 15' out.

Maybe an HDMI splitter would work?

Like this one https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01CCMOMM0/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_b-Syyb9GH028C

I've used the one below to remove HDCP problems with blu-ray players, my PS3. However, you will also likely need an HDMI audio extractor, unless you're already using one. Heck, it may even strip HDCP for you. So buy one of those first and try just it, or buy both and return one if you don't need it. The extractor I used in the past is discontinued, but looks identical to the one I link below.

Similar extractor: https://www.amazon.com/Portta-PETHHA-Extractor-Converter-Digital/dp/B00HIW7TZC

Splitter I used: https://www.amazon.com/Splitter-SOWTECH-Digital-Support-Outputs/dp/B01CCMOMM0

I am pretty sure an HDMI splitter with mirror (that last "mirror" part is crucial) would work for you. This one is $15 on Amazon. It is able to send the same video signal to two monitors.

SOWTECH 1X2 HDMI Splitter Version 1.4 Full HD 1080P Powered HDMI Splitter 1 in 2 Out Support 3D for Duplicated/Mirror Dual Monitor https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01CCMOMM0/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_6V-3CbRHGHQ89

First, questions.

• Why are your monitors all using different connections? Are they all different models? If they're the same, why not just have them all use Displayport?
  
• How far away will the TV be away from the tower? Would you need a cable longer than 6ft to connect them? Considering that the cable will need a good amount of slack for cable management, as well.
  
  Now, a suggestion.
  
  
• If your monitors all have Displayport... ports, just hook them all up to Displayport. If for some reason you can't, or just really don't want to, you'll need a way to connect your HDMI TV to a Displayport. You don't even have to get an adapter box, you can just use a wire with HDMI on one end, Displayport on the other.
  
  Anyway, some options.
  
  
• Software Switch - I'm assuming you use Windows 10. If you do, you can just switch your active screen without having to do anything more than using a Keyboard shortcut. Display Switch (Windows button + P) will allow you to quickly switch your display option, allowing you to quickly turn your TV's input on or off. However, I don't know if this will mess with any of your display settings, it might. If it does, you'd have to fiddle with the other two screens' settings every time you switch back to your desk. If you do this option, by the way, and you keep a keyboard on your rig, you can just use the shortcut to switch between displays.
  
  
• Hardware Switch - An adapter box that switches your output between two screens (like this, for example). You'd have to have to physically press the button each time you switch between your desk and TV (though they do make ones that have a remote), but this way you wouldn't have to worry about any software issues. You'd connect this to your main monitor and the TV, and simply press the button to switch between them. Your PC would re-adjust the resolution for you (it would detect that the screen its outputting to changes), but other than that it wouldn't have an affect on it, it would just think that your middle monitor is now the TV. You'd still only be projecting the game screen to one display at a time, so it wouldn't have any affect on the game's performance.
  
  
• Software Mirroring - Exactly as it sounds. One of the options in the Display Switch panel is Duplicate, which mirrors your main monitor's output to your TV. You could just leave this on, and just turn your TV on or off as needed. The only problem is that since your system would be outputting the game to two displays, it may have a negative affect on the system's performance. This is the option I don't recommend.
  
  
• Hardware Splitter - A box that takes one input and mirrors it to two outputs (example). It wouldn't be a switch, it would just constantly mirror the output to two displays. The difference is that your GPU would only be making one output, the box is just sending the signal to two displays. This way, it shouldn't have an affect on your PC's performance. Just turn the TV on and off as needed.
  
  
• Separate System - This is the extreme option, having a separate PC for your rig entirely. If the only games you play on your PC are racing sims, you could just use your current PC for the rig and have a new PC for your desk, its specs depending on what kind of work you do with it. While this is, again, the logical extreme solution... it's not necessarily unreasonable to have separate systems for work and play.
  
  
  
  ^(Notes)
  
  ^(- None of these options should introduce lag, but if you get a splitter or switch box, make sure they're noted with low-latency and check the reviews.)
  
  ^(- You could stream the game to your TV with something like the Steam Link... but your TV is in the same room as the PC-- hell from the sounds of it, it's within the same arm's reach as the TV. Streaming it is alright if the system and the TV were across the house, but its a needlessly complicated and clunky idea in this situation.)
  
  ^(- If you do use a hardware solution, keep in mind that the small consumer boxes can only use cables of a reasonable length. Generally speaking, you shouldn't use a cable longer than 9ft from the box to your TV, or the wire won't carry the signal to the display. Longer than that, you'll probably need a) ^(signal repeater)^(.)
  
  
  
  If you have any questions, let me know. I hope this helps you find your answer.
  
  EDIT: More info.

I have this one split from fire tv to TV and projector.. works great.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01CCMOMM0/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_KuRWAb1BCEWHX

I only have the ports that are on thr side of my laptop, will this do what i need?

Yeah I looked back and it didn't make sense the that the PS4 was plugged into the Output slot. Guess I bought the wrong thing.

Just to make sure this time, this is what I should be getting, right? PS4 into the input and Monitor + TV to the Outputs

https://www.amazon.com/SOWTECH-ST-HDSP0001-Splitter-Support-Outputs/dp/B01CCMOMM0/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1483240458&sr=8-1&keywords=hdmi+switch+splitter+2