HDMI Splitter with one 4k TV and one 1080p...

Kelemvor

Lifer
May 23, 2002
16,930
7
81
Howdy,

I currently have an Amazon Fire Stick that is plugged directly into an HDMI splitter. The splitter then goes to the TV in my family room and the one in my kitchen so we can be watching the same show on two TVs at the same time.

I'm looking into replacing the TV in the family room and am debating getting a 4k TV. The one in the kitchen is not 4k. I would also replace the Fire Stick with a Fire TV box that supports 4k. I'm just wondering how this will work (or if it won't).

Do all HDMI devices support 4k or might my splitter not support 4k?
If I have to buy a new splitter, then does the Fire TV somehow detect if it should output to 4k or 1080p?
Can it send out a 4k signal and will the non-4k TV understand the signal and just show it as 1080p?

Any other ideas or problems I might run into or is this not even possible at all?

Thanks.
 

mdram

Golden Member
Jan 2, 2014
1,512
208
106
you will need a splitter that is hdcp 2.2 compliant
it should also be powered.
if its not powered then the 4k tv will most likley have to be on for the 1080 to work.

i dont think the 4k will be readable by the non 4k tv, but there may be a fancy thingy out there to do that


forgot these guys have things that can do it
but they aint cheap

https://www.hdfury.com/product/vertex-4k60-444-600mhz/
 

JeffMD

Platinum Member
Feb 15, 2002
2,026
19
81
Not going to work. You will need a 4k compliant splitter and unless it is something amazing it will not downscale so you cannot be in 4k mode when using the 1080p tv.
 

Kelemvor

Lifer
May 23, 2002
16,930
7
81
So in that scenario, if the smaller TV is off and just the bigger TV is on, will the Fire TV send the output in 4k so everything will be good? Then if the smaller TV gets turned on, will it pause and flicker and change resolutions so then both would be showing 1080p?

I'm thinking I might just pass on the 4k TV since it's an extra $70 or so anyway and it's not like there's a ton of 4k content out there these days.

Thanks.