Review: XtremeMac HDMI Switcher

More and more HDMI-equipped devices are appearing – and you’ll probably find that your brand new HDTV runs out of free HDMI ports quickly. Devices like Apple TVs, games consoles, satellite receivers and more are all becoming HDMI compliant because it provides the best quality in both audio and video; supporting Dolby Digital 5.1 surround sound, and 1080p.

XtremeMac, well-known for making iPod and Mac accessories, have introduced an HDMI switcher that is designed to fit with the Apple TV. The device sits nicely underneath or on top of an Apple TV, as it has the same white plastic and aluminium trim that the Apple TV has, as well as exactly the same footprint. It’s also incredibly thin for an HDMI switcher of this type, and looks great wherever it’s placed.

Included in the box is the HDMI switcher itself, and a 5-button remote control – which is used for switching between the four different sources. It’s a shame that you can’t have the box automatically switch between sources when a signal is detected, but systems that have this feature often don’t work too well. The bundled remote control is tiny, and also about the same size as the Apple remote – although this has a different design.

The XtremeMac XtremeHD HDMI Switcher supports all HD resolutions: 480p, 720p, 1080i and 1080p. It’s also compatible with all HDMI and HDCP compliant devices. HDCP stands for High-bandwidth Digital Copy Protection – a form of digital copy protection used by all Blu-ray and HD-DVD players. I was extremely impressed by the video and audio quality that the XtremeHD HDMI switcher produced; I couldn’t see any visible loss in quality at all. Its excellent picture quality is most likely thanks to its built-in video amplifier, powered by the external power adaptor that is required for it to work.

The XtremeHD HDMI Switcher has been designed with a lot of thought. Of course, being inspired by the Apple TV’s design, it is minimalist and works. It is also very light – not that weight would matter – considering this would be sat on top of or underneath your Apple TV. The back of the device houses four inputs, one output and a 5V DC input. The front is designed minimally too, with the four sources listed, which are lit up by LEDs behind them – to help indicate which source you are connected to.

XtremeMac also sell some great accessories for the switcher. HDMI cables are a necessity, and other things like DVI to HDMI converter cables can be useful for displaying your Mac through it. A lot of people using Mac Minis as media centres will find this useful (the XtremeHD Switcher also looks good next to a Mac Mini). XtremeMac’s HDMI cables are priced affordably too, but the quality is never compromised. They use 24k gold plating to ensure the best signal transfer and the clearest high-definition picture possible – without any interference. Even though you may think digital signals won’t be affected – gold plated or not; it has been proven to make a big difference to the clarity of both audio and video.

If you bought an LCD or Plasma TV a few years ago, it’s most likely that you only have one HDMI port. The XtremeHD HDMI Switcher is the perfect solution for Apple TV owners in this situation. It’s also priced very reasonably – only $99.95. This price is outstanding value if you compare it to some of the competition, for example, Gefen – who sell their top-of-the-range “TV Switcher” for $199. The Gefen switcher is almost twice the size of the XtremeHD, and its only benefit is the auto-switching feature – which, let’s face it, isn’t worth an extra $100. The XtremeHD is an excellent product as always with XtremeMac, and is certainly the best companion for your Apple TV.