Ocean Matrix 5x1 HDMI switcher OMX-HDMI5X1-V2

n8nagel · Post by **n8nagel** » Fri May 29, 2020 6:48 am

Good morning all,

Need a HDMI switcher or two as my old Psyclone is dying (showing jaggies on screen)

Want two features:

1) no auto-switching, or auto-switching able to be disabled
2) supports discrete on/off IR commands

I was able to verify through Ocean Matrix support that this switcher does not have auto-switching, but I don't think the rep understood what I was asking with the second question, and I haven't got a reply in three days.

I want to use this with an ugly lashup that basically is both a quadraphonic stereo and a 4.0 HT system, with an Oppo BDP-105 doing the downmixing of cable box, Roku, etc. Basically digital A/V signals are going through a switcher into the rear aux HDMI port on the Oppo, which outputs video to the TV and analog audio to an old Sansui quadraphonic receiver.

Does anyone know, or am I just going to have to roll the dice, buy one, and try it?

thanks!

n8nagel · Post by **n8nagel** » Tue Jun 02, 2020 6:34 am

Finally heard back from OM. At least they gave me real answers and my experience with their products has been good, but that switch does NOT support discrete IR commands.

Any suggestions? Any of the Monoprice ones OK?

Post by **The Robman** » Tue Jun 02, 2020 7:44 am

If you want to try your hand at fixing the Psyclone, I bet it's just a case of it having worn out capacitors, if you know how to use a soldering iron you could try replacing any that look bad.

n8nagel · Post by **n8nagel** » Tue Jun 02, 2020 8:28 am

you may be right, I should at least pop the top on it.

It however doesn't have discretes either AFAIK.

n8nagel · Post by **n8nagel** » Wed Jun 03, 2020 5:33 pm

So I dragged out the Psyclone.

Good news? It works on my housemate's 720P TV.

Bad news: something is dragging it down BAD. the wall wart is 7.5V, 1A. it's obviously very unhappy. When I measure voltage powered up it is something like 4V. That would explain weird behavior I guess. I tried to connect my HP benchtop power supply set to 7.5V in constant voltage mode but that is also only rated at 1A and immediately goes into constant current mode and the unit is pulling 1A at almost no voltage at all.

There are only a few small capacitors and two transistors in the unit. Most if it is dead space and a couple of ICs. Am wondering if worth it to continue troubleshooting or if it is going to turn out to be beyond my abilities.

Post by **The Robman** » Wed Jun 03, 2020 6:36 pm

So it has an external power supply? Had it been internal I would have suggested looking for bad caps on the internal power supply.

Do you have any other power bricks that have the same spec?

n8nagel · Post by **n8nagel** » Thu Jun 04, 2020 11:56 am

I sure don't. But it's crashing my HP benchtop too.

Post by **The Robman** » Thu Jun 04, 2020 1:33 pm

I have a big box of old power bricks left over from dead devices that I look through in cases like this.

n8nagel · Post by **n8nagel** » Thu Jun 04, 2020 6:11 pm

So Monoprice responded to my inquiry and basically said they didn't have anything that was my ideal unit

Can anyone recommend a HDMI switch that:

1) supports 4K
2) is IR controllable
3) either does not have auto switching or can have that feature disabled
4) has discrete IR on/off power commands?

It seems like I'm asking for something pretty basic, but it seems to actually be a unicorn

otherwise I might just buy a cheap Monoprice switch as it'd likely be not much more expensive than fixing the Psyclone and I don't know if the latter has the bandwidth to do anything past 1080p/60Hz.

mdavej · Post by **mdavej** » Thu Jun 04, 2020 7:01 pm

I imagine an HDMI switch uses a minuscule amount of power. Why can't you just leave it on? Then nearly any switch will work for you.

n8nagel · Post by **n8nagel** » Sat Jun 06, 2020 6:22 pm

That may be what happens, I just find that solution inelegant.

However, a 4K rated 4 or 5 port switch probably costs less than a checkout fee with a good tech for the Psyclone - which doesn't have discrete codes anyway, the only real advantage to it is it is a dead cosmetic match to an Oppo BDP or Sangean HDT-1x.

pH7_jp1 · Post by **pH7_jp1** » Sun Jun 07, 2020 2:01 pm

I think this one meets your requirements: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07J6GJ448 I have used it with both HD and 4K devices.

Yes, it looks hideous, but it is completely hidden in my installation. It does have discrete on and off, but I leave it on all the time. This means that my "activity" macros can switch to the correct input even it the target device isn't completely powered on yet.

Post by **The Robman** » Sun Jun 07, 2020 2:13 pm

pH7_jp1 wrote:Yes, it looks hideous...

Wow, you're not joking, lol, I think I would have to spray paint it black.

pH7_jp1 · Post by **pH7_jp1** » Sun Jun 07, 2020 2:16 pm

Users have nicknamed it "Crayola Box". But it works wonderfully.

n8nagel · Post by **n8nagel** » Sun Jun 07, 2020 4:15 pm

wow, yeah, if that has discretes it's perfect. Uglier than my first car, but perfect functionally. I think the only thing that I could ask for would be an IR jack for a 3.5mm cord from a repeater, but that's a minor quibble. Might order one of these next Friday just to get this all tidied up. But yeah, there might be paint or electrical tape involved.