@pfraser...Hope you don't mind if I piggyback my report onto yours RE: HDS-12- thanks.

I'm pleased to participate in Outlaw's beta test of an HDMI product labeled Transformative Engineering TE HDS-12, 2 port splitter.

I'll say right up front that I have been an “outlaw” since the beginning and I am currently using the Model 990 preamp-processor along with the Model 770 7-channel amp for home theater center & surround duty.
Like many homeowner's, my system is expected to do double duty for critical music listening and for robust home theater. I primarily listen to music in analog stereo using the shortest possible pathway- player to other mono-block amps to speakers, bypassing the Outlaw 990 and 770. My music pathway is separate and I don't power on the Outlaw pre-pro or multi-channel amp for stereo music playback. See audio notes & commentary (2nd post) later for more explanation. My home theater setup however, is a 7.2 system using the Outlaw gear and of course I light 'em all up for a full movie soundtrack experience primarily via the analog inputs & outputs.

As a beta tester, I represent the long HDMI run (10 meter) from source to projector group.
I'm not asking much from HDMI, video signal transfer only from source to projector. The audio signal for movies or SACDs is handled as 5 or 7 channel analog out to the Model 990. Since my newer Oppo players have newer/better chip sets, I let them do the audio processing and use the “7.1 bypass” setting on the Outlaw 990. Most of you know that the Outlaw Model 990 does NOT have any HDMI connections, as Outlaw opted to use DVI connections. So it is not only a preference, but a necessity to separate audio and video pathways from any source's HDMI output into the Outlaw Model 990. My older Sony projector used a proprietary 10 meter Sony cable combining component video with S-video. When I bought my new Sony Bravia VPL HW15, I removed the Sony cable and pulled a Monster Cable 10 meter “HDMI 400” cable and used a DVI/HDMI adapter on the Outlaw 990's output. When I got the Oppo BDP-83, I bypassed the 990 and hooked the HDMI cable directly to the Oppo's HDMI output. As I upgraded to the Oppo BDP-95 in 2011, I kept this same direct connection.

However, my recent experience with HDMI video handshake error was approaching 20%, that's right, nearly 1 out of 5 times when I powered up, a mono-colored screen (usually red, sometimes yellow) would show and I would have to either physically unplug and replug the HDMI cable at the projector to trigger a new search/connection, or change the input on the projector menu and recapture it that way! It used to happen 1 out of 50, then about 1 out of 20 times and now 1 out of 5. This indicates the problems with HDMI are actually increasing over time for me, even as I add new gear to my system. It only happens with Blu-ray discs, not standard DVDs (or the older HD-DVDs which I still have and use via a direct HDMI cable connection to the projector.)


Let's get right to it. After opening the box, I found an attractive, small, very lightweight, shiny black box of about 3 inches square and just a bit less than 1 inch thick. The HDMI input comes in at the top and the box splits to 2 HDMI outputs, one to each side, and the power cord attaches at the bottom of the unit. The “wall wart” adapter is a slim rectangle that politely only takes up the space of 1plug/outlet. My first thought for the engineering or marketing folks is that the “4 cables on 4 sides” arrangement actually has the (very light weight) box floating in the air like a spider with wires in all four directions. My suggestion would be to present this product as an in-line device and have the input at the top and both outputs at the bottom with the power cord at the side to allow for a “better” cable run IMHO.

Specific to the project at hand (does it work??), my digital source is Oppo's BDP-95 universal player, which I normally connect directly to my Sony Bravia VPL HW15 SXRD projector via a 10 meter “HDMI 400” cable from Monster Cables. However, in order to incorporate the HDMI beta test HDS-12 unit, I used an Audioquest (HDMI-X with 1.25% silver) 1 meter cable from my Oppo BDP-95 to the beta test unit and then the long 10 meter run of Monster Cable's HDMI 400 cable to the projector.

Since 99% of my “handshake error” occurs at power up and ONLY with Blu-ray discs, I concentrated my testing in that phase. Because the projector has the longest power up time, I always turn it on first and then go to the rest of the system and power up the player, pre-pro and amps. For testing purposes, I also varied this routine with the beta unit in use. I disconnected and re-connected the HDMI cable while viewing. I stopped the player and turned it off while the projector was still running and then re-started the player. Conversely, I stopped the projector and powered it down, then re-started it after a long time interval and watched it re-capture the ongoing HDMI signal. As of day 6 of beta testing, the unit has not dropped a single HDMI connection yet. It has been plugged in the whole time and the unit has only the slightest warmth to show signs of life (along with the light) and I do not expect a problem with over-heating.
The picture quality is at least at my reference level baseline. There have been no signs of video noise, artifact, or interference at all.

I will continue to beta test the TE HDS-12 HDMI splitter in my set up and keep you informed. Are there any specific tests or situations that you would like me to simulate, based on other beta tester's input?

KJMAN