Solved! 4way HDMI switch trouble..

[Tim_Moore]

hello, thanks upfront for any help,advice. I currently do not have internet at home or have it available.I have ATT and pay extra for a hot spot which we use for banking ,web surfing, and some video watching.
I have unlimited data and have had no trouble . I bought a "cheap" 4 way HDMI switch and run my tv through it and a sound bar.Sounds great, can stream Sirius music, tv etc. I want to connect my phone so i can
use my music service and also watch Netflix occasionally. When i connect my phone, and play through it, the sound and picture will cut out and in about ever y 3 seconds. It does not do this when i take the switch out of the way. But i dont want to have to plug and unplug every time i use it..I know you get what you pay for , but this switch was around $40.looking on Amazon they all seem around the same price. Is there a better switch than others?..or did i hook up wrong?..my signal goes from Dish network box to switch..then out of that to sound bar..then to tv. i want to have it so whatever im watching ,it will switch to..thanks for thehelp!

 

[hang-the-9]

Why are you using a switch in the first place instead of connecting the TV to the sound bar directly from the TV? How exactly are you connecting the phone, using an mhl HDMI cable to that switch?

I don't see the need for a switch in the first place, just connect everything to the TV and use the TV optical out or HDMI ARC to the soundbar, whatever outputs and inputs you have for them.

There are good HDMI switches but they are well over the $40 you spent. https://www.projectorpeople.com/Crestron-HDMD4X14KE-4x1-4K-HDMI-Switcher/Accessory/39741 https://www.projectorpeople.com/Comprehensive-Video-18Gb-HDMI-Switcher-/Accessory/47564

But really no need to add an extra hardware piece that is causing issues. Also why use the phone at all for the media, if the TV is a smart one just connect it to the hotspot, or get a cheap Firestick for $20-30 and use that, again on the phone hotspot.