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Review: XCM HDMI Capsule LED 4-Port Switch
XCM HDMI Capsule LED 4-Port Switch
Manufacturer: XCM
Site: Buy from Play-Asia
Price: $29.99
Overview : XCM HDMI Capsule (HDMI Switch) is unlike similar HDMI splitter products on the market (most of them are black or grey color). XCM HDMI Capsule is a frosted white color with a built-in 4 set LED for different HDMI ports. Each set of LEDs has its own color and light up when in use. It is in small size and looks cool. You can plug in for 4 different kinds of consoles simultaneously. You can assign which HDMI cable goes to which color for your console; green LED for Xbox 360™, blue LED for PlayStation 3™, red LED for Media Player, Yellow LED for Blu-Ray player or however you like it.
Features :
- HDMI 4 IN 1 Switch
- Group of different color LED lights for each HDMI input.
- Compliant with HDMI 1.3a.
- High performance up to 2.25Gbps.
- Capable of supporting the following digital video formats in deep color mode at up to 36 bits (12 bits/color) DTV resolutions: 480i, 576i, 480p, 576p, 720p, 1080i to 1080p
Quality/Usability : Depending on your HDTV, they sometimes come with 2-3 HDMI ports. But sometimes, that is not enough. So we would need to unplug the HDMI cable from the device we're not using and plug it into a device we are using. This can be annoying and can be a pain to get to. XCM, known for their XFPS line has released their own HDMI switch.
What makes this switch different from the ones I've reviewed or seen is that it does not come in a black or silver housing. It's not long or looks like your average switch that blends in with your devices. The XCM HDMI Capsule is white and a bit bulky. However, rather than a small LED indicating which port is used, the entire section of the port is lit. It would be hard to miss which port is in use. The LEDs are fairly bright but too bright if you're watching a movie or playing a game in a dark room. In a room that is lit, its noticeable but not to the point where it is distracting.
The XCM is powered with an power supply that connects to the wall. It comes with two power cables (US and EU) and a small 5v power brick that connects between the XCM Capsule and power cable. At first, I thought the cables did not plug into the brick as it was hard to get it in. With a little force, it fit in. Removing the cable required force as well. It seems that the groove in the middle of the connector on the cable is a bit too thick. When I inserted it into the power brick, some plastic shaved off. This does not affect performance or cause any damage.
No manual is included and you shouldn't need one but you'll have to supply your own HDMI cable or you can purchase HDMI cables from LighTake, PriceAngels, DealExtreme or VolumeRates.
Conclusion : Overall, the XCM HDMI Capsule LED Switch does what it's suppose to do but is not as sleek as what is available on the market. The size is a bit big but the fact that the entire section of the port is lit up when its selected makes it unique. The price is reasonable. If the thickness of the switch was slimmed down, it would make it more attractive. Would of been nice to be able to change the brightness as it can be distracting when you're in a dark room. Connecting the power cable to the power supply will require some force to get it in and out.
On the description of the box (and probably found on the web), it states the following: "You can assign which HDMI cable goes to which color for your console; green LED for Xbox 360™, blue LED for PlayStation 3™, red LED for Wii™, Yellow LED for Blu-Ray player or however you like it." Opps! The Wii does not have HDMI (unless you use a converter such as VDIGI). We helped XCM with the description and translation and should have caught this error. Bad DCEmu Reviews...BAD! :)
