15
Connecting Components to your HDS4
Video switching
The HDS4 has 5 general purpose, high bandwidth connections that may be used for several differ-
ent formats of video. In the typical application, you would use the three connectors labeled Y/G, Pr/
R, and Pb/B for component video, and the two labeled L/H and R/V for analog stereo audio. The
switching circuitry for all five signals have the same bandwidth, so in cases where routing analog
signals are not needed, the L/H and R/V connectors can be used to switch horizontal and vertical
sync as required for VGA signals from a computer (aka RGBHV).
Another application is switching one source to multiple display devices. This is not to be confused
with a distribution amplifier that can drive multiple displays simultaneously. The HDS4 will allow
switching one device to one display device at a time.
Audio switching
The HDS4 allows for the input of SPDIF digital audio as well as Toslink optical digital audio. Both
signals are mixed internally, and switched as a single signal. You can mix and match digital audio
signals freely, however when connecting each input device, choose either SPDIF or Toslink on any
given channel, but not both. Connecting both to the same input channel will interrupt the audio data.
When the signal reaches the output, it is converted back into both SPDIF and Toslink, so either con-
nection may be used to feed the signal to the AV receiver.
Since the digital audio data is switched differently than the video signals, it is not bidirectional.
Typical applications
The following are some ideas on typical HDS4 usage.