Cheap AV receiver with Gigabit Ethernet? Question about Ethernet over HDMI (HEC)

[Ichinisan]

I have an old Sony KDL-52XBR2 TV. It probably doesn't even support HDMI CEC. It has only 2 HDMI ports on the back and 1 on the side.

It sucks.

I can't upgrade the TV any time soon. I'm always having to swap plugs to keep things connected. With an 3-tuner HDHomeRun Prime (3 full bit rate MPEG-2 TV streams), HTPC, Apple TV, TiVo, Wii, PS3, and other devices in an interference-prone apartment environment, I want to wire as many network devices as possible. I don't think any of my HDMI devices will support HDMI Ethernet Connection (HEC)...but future devices probably will. I want to buy an AV receiver that will include at least 8 wired Ethernet ports to use with non-HEC devices, but I also want HEC support for future devices. Does anything like this exist?

I have one question about Ethernet over HDMI:

All the information I find says the Internet connection would go first to the TV, then HDMI would carry it to your other devices. If I ever get an Internet-connected "smart TV," I wouldn't want it to work that way!

I want an AV receiver that supports Ethernet over HDMI. The wired Internet connection would go to my AV receiver and a single HDMI cable would bring the video and Internet connection to the TV. Other devices that support Ethernet over HDMI would also get the Internet connection through the AV receiver; not from the TV. Devices that don't support Ethernet over HDMI would plug into the Ethernet switch on the AV receiver. This way, the smart TV only has power and HDMI connected...nothing else. Does Ethernet over HDMI actually work that way?

Thanks!

[edit]
Basically, I want to be prepared for the day when I can turn this:

...into this:

NOTE: I'm aware that the "before" pic has 5 components that are fed by 4 network cords. I'll fix it later. Fixed.

I'd hate to see this picture with an HTPC and network hard drive thrown into the mix.

[edit]
Something I read led me to believe the Audio Return Channel (ARC) uses Ethernet signaling and the same pins on the HDMI cable.

 

[dagamer34]

Even if there was a receiver that supported this feature (I looked a while back and didn't find any), almost no end device supports it.

 

[Ichinisan]

Even if there was a receiver that supported this feature (I looked a while back and didn't find any), almost no end device supports it.

Pretty sure most "smart TVs" should, right?

 

[sdifox]

you mean hdmi over ethernet. No receiver does this. why not just add a hdmi switch?

http://www.monoprice.com/products/p...=10110&cs_id=1011002&p_id=4067&seq=1&format=2

 

[Ichinisan]

you mean hdmi over ethernet. No receiver does this. why not just add a hdmi switch?

http://www.monoprice.com/products/p...=10110&cs_id=1011002&p_id=4067&seq=1&format=2

I'm not talking about HDMI over Ethernet. Ethernet over HDMI is part of the latest HDMI spec. For example, it would be really cool if the Apple TV and other HDMI devices could get a wired Internet connection through the HDMI cord. The ATV would only need a power cord and an HDMI cord. A network cable would go to the AV receiver. Many future HDMI devices would not need an Ethernet cord or wireless connection. It would be nice if the AV receiver also had an 8-port Ethernet switch to feed devices that do not support Ethernet over HDMI.

I found a reasonably-priced HDMI switch that has the Ethernet RJ-45 port, but I have no clue if it works the way I want since I don't think any HDMI devices support HEC yet.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...A28128AMZ00PEQ

 

[sdifox]

I'm not talking about HDMI over Ethernet. Ethernet over HDMI is part of the latest HDMI spec. For example, it would be really cool if the Apple TV and other HDMI devices could get a wired Internet connection through the HDMI cord. The ATV would only need a power cord and an HDMI cord. A network cable would go to the AV receiver. Many future HDMI devices would not need an Ethernet cord or wireless connection. It would be nice if the AV receiver also had an 8-port Ethernet switch to feed devices that do not support Ethernet over HDMI.

I found a reasonably-priced HDMI switch that has the Ethernet RJ-45 port, but I have no clue if it works the way I want since I don't think any HDMI devices support HEC yet.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...A28128AMZ00PEQ

I would take hdmi over ethernet over ethernet over hdmi any day.

 

[Ichinisan]

I would take hdmi over ethernet over ethernet over hdmi any day.

What's the practical reason for this?

Ethernet over HDMI would allow you to have one less wire going to devices that would otherwise have an HDMI cord and a network cord.

I think you misunderstand what Ethernet over HDMI is. HEC is part of the latest HDMI spec. It doesn't replace the HDMI signal. It runs through the same cord simultaneously and HDMI devices will be designed to get their wired network connection through the HDMI cord.

"Ethernet" is a communication standard that is independent from the RJ-45 connectors you are familiar with.

 

[Eug]

Are there any mainstream devices that actually support Ethernet over HDMI? I haven't seen any but I have not specifically looked either.

 

[Ichinisan]

Are there any mainstream devices that actually support Ethernet over HDMI? I haven't seen any but I have not specifically looked either.

My guess is that "smart TVs" and AV receivers would be the first, followed by streaming devices, game consoles, DVRs, etc.

 

[Eug]

My guess is that "smart TVs" and AV receivers would be the first, followed by streaming devices, game consoles, DVRs, etc.

OK, but do any actually exist now?

All the smart TVs I've seen require either Ethernet or WiFi, and I haven't seen any receivers with Ethernet over HDMI either, at the mid-end at least. I haven't looked at high end receivers though.

 

[sdifox]

What's the practical reason for this?

Ethernet over HDMI would allow you to have one less wire going to devices that would otherwise have an HDMI cord and a network cord.

I think you misunderstand what Ethernet over HDMI is. HEC is part of the latest HDMI spec. It doesn't replace the HDMI signal. It runs through the same cord simultaneously and HDMI devices will be designed to get their wired network connection through the HDMI cord.

"Ethernet" is a communication standard that is independent from the RJ-45 connectors you are familiar with.

because rj-45 is a much better physical standard compared to the craptastic hdmi.

 

[Ichinisan]

because rj-45 is a much better physical standard compared to the craptastic hdmi.

You've seriously had more broken HDMI connectors than RJ45? Shens.

SHEEEEENS!!!

 

[sdifox]

You've seriously had more broken HDMI connectors than RJ45? Shens.

SHEEEEENS!!!

connectors are easily replaceable. Sockets, not so much. Fuckers decided against stress relief. One of the members here worked on the spec and he bitched a lot about it. I think it may have been motionman. I could be mistaken though. Many a people have broken ports.


found the thread, it was Modelworks

http://forums.anandtech.com/showthread.php?t=2087063&highlight=hdmi+stress+relief

 

[Ichinisan]

connectors are easily replaceable. Sockets, not so much. Fuckers decided against stress relief. One of the members here worked on the spec and he bitched a lot about it. I think it may have been motionman. I could be mistaken though. Many a people have broken ports.

Well, I haven't broken an HDMI cable yet. I've broken countless cat-5 cables...even the so-called "snag-free" ones. My network cables have also developed internal shorts from normal use. I don't think cat-5 has anywhere near the throughput of HDMI. It's inferior in almost every way except that no one expects cat-5 to carry uncompressed video. Why didn't we compare it to DVI, VGA, or DisplayPort?

You just can't have an easy-to-replace connector with the throughput of HDMI.

 

[sdifox]

Well, I haven't broken an HDMI cable yet. I've broken countless cat-5 cables...even the so-called "snag-free" ones.

stop yanking them. HDMI ports break on their own because there is no stress relief and cables just hang on the port til one day it just peels off from the pcb.

 

[Ichinisan]

stop yanking them. HDMI ports break on their own because there is no stress relief and cables just hang on the port til one day it just peels off from the pcb.

Believe me...I'm gentle with them. I had the tabs on some network cables lose their "springiness" and won't click-in, but there's no visible crack or stress in the tab.

The fact is, I've been using HDMI extensively since years before it was mainstream and I haven't had a bad port. Likewise, I don't know anyone personally who has had a bad one. The concern may be unfounded.

 

[sdifox]

Believe me...I'm gentle with them. I had the tabs on some network cables lose their "springiness" and won't click-in, but there's no visible crack or stress in the tab.

The fact is, I've been using HDMI extensively since years before it was mainstream and I haven't had a bad port. Likewise, I don't know anyone personally who has had a bad one. The concern may be unfounded.

Think how often you remove and put in rj-45 cable. Now imagine doing that to hdmi.

 

[Ichinisan]

Think how often you remove and put in rj-45 cable. Now imagine doing that to hdmi.

Now try to think of a reason you would do that with HDMI.

 

[sdifox]

Now try to think of a reason you would do that with HDMI.

Ok flip it around, if you plug in rj-45 and leave it alone, will it fail? No. Hdmi however, will if the cable is not stress relieved somehow.

 

[Ichinisan]

Ok flip it around, if you plug in rj-45 and leave it alone, will it fail? No. Hdmi however, will if the cable is not stress relieved somehow.

I have not experienced this and I do not personally know anyone who has. Until I hear someone complain about it happening to them, I will continue to believe that your concern is unfounded.

Also, most of these look well-anchored to me:
https://www.google.com/search?tbm=isch&q=HDMI+female+connector

 

[sdifox]

I have not experienced this and I do not personally know anyone who has. Until I hear someone complain about it happening to them, I will continue to believe that your concern is unfounded.

Also, most of these look well-anchored to me:
https://www.google.com/search?tbm=isch&q=HDMI+female+connector

They would be fine if the hdmi cable was as light as the cat. 6. Many people have dead hdmi ports on their tv.

http://www.google.ca/search?hl=en&g...94,d.b2I&fp=8fbc6b7b57bb2eb8&biw=1024&bih=768

 

[Eug]

I have not experienced this and I do not personally know anyone who has. Until I hear someone complain about it happening to them, I will continue to believe that your concern is unfounded.

One of the criticisms of HDMI in forum is the fragility of the ports. I've seen several posts about HDMI ports going bad on TVs.

It's certainly a concern for me too, for real world usage. For long cables, cheap small gauge cables suck, but big gauge cables are stiff and heavy, putting a lot of strain on the ports. You can use port savers, but degrades the signal. I view this as a fundamental design flaw with HDMI actually.

However, in the context of this thread, it's kinda irrelevant. Ethernet over HDMI would indeed much more convenient, but our point was that these devices don't actually exist, so it's a moot point. If you want a network connection, you must use Ethernet or WiFi.

 

[dagamer34]

I have looked for devices that support Ethernet over HDMI and have found almost none. Besides, that's really not the reason why I would buy an AVR or TV.

 

[Eug]

I have looked for devices that support Ethernet over HDMI and have found almost none.

Almost? Which ones have you found, if any? I'm just curious, because I haven't seen any at all (but like I said I wasn't specifically looking for it).

 

[Ichinisan]

Almost? Which ones have you found, if any? I'm just curious, because I haven't seen any at all (but like I said I wasn't specifically looking for it).

Maybe this?

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...A28128AMZ00PEQ