I think you will run into trouble with a conventional splitter. What they do is to take an input signal and send exactly the same signal to both outputs.
That’s fine, so long as both the devices you’re connecting to are capable of handling all possible audio and video formats you might want to use. But in this case they probably can’t: the television probably can’t handle DTS-HD or Dolby True HD audio, while your pseudo-AVR may or may not be able to handle 4K HDR video on its input.
If either device can’t support something, what usually happens is that the splitter sends a message back to the source telling it not to send that kind of signal, and the source sends something less demanding instead.
With a Vero 4K you can probably force it to send the desired audio and video format regardless, but then there’s a risk that either the TV or the AVR simply won’t be able to lock on to the signal at all, and you’ll get no output.
To summarise: use a standard splitter if you want to send exactly the same signal to both outputs: if you want to send video to one output and audio to another, a standard splitter won’t do that: that’s what the HDFury and Egreat devices are designed to do.
If you insist on buying a conventional splitter anyway, make sure that the specifications explicitly say that it supports 18gbps (or 600MHz), and that it’s HDMI 2.0a or 2.0b, not just HDMI 2.0.
As for which to buy out of the Egreat and HDFury devices, I suggest you buy the cheaper one, and return it for a refund if it doesn’t work.
I would reiterate what @angry.sardine has said, I do not think a normal splitter will work.
Whilst my experience was on different equipment I think the way things behaved for me will be the same for you.
Before I bought my original Vero 4K, in fact this was one of the reasons that convinced me to buy one, I was using a HTPC, this HTPC has dual HDMI outputs, when I started to try and use it for 4K I found my “future proof” AVR wasn’t so future proof.
I tried using the dual outputs of the PC to send sound to the AVR and video to the TV but no matter what I did the PC would lower its output to the AVR’s specs, I suspect the Vero would do the same, perhaps a team member could confirm this?
angry.sardine’s advice about which devices you need to use is sound from my experiences.
Thank you both @angry.sardine@buckeye. Good info and advice. I will get either the Fury or eGreat depending on availability etc.
Really looking fwd to receiving my Vero. I can finally get rid of my noisy HTPC with all its banding problems. Just hoping that the Vero is powerful enough to run the Titan skin.
One question - from the HDFury site, it mentions Windows drivers only so implies its Wintel only?
You might need to use a Windows PC to upgrade the device to the latest version of its firmware, or just possibly to fine-tune some of its settings; in that instance you temporarily connect a PC to it via USB and run a bit of control software on the PC. But once it’s up and running, it’s a stand-alone HDMI device.
Yeah you only need Windows to update the firmware or adjust the settings in software, there is a series of switches on the device to adjust settings without plugging it into a Windows PC.
I should add I use a powered USB hub to power mine but it works just as well plugged into the Vero’s spare USB port.
I only do this because I suffered a failed PSU on my original Vero 4K and am now extra careful and just use the RC dongle plugged directly into my 4K+, everything goes into the powered hub.
I have a Vero 4K connected to a denon receiver and the denon receiver connected to the TVs ARC port. I can control receiver volume and Vero 4K with the TV remote and the amp automatically switches to TV sound when I use a TV streaming app or anything connected to the TVs other HDMI ports. This way I’m getting HD audio with the Vero and its all controlled with the TVs remote.
I don’t think ARC comes into your equation, you are getting HD audio because the Vero is connected directly to your amp, unless you have a very modern 2018 TV that has eARC then normal ARC is not capable of using HD audio formats. If my amp was as compatible as the blurb suggested when I bought it I would be able to do the same, however using the HD Fury and connecting to a non ARC HDMI port on the TV I get the same results, all audio formats sent to the amp and full CEC control with the TV’s RC.
The HD Fury is an expensive solution but one that is cheaper than buying a new AVR.
Well arc lets me control the amp and Vero with CEC and also sends audio from TV apps to the amp, but I agree arc has nothing to do with the audio from the Vero. My point was that even with the Vero plugged directly in to the amp I can still control it with the TV remote by CEC
Decided to give the eGreat H10 a spin as it was working out a lot cheaper than the HDfury AVR Key + shipping. Received it the next after my order from China (well I do live in HK - expat) and gave it a spin hooked up to my PC. Took a bit of faffing around in Windows Sound Panel to get it to work after the initial ‘oh god it doesn’t work’ panic. Seems pretty decent - v well made too.
Will try out with the Vero 4K+ when I receive mine and will post results here.
