Sky Q - HDMI splitter for multiple devices

Hi all

I stumbled upon this forum whilst trying to find an answer to an infuriating problem and it's helped a lot. I wonder if anyone can help / advise further or has encountered the same issue please?

I have a TV mounted in the wall with cables (hidden in the stud wall) running into an alcove cupboard which houses a plethora of devices (Sky, Switch, PS3 etc). Of the three HDMI cables I initially installed / channelled, the heads / connectors have broken off two of them behind the TV (I imagine I used the cheapest cables known to man - you live and learn!).

This has not been a major problem as I have used a HDMI splitter / switcher in the cupboard which has worked fine...until I upgraded from Sky+ to Sky Q recently. It appears the new Sky Q box is not compatible with HDMI switchers - Sky have confirmed this when I spoke to them, but can't really tell me why.

I've tried two different switchers (both wall powered rather than USB) and both have the same result; the TV constantly glitches and is unwatchable.

If I plug the last remaining / good cable into the Sky Q box directly, it works fine so it's definitely a splitter issue.

Reading through this forum, it seems that it could be to do with Digital Rights and there's an intimation that the HDMI splitter needs to be HDCP 2.2. However, the newest one I have bought is:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B07WRYTXRX/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o06_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I am loathe to re-run cables as this will mean re-channeling the walls to pull more cables, but I fear it may be the only solution. I know you can replace HDMI heads but this is beyond my technical ability and I haven't used a voltmeter since O level physics!

I'm not trying to send the signal to multiple devices or recording boxes, I just want a simple way to switch between devices. Is there a HDMI splitter than can do this?

As I say, any help much appreciated and thanks in advance.

AtheleteCured

Might be worth seeing if a cheap HDCP 2.2->HDCP 1.4 converter between the Sky Q and the splitter helps with this, if you can find one.

Also are you only using 1080p - or does the Sky Q run in 2160p/UHD/4K?

4K can need a better cable than HD in many situations - and glitching is one of the byproducts of an 'out of spec' cable. Please note I'm not talking about expensive cables giving you a better picture (that's bobbins), this is purely an issue because UHD/4K signals need a higher bandwidth, so the basic electrical properties of the cable often need to be better to carry the higher bandwidth signal.

Noggin - thank you so much for your help! It's the cable...I think!?

I connected a new 4K HDMI cable to the new HDMI switch and a new 4K HDMI cable from the switch to the Sky Q box and it worked perfectly. I then connected the PS3 to another port of the HDMI switch and could flip between the too seamlessly...without glitching!

However (there's always a 'however'), in an attempt to not channel the wall and as one final check, I connected the pre-existing, non-damaged channelled HDMI cable to the input of the new HDMI switcher and used one of the new cables from the Sky Q box to the switcher...and it's working fine; no glitching and hopefully no wall channeling. This seems to point to the fact that it was actually the original cable from the Sky Q box that was at fault. I wasn't here when the engineer installed so I don't know whether he just used the existing cable from the original Sky+ box. I'm sitting amongst a plethora of wires so I don't know which is which!

Regardless, it's working and I'm thrilled. As an aside, whilst the call centre operative from Sky's Tech department was ultra helpful and consulted colleagues to try and get me an answer, she ultimately led me on a merry dance telling me a HDMI splitter / switch wouldn't work.

Thank you!