joecheech Posted August 8, 2018 Share Posted August 8, 2018 Let me preface by saying I'm not cheap, but I don't think one of the many high-end HDMI Switchers / Matrices that have been discussed on the forum are necessary for my application. Let me explain: My OLED has 4 HDMI inputs and I'm using 3. I'd love to use the 4th but my installer never ran that 4th line to my TV and the walls have been closed up long ago - so no way back to the rack. I'm currently using the 3 inputs for: EA3; Fios Box; and Roku Ultra. In my rack I also have an NVR and a Qnap. I use the Qnap via the Roku Plex app so I don't need an HDMI for that one, but I'd love to be able to review my NVR footage from the TV. So the question is, how dumb of an idea is it for me to get one of those less-sophisticated HDMI switchers like the ones on Amazon and re purposing the HDMI that is currently used by the EA3 for this device? I'd stick it in the rack and run the EA3 and NVR through it and add an IR bud to switch it. Can I get off that easy? Thanks for your thoughts and looking forward to the colorful responses scolding me for such a sacrilegious idea. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sonic30101 Posted August 8, 2018 Share Posted August 8, 2018 Should work just fine just make sure to get one that uses IR for control and does not have auto switch sensing. Might be a good idea to get one that is 3 or 4 ports just to have head room Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pounce Posted August 8, 2018 Share Posted August 8, 2018 What NVR are you running? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joecheech Posted August 8, 2018 Author Share Posted August 8, 2018 Running a 4-channel Hikvision. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pounce Posted August 8, 2018 Share Posted August 8, 2018 14 minutes ago, joecheech said: Running a 4-channel Hikvision. Check to see if you can get the iVMS-4500 app running on whatever you are using for apps. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ILoveControl Posted August 8, 2018 Share Posted August 8, 2018 My advise and I have tried almost everything - might not pertain to your situation but food for thought. You have a few options HD Matrix are typically expensive the ones that work with C4. Are they worth it - absolutely yes if you serious about simplicity - just works and quality. Disclamer -- In the end of all my spending and trying different senarios I ended up buying the LEAF matrix .... So options: 1. You can look at the price of having an actual device duplicated in each room - example - -Your TV has a Apple TV, Roko etc connected directly to the back of it. Same for the kids rooms. You take those total devices and add them up they will prob still come up to cheaper than a matrix down side: well - You have to power all of those, Network all of those, connect to the TV all of those === Ugly mess at the back of your TV';s == Configuration on C4 can become a nightmare to. Then comes trying to use a receiver to get this going - yes you can but the real receivers that have multiple outputs get you to the price of a matrix. So in the end after buying triple devices - receivers etc I ended up with a matrix. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eggzlot Posted August 8, 2018 Share Posted August 8, 2018 Did you look at netplay by @videostorm? has ir control. Can even run over coax if you have coax in place. Can be diy. And if cameras are ip you do not need an encoder for the nvr you will get them on the network its modular so buy and grow as needed Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MonsterIT Posted August 9, 2018 Share Posted August 9, 2018 If you just want the stream of your cameras you can integrate your Dvr to your Control4 system and watch the cameras feed in the ea3 navigator Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mallom Posted August 9, 2018 Share Posted August 9, 2018 Sorry I didnt have time to read the whole thread...If all you need is to have more input options, just get a good hdmi switcher and be done with it.Instead of using 3 inputs on your TV, you would only use 2.Assuming everything is in a rack:Roku, Qnap, NVR, Apple tv, PS4 etc > 5x1 hdmi switch (4k 60hz HDR if possible) > HDMI 1 on your TVControl4 controller hdmi out > HDMI 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joecheech Posted August 9, 2018 Author Share Posted August 9, 2018 Thanks for the help everyone. What do you folks think about this unit: https://www.monoprice.com/product?p_id=21614&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI_uSxh_ff3AIVw5CfCh1t_gefEAAYASAAEgIhYvD_BwE Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mallom Posted August 9, 2018 Share Posted August 9, 2018 I have never used that one. Just make sure it has at least discrete IR inputs. Check the remote control and see if it has a button for every input. Example: A button for HDMI1, a button for HDMI2 and etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twmoonly Posted August 9, 2018 Share Posted August 9, 2018 Also look at the lower end AV receivers for this application and just use the switch part. They will have better driver options provided from control4. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zaphod Posted August 9, 2018 Share Posted August 9, 2018 I have some Monoprice switches and the ones that I have come with a cheapo remote that does have discrete input switching. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joecheech Posted August 9, 2018 Author Share Posted August 9, 2018 Thanks, everyone. Zaphoid, as Ex-Galactic President, can you tell me if you were able to integrate control of your Monoprice devices with your C4 system? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eggzlot Posted August 9, 2018 Share Posted August 9, 2018 I personally went through 2 Monoprice HDMI Matrix, each one lasted less than a year. Monoprice replaced the first one, would not replace the 2nd one, so I moved on to Videostorm. Just my personal experience. I'll still use monoprice for cables but I'll never purchase hardware from them again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
c44me Posted August 10, 2018 Share Posted August 10, 2018 had issues with Monoprice HDMI switches and hubs. Handshake was horrible, and over any kind of distance no dice at all. This was years ago so YMMV. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zaphod Posted August 11, 2018 Share Posted August 11, 2018 On 8/9/2018 at 10:18 AM, joecheech said: Thanks, everyone. Zaphoid, as Ex-Galactic President, can you tell me if you were able to integrate control of your Monoprice devices with your C4 system? I don't do distributed video - I just use these switches as the V part of a KVM switch and to add HDMI inputs to TVs/AVRs that are challenged in that area. And I spend an inordinate amount of time with Eccentrica Gallumbits Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joecheech Posted August 11, 2018 Author Share Posted August 11, 2018 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pounce Posted August 11, 2018 Share Posted August 11, 2018 Did you try the Hikvision app on your TV? If you can get that working and it meets your needs you may not need to do any of this... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joecheech Posted August 11, 2018 Author Share Posted August 11, 2018 2 hours ago, Pounce said: Did you try the Hikvision app on your TV? If you can get that working and it meets your needs you may not need to do any of this... Looked into it briefly but was too much of a hack for my knowledge level. I ordered the Monoprice 21614, it was on sale for $60. I'm going to use the HDMI port that the Fios STB currently occupies and keep the other two ports as EA3 and Roku. I'll have Fios; Hikvision; and Qnap running through the switcher. If the switcher fails I can easily unplug it and run the Fios STB to that same HDMI port on the TV and at worst be right back where I am today. Thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pounce Posted August 11, 2018 Share Posted August 11, 2018 1 hour ago, joecheech said: Looked into it briefly but was too much of a hack for my knowledge level. Huh. That is the Android app for the Hikvision NVR and cameras. Not sure how that is a hack. Works fine on my tablets and phones. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rolldog Posted August 15, 2018 Share Posted August 15, 2018 I also have the Hikvision cameras, NVR, and QNAP NAS. Yesterday, I was updating a few things on my QNAP, and I saw where the Hikvision cameras are compatible with QNAP's Surveillance Station 5.1, and, by installing the SDDP app on your QNAP and HD Station in Composer, theoretically you should be able to view all your media on your QNAP, without using having to use Plex, and view your video surveillance. This link is kind of old, but it does show how to integrate the QNAP HD Station with Control4: https://www.qnap.com/en-in/how-to/tutorial/article/getting-started-with-qnap-and-control4 I would imagine viewing the surveillance on your TV would be similar, since it's viewable in HD Station, and QNAP's Surveillance Station allows you to setup virtual cameras in addition to the ones currently hooked up. As mentioned, I only ran across this yesterday so I haven't tried any of this yet. https://www.qnap.com/solution/surveillance-station/en-in/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
livitup Posted August 16, 2018 Share Posted August 16, 2018 While I've never seen this particular set of instructions before, QNAP is a Control4 partner, so it doesn't totally shock me. None of this is really earth shattering - the media is scanned/accessed using the standard C4 digital media driver. The Plex and HDMI connectivity could have been done before with existing drivers as well. The QNAP driver does seem to nicely tie everything together in an easy to install/program package. The QNAP driver also looks like it's been updated recently, so maybe it has some more tricks up its sleeve? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
timbooo Posted August 16, 2018 Share Posted August 16, 2018 Do you actually use the on-screen navigator from the EA3? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joecheech Posted August 17, 2018 Author Share Posted August 17, 2018 On 8/16/2018 at 12:14 PM, timbooo said: Do you actually use the on-screen navigator from the EA3? I do use it from time to time, mostly to live stream IP cameras. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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