Cables To Go - 40324 - 3-Play Component Video Digital Audio Selector Reviews

• Excellent performance!

  
  By A25CMX2TDVFY86 on 2006-06-26
  I bought a passive component switch (no power supply) and returned it because I was losing HD signals when viewing HD channels. I then got this unit and it works as advertised. No HD signal lost at all, excellent build (does not weight or look cheap), easy switching between devices with the remote.
  
  I have a SONY BRAVIA LCD HDTV and only have one component input so I needed this unit to switch between my HD Cable box and a progressive scan DVD. When watching HD cable channels, my Bravia tells me the signal input is 1080i. When watching a DVD progressive scan, it tells me I'm getting a 480P signal. So the unit works perfectly!!! Great buy!
  
  This is the most reasonably priced unit compared to other "powered" component switches I have looked at. You can't go wrong with this one.
  
  

• Affordable; works as advertised

  
  By A3N8KQQ5RPKLB on 2006-03-09
  Having an older Harmon-Kardon AVR with only 2 component inputs I needed a way to expand the inputs to allow component input from the Xbox and PS2. I was using a manual A/v selector but the lack of digital audio in/out was annoying. Replacing the manual box with the Impact Acoustics 3-Play was a great solution. Using affordable TOSALINK digital audio cables allowed me to spend more on quality component cables. The Impact Acoustics A/v selector itself was less of an expense than a premium set of component cables.
  
  I am impressed with the ease of setup and use. I do not have the equipment to test the functioning of the unit but regarding visual and audio capability I find no discernable difference from a direct hook up to the AVR. Obviously any interconnect will have some effect, but I can't tell the difference. It leaves me wondering how they did it, with comparable units costing twice or even four times as much.
  
  The caveats are the lack of coaxial digital audio in/out, and the tiny credit card sized remote. I have no issue with the function of the remote; it works well from across the room. I'm just afraid of losing the darn thing!
  
  

• Excellent value in a fine component video switcher

  
  By A24J2Y1O22JYZX on 2006-04-29
  If you're adding high definition sources to your system and are running out of component video inputs, the Impact Acoustics (Cables To Go) Component Video Switcher may be just what the home theater doctor ordered. Its 50 MHz rated video bandwidth supports the full resolution of HD video sources as well as standard video devices such as game systems and DVD players.
  
  Its credit card remote is perfectly functional and the fact that it offers direct input access via the remote for each of its three component video inputs means that it's easy to integrate with a universal remote control.
  
  Don't let the low price fool you. This little switcher is a great way to add high definition and standard definition component video sources to your system without having to upgrade your TV or home theater receiver.
  
  Check out the complete review on Big Picture Big Sound.
  
  

• Image Degradation Visible

  
  By A120EO3RYH3754 on 2007-05-17
  I took a chance on this unit with all the great reviews I'd read, however I found that this product does not live up to the hype. When running a component video source (Xbox 360) through this device I noticed a decrease in image clarity, specifically, the image looked out of focus. It could be that the 100" image I'm throwing from my projector amplifies the imperfections caused from this switch. I was greeted with a crystal clear image once I reverted back to my original setup of plugging the Xbox 360 directly into my A/V receiver. For smaller TVs this may be an OK unit but I suggest a pass if you have a large TV or projector.
  
  

• Mine did not work at 480i.

  
  By A356LGAKWWVA16 on 2007-03-27
  I bought my switch based on the price and the Amazon reviews. I used the switch to hook up my xbox, xbox 360, and my PS3 to my Onkyo NR 801 receiver. When testing the original xbox, which defaults to 480i resolution in the dashboard I noticed two large green horizontal bands that marched up the screen every 5 seconds or so.. Switching to the PS3 and setting it to 480i had the same effect. My tv does not support 1080p, so I could not test that. I tried several different cabling configurations, and the only way I could get rid of the green bands was to bypass the switch. I also tried bypassing my receiver and connecting the switch to my TV, just in case the receiver and the switch were not "playing nice together", but I still got the bands.
  
  
  I looks like I'm the only one out of a ton of people who've had any problems, I guess I got a bum switch. I could not find any evidence on the web that anyone had any problems with this switch, so this issue has me baffled.
  
  
  One other _minor_ gripe is that it always defaults to channel 1 when you power it on, rather than the last channel you had selected.
  
  On the positive side, the 480p, 720p, and 1080i resolutions did look great, I didn't notice any *unusual* tearing as another review had mentioned. (As someone who has worked in 3D/games, 'tearing' will occur on many games/and systems as the developer disable 'vsync' to keep frame rates up, so it's usually not your TV/AV, it's the game/console. Many 360 games do this, and I see it on the ps3 as well. The alternative, with vsync on eliminates tearing, but causes frame rate stutter, which is much less aesthetic.)
  
  I also used both toslink and the analog stereo audio inputs on all three channels with no problems.
  
  I'm getting an exchange from Amazon, I'll give it another chance, since it seems like my case is a fluke. I'll update this review when the next one comes in.
  
  [Update]
  I received the new switch today and it works fine. If I'd have received a good one in the first place, I'd have given this 5 stars. Still, I will probably buy another one in the future if I run out of component connections again.
  
  
  
• Does the job!
  By AS3VRBAY41V90 on 2005-11-01
  I was going to purchase a manual component video switch to allow convenient selection of my ATSC tuner and DVD player such as one of the JVC models. I'm very pleased that I found this remote controlled model from Impact Acoustics instead. It does just what I needed and cost less than the manual units I was considering.
  If I were a picky person, I might complain that the rear panel markings could be a bit clearer and it would be nice to have the option to switch coaxial digital audio as well as TOSlink. But it's really hard to beat this unit at this price!
  
  
• Works excellently
  By A2W10PHU50SUH4 on 2008-01-04
  I've used this for switching between component cables running HDTV at 1080i and it's worked flawlessly with no visible degradation to the image. Recently I moved up to an LCD with a ton of inputs and am using HDMI so I'm no longer using it for video but am now using it to switch between two 5.1 Surround Sound sources (XBOX 360 and PS3) being my system only has one optical input. It's working flawlessly for this as well. Originally when looking for a switchbox with these capabilities most boxes were at least over $100 with some being closer to $300. I was a little sceptical but ordered on the many reviews here. So now it's my turn to attest how well this switchbox works.
  
  
• Works well, but not with the xbox 360.
  By A28M4FQ30FMQ4 on 2006-11-17
  Bought this video switcher, it works well with the dvd player but perfomance with the xbox 360 is not as good. There are screen tears when i hit the guide button to bring up the side blade. Certain games it loses signal when there are flashes or bright lights/scenes in the game. For example, the intro to Tecmo's Team Ninja logo where there is lightning flashing on the screen, it loses signal. In N3, it randomly loses signal when there are alot of characters on screen which is practically the whole game. I would recommend this for other applications other than video games.
  
  
• Great switch, nice price.
  By A3GXD7RZLS8USP on 2006-12-26
  My poor receiver (2 component devices only) was not up to the task of handling my several component video devices - DVD player, PS2, and XBOX. I resorted to using one of the component inputs on my TV but the solution was inelegant, to say the least.
  
  The last straw was when I purchased a Wii and component cables for it. Rather than use yet ANOTHER component input on my TV (and find some way of connecting the audio back on my receiver) I decided it was time to buy an AV selector. Frankly, I was not impressed with the prices of most and a "passive" switch was out of the question given the fact I needed a switch that handled both optical and RCA audio sources.
  
  I then stumbled upon this switch; it cost roughly half the price of most other options but offered support for only three devices rather than four as most other options provided. No matter, it fit my needs and at this price, I could buy a second and support *six* devices for the same price as the competitors' four.
  
  I'm stunned. As far as I can tell, there has been no drop in quality in video or audio quality. My (hacked) XBOX with a media center runs primarily in 1080i and it's still just as crisp as it was before. My PS2 has optical audio out, whereas the Wii and XBOX have RCA (analog) output but switching between devices is flawless.
  
  This selector is fantastic. Not having had experience with any other selectors, I cannot claim it's better than any other option, however, given the price and the consistently good reviews I've seen, you'll likely not find a better value.
  
  
• 1st component video switch that works without problems!
  By A1GF9P14AHKTDV on 2007-06-07
  I have a Joytech 240c (~$100 instore) and I had a Psyclone PSC01 (ditto, ~$100)
  
  The Joytech has ghosting at 720p/1080i but works perfectly for 480p and s-video/composite stuff. The Psyclone worked on my DLP projector but with my 37" LCD it would cause the TV to lose sync on bright white images (like the main menu screen on the Wii).
  
  I've been using the Joytech but bypassing it for HD by using my HDMI/DVI inputs on my projector, and dealing with the degradation on my LCD. I thought it died so I hunted around for yet another switch.
  
  This is the only switch I found to work properly with 720p/1080i on my Optoma HD72 projector and my 37" Olevia LCD. I didn't see any noticeable softness or degradation @ 115" and no video dropouts.
  
  I found out the Joytech simply had a bad AC adapter, subbed in a spare 8-bit NES power adapter and it is running again. But I kept this switch around as a backup. I only wish they made one with 4-6 inputs, 3 just isn't enough, so I tolerate the Joytech.
  
  If this gives you enough inputs I highly recommend it.
  
  
• It works
  By A238V1XTSK9NFE on 2008-01-08
  I only use this for the optical audio link but having that capability helps me out of a jam - 3 digital sources, a TV with 3 HDMI ins and a receiver with 1 optical in. I thought I'd made my audio system obsolete. I rigged this up with some cheap optical cables and reprogrammed my Logitech Harmony remote - this switch does have an IR remote and it can be controlled by a universal remote - and now the system operates seamlessly, with HDMI video and digital audio from all my devices.
  
  
• Problems using this with Wii and Xbox 360...
  By A3DBMRZRQAEOEX on 2008-02-15
  I bought this switcher because of the high review scores but I've had two of them not work for me and ultimately had to send them both back and get a refund. When running the Nintendo Wii through it I would often get sync loss and flickering anytime a bright white screen came on (which happened a lot in Super Mario Galaxy).
  
  Additionally, while running my XBOX 360 though it, the screen would often scramble and freeze up (confirmed this was not the 360 itself). FYI, my Wii is set to 480p and the 360 at 720p which this switcher could supposedly handle. Unfortunately that was not the case for me. Was it just bad luck? Who knows, but I'll have to look for another brand now.
  
  
• Works as advertised
  By A26DW9CUI5XDG on 2007-02-21
  I've been using this A/V selector for a couple of weeks and so far everything is working well. Having the optical audio switching is a nice feature but I am not currently using it.
  
  My only complaint is it seems over priced for what you get, but it sure beats wearing out the jacks on my projector by changing plugs every time I want to use a different device.
  
  
• Impact Acoustics A/v Selector
  By AXP1HXE3OIUSC on 2007-08-01
  The a/v selector is a good way to expand one component port
  and one optical port.
  
  
• Great Solution for Limited A/V Inputs
  By A81D1MG5U2IXL on 2007-08-16
  I am using this box as a selector for multiple Digital Audio inputs into a Home Theater system. It has worked flawlessly and the price is very reasonable. The unit is very simple to use, it includes a remote and has large, easy-to-read indicator lights on the front to display which input is selected. I'm very pleased with this purchase.
  
  
• Works as it's designed for
  By ABIL7UP34H66L on 2007-09-14
  The device works well, just like advertised/designed. One suggestion when you hook up: better make line #1 be the one you use most since that's the default when you turn the unit on (no matter which line you used the last time before you turn it off).
  
  
• Works great
  By A2URT9R3DH3JJM on 2007-10-02
  It works great and the remote control makes it really easy to switch between my Tivo and DVD players.
  
  
  
• Read Carefully
  By AF7E76O3EPJ4I on 2008-01-31
  This unit is all HD in and out...if you have any anolog it will not work.
  
  
• Lots of interference
  By AIZJ9055RD6Z on 2008-04-20
  I ordered and then had to return this item. I have a 55" projection TV that supports 1080i and when running components through this box received an unwatchable amount of intereference.
  
  
• Good solid a/v selector
  By A109EQL7AT39YF on 2007-02-26
  I decided to "upgrade" A/V selectors thinking it would enhance the 720p image with Xbox 360 on my Samsung LCD. Quite frankly, it really didn't show any improvement over the Pelican component A/V selector I already had...that didn't require a power source. Nonetheless, it's a solid, if not a bit overpriced A/V selector. I recommend the Impact Acoustics A/V selector if you don't already have a selector you are happy with.
  
  
• good, affordable optical and component selector
  By A36JKEZNV5PYO3 on 2007-03-09
  Since I ran out of optical inputs and outputs on my surround sound receiver, I have been looking for this type of product for a long time. Being able to switch sources with the mini remote control is awesome.
  My only gripe is that although it has three optical audio inputs, I wish it had two optical audio outputs instead of one.
  
  Overall it's a good product that saved me hundreds of dollars, instead of having to buy a brand new receiver with multiple optical and component inputs.
  
  
• Great price for a great product.
  By AYFL7FNCQVE2V on 2007-03-12
  Works very well. No noticable effect on the HD signal. Works with my Logitech universal remote (logitech already has the device in it's database). Only gripe is that you have to aim the remote directly at the device and can not be at too great of an angel from the device for the remote to work.
  
  
• Great Quality
  By AIU5R82TF1ID2 on 2007-04-14
  Great little box. I have three video game consoles hooked up to it and they all work without a hitch. It even includes a handy remote. My only complaint is that it doesn't include a set of component cables to hook it up to your television.
  
  
• Too Bad!
  By A27ZM18NBVCVTU on 2007-07-16
  Looks are deceiving. First: A rubber leg was missing from the bottom of the unit. Second: There is a LOUD crack (snap) when switching from imput 3 to imput 1, It is so loud I have turn down the volume of my receiver before switching imputs to save my speakers. Third: Unit would not produce sound from cable box. After trying everything I could think of to make it work, it still doesn't. Cable box sounds fine through direct connection to the reveiver, so it's not the box. No matter which imputs were used. Nothing. Cable company came out and switched their box to be sure. Nope, not their box. He tried everything also, but to no avail. Fourth: They admit there is a problem but refuse to send me a replacement until I BUY another one first! Never Again!!!!!
  
  
• Very handy and does what it claims
  By A19RGDJPNZ7NZ on 2007-08-23
  I got this because although I have two component connections in back of my television, my camcorder requires a component hook-up when I want to watch something I recorded. My television is a very large 60" that does not have front component connections and is enclosed in an entertainment center. This device allows me easy component connectivity without having to roll my TV out every time I want to connect my camcorder, plus it allows me to now have four connection instead of two (one direct to the TV, three from this device). It has worked perfectly and I have not noticed any deterioration in the picture quality. Great price, too.
  
  
• IA A/V Selecor
  By A2097COKODFYGF on 2007-09-02
  This switch works great! It's easy to install and has no loss of video signal at all. The order was just as easy and arrived in less time than the shipping method indicated.
  
  
• Very good value
  By A2GMNN82OAQVIE on 2007-09-16
  This switcher is an excellent solution when you need more component video, analog audio and optical audio inputs and you don't want to spend a lot of money. I am sure more expensive products would provide even better performance, but you can't beat this product for the money. Even 1080i signals are passed with full quality.
  
  One negative I could see was that the video brightness or contrast might need to be adjusted slightly when routing through this device. Another trivial point is that when you turn off the switch, it does not remember the input that was last active when you turn it on again. Neither of these issues detracts from the value at this price.
  
  
• good, but be careful re mixing digital and analog
  By A1T2H4K0F53ZXR on 2007-12-07
  If you have a mix of analog and digital audio, this unit doesn't help. fir instance, I bought the unit to solve the following issue. I wanted to route the following audio sources into my iPod HiFi speaker:
  
  1. optical from my dvd player
  2. analog from my tv player (it has no optical out)
  3. optical from my airport express
  
  The Apple HiFi has one input that is of the type that will take either an optical or analog input (but not both at the same time).
  
  So, because the Impact Switcher doesn't convert audio from digital to analog (or vice versa), you must match the output from the Impact unit to your speaker or it won't work.
  
  so, for me - because my idiotic, not that old TV has no optical out - it means that in order to get sound out of it, I have to degrade all of my signals in order to run the TV through the Impact and into the Apple Hi Fi. In other words, my dvd player and airport express have to send analog signals to the Impact.
  
  frustrating.
  
  
• Works Flawlessly
  By AYBPI42XDKXPQ on 2007-12-17
  The selector works flawlessly. I have an HD-DVD, XBOX 360, and Wii running through it with no sound or video quality loss.
  
  The remote is not the best, but if you have a remote with a learning function, you can program it for the AV selector.
  
  Very good selector and much cheaper than a new receiver.
  
  
• Great quality AV Switch, I was very impressed! Every electronics store in North america should carry this.
  By A2X62XMIAWQJNH on 2006-10-19
  There isn't a better 3 way component/optical switch anywhere. There's even a remote control that comes with it so you can switch without having to move. Buy Impact Acoustics A/v Selector right now, even if you just need it for the optical switching ability.
  
  I wish could give this switch a higher rank than 5 stars, nothing compares to it that I've seen, and at this price you can't go wrong!
  
  It's too bad its so hard to find places that sell them in normal retail stores, I'd buy another couple for other tv's without hesitation.
  
  

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