For anyone with displays that support a different max resolution and refresh rate, you’ll want to find an HDMI splitter that supports downscaling. This feature allows your 4K@60Hz display to stay at that max resolution while the signal is downgraded for your 1080p@60Hz display. However, with multiple screens comes the problem of using your media devices – such as streaming devices, gaming consoles, DVD players, etc. – with those multiple tellies. Without buying multiple devices, that is… If you have a 4K Ultra HD TV and 4K source components, the switcher must also be 4K compatible. If you need to pass HDR-encoded or 3D video signals, your HDMI switcher must have those capabilities. For people looking to duplicate a video signal or a static image, 4K resolution at 30Hz will be plenty. However, the best bet for most people will be an HDMI splitter capable of supporting a 4K resolution at 60Hz. If you want to future-proof your setup, you can splurge on an HDMI splitter that supports 4K@120Hz, or even 8K@60Hz. You can use an HDMI switcher with two HDMI outputs to send the same HDMI signal to two TVs or a video projector and TV, but you can use an HDMI splitter if you don't need a switcher.

This is also important when you have a subscription to a streaming service that limits the number of simultaneous streams you can watch. For example, if you have the Standard Netflix membership, you can only watch up to two streams at once. If you have features on your TV or computer monitor that you want to utilize, make sure the HDMI splitter you choose also supports those features. A few popular features to look out for are HDR compatibility and surround sound support like Dolby Atmos. Sarah has an Associate of Arts from Collin College and a Bachelor of Arts in English with a Creative Writing concentration from Nicholls State University.Though she is still writing for Android Authority, she went on to start writing for MakeUseOf, KOINO IT Solutions, and, of course, Review Geek. Alternatively, this OREI HDMI splitter is also capable of sending an 8K@60Hz signal, but it doesn’t support downscaling. This means all of your output displays need to support 8K@60Hz if you want to utilize this high resolution and refresh rate combo. If one of your output displays (or your input device) only supports 4K@60Hz, the signal sent to both displays will be the lower 4K@60Hz option.

When she’s not writing, you can usually find Sarah baking something delicious, hiking up a mountain, or playing video games. The splitter then “duplicates” the signal coming from your media device – and sends it to your two outputs. So you can watch the same stream on two TVs, a TV and a projector, and every other example you can think of.In April 2020, she started writing for Android Authority, covering listicles, helpful how-to's for Android devices, and content on the Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X/S.