Extron SMX or DXP - HDMI matrix switchers? Anybody use one?

[Dochartaigh]

Messing around with my Extron SMX switcher with 8x8 HDMI board installed (post about how I'm using it here). These seem to be very close to the Extron DXP line too. Does anybody use one of these for retro gaming with upscalers?

The output of my OSSC goes into the SMX switcher via HDMI, then runs to my TCL 4K TV. I'm getting some drop-outs where the TV shows no signal (when the game is still running on my CRT just fine). If I plug the OSSC directly into the 4K TV it's perfectly fine so it's definitely something with the SMX HDMI switcher.

It most commonly happens when I'm running Sega Genesis, over RGBS to the OSSC, with a Mega Everdrive X7, and use the controller shortcut to exit back to the everdrive's game menu. Sometimes on the SMX I can turn the inputs off, then back on and it'll give an image again. I can also turn the OSSC on and off and it'll get a signal again. Any ideas? Something with the EDID maybe of these 5x upscaled 240p resolutions it doesn't like?

I'll post some screenshots of the web interface of the SMX - going to poke around in there some more and see what options there might be.



Last, I know these are going to be rare devices - anybody know of forums specializing in this type of stuff? I've posted about Extron on AVS forums before but nobody ever answers...and don't know where else to ask for troubleshooting tips.

[VIRTUAL BOY]

Hey dude! I actually just made an account here to message you about that dreamcast cable, lol. I have an Extron DXP, but I primarily use that for HD-era consoles. I actually have not tried it yet with the OSSC. Not sure how well it would work with it considering some of the funky signals the OSSC throws out, but who knows. I might test it out sometime, but i would have to move some cables around to get things plugged in to test lol. My rack is not as easy to access from behind as yours (limited space).

Also, in regards to the 10-pin cable:

This is the exact listing I got mine from, but it appears to be sold out: https://ebay.to/2LrIN1L

Here are some links to similar looking cables:
https://ebay.to/2JcTZww
https://ebay.to/2IX33qu

This next one is interesting: https://amzn.to/2LtHnDS I considered getting it to test at some point. It looks like a USB cable, but its 10 pins, I wonder if it would work. Would be nice because it is cleaner looking. If you try it let me know.

Honestly it would be nice if the behar bros sold a more flexible cable. Maybe retro-access would be willing to make a custom cable... Their quality and talent is so amazing!

[Dochartaigh]

I have an Extron DXP, but I primarily use that for HD-era consoles. I actually have not tried it yet with the OSSC. Not sure how well it would work with it considering some of the funky signals the OSSC throws out, but who knows. I might test it out sometime, but i would have to move some cables around to get things plugged in to test lol. My rack is not as easy to access from behind as yours (limited space).

If you ever get a chance please test with the OSSC! (and thanks for the link to those cables - I'll try them out).




For other people reading, I don't know if the problem is with the Extron HDMI switcher, or my flatscreen TV now or what. There's a PC program where you can monitor what the Extron SMX is doing, and when my TV has a signal I get this output:




And when I get no signal on my TV, it looks like the SMX still thinks it has a valid signal and is outputting it...and it seems to be identical to the above signal at first glance...yet is still NOT displaying on my TV...






So I'm super confused now. If it's outputting the same exact signal at both times (when my TV has an image, and when it doesn't), then this could mean my TV is the culprit perhaps?

BUT, I'm also thinking that this PC software isn't a real-time view with logging or anything, so it could be that there's a momentary interruption in the signal, my TV displays the 'no signal' screen, then the signal returns to normal, but nothing tells the TV to display an image again....who knows, this stuff isn't my forte - totally guessing.

[Unseen]

There's a PC program where you can monitor what the Extron SMX is doing, and when my TV has a signal I get this output:
(...)
And when I get no signal on my TV, it looks like the SMX still thinks it has a valid signal and is outputting it...and it seems to be identical to the above signal at first glance...yet is still NOT displaying on my TV...

It should be identical, because it is showing the EDID data for the same output both times. The EDID viewer has nothing to do with the current signal, instead it shows a block of data that your TV provides which describes the resolutions/refresh rates/color spaces/audio formats/... it can accept on that input.

[Dochartaigh]

It should be identical, because it is showing the EDID data for the same output both times. The EDID viewer has nothing to do with the current signal, instead it shows a block of data that your TV provides which describes the resolutions/refresh rates/color spaces/audio formats/... it can accept on that input.

That makes perfect sense now that you said that lol.

I poked around the SMX Windows control program some more, and the web portal to the SMX as well, and there doesn't seem to be anything else which would give me a real-time view of if it thinks it's outputting a signal or not, so probably a dead end there.

Might be some SIS commands I can send to it which would tell me what the output is for a certain HDMI port - might look into that (but that's a little over my head and I forget which program I even used to mess with that last time).

Next steps are to install the other smaller SMX I have just with the HDMI card and see if that works. I also have a 2nd 4x4 HDMI card I can try in both units (simply to rule out either the card of the SMX itself as being bad).

Anything else anybody would suggest?


...besides that my HDMI splitter arrives on Friday so I can at least get the OSSC bypassing this SMX HDMI switcher so it'll work properly on my flatscreen (hopefully 100%).

[ChillyLizard]

Hi dude, I got an extron dxp too and I've been using it with the ossc for a while now, almost a year I think.

Never had any issues with the genesis, it looses sync when changing resolutions like on sonic's 2 special stages but it always comes back quickly enough to not bother me. I never used it with an everdrive though.

Sometimes on my GC when changing from 480i to 480p, or when going into the game boy interface, I loose sync and have to fiddle with the inputs for it to come back again. I imagine it's like what's happening with you.

There's a setting that could maybe help, it's called "Signal-detection options", under the preferences menu. There's an option to automatically refresh every ten seconds. I didn't test it yet because I don't have the matrix software and I've been doing my configuration through sis or the web interface. I couldn't find this option on neither of them.

Also, I'm pretty sure there's no sis command to tell the signal of a current HDMI port, most you can find out is HDCP status I think.

Anyway, it's cool to see more people with the extron HDMI switches, it's not very easy to find information about them.

[Dochartaigh]

There's a setting that could maybe help, it's called "Signal-detection options", under the preferences menu. There's an option to automatically refresh every ten seconds. I didn't test it yet because I don't have the matrix software and I've been doing my configuration through sis or the web interface. I couldn't find this option on neither of them.

I think I saw that option and tried it and no change unfortunately.



Just wanted to update this post in case anybody else wants to buy an Extron SMX matrix switcher - I gave up on them, they simply don't work nice with the OSSC (and I have two different SMX's and two different HDMI cards so most likely the hardware itself is sound).

I switched to a Vorke 4x1 HDMI switch + two 1x2 ViewHD splitters to get everything (OSSC, XRGB-mini, DSC 301 HD, Xbox 360) running. Still limited and I can't do everything I want (didn't even have enough inputs to run my 4K PC off it - that's running to input #2 on the flatscreen), but it works for now at least. I'm pretty sure I've never had a dropout with those two devices so far.

[Henkow]

Just wanted to update this post in case anybody else wants to buy an Extron SMX matrix switcher - I gave up on them, they simply don't work nice with the OSSC (and I have two different SMX's and two different HDMI cards so most likely the hardware itself is sound).

I switched to a Vorke 4x1 HDMI switch + two 1x2 ViewHD splitters to get everything (OSSC, XRGB-mini, DSC 301 HD, Xbox 360) running. Still limited and I can't do everything I want (didn't even have enough inputs to run my 4K PC off it - that's running to input #2 on the flatscreen), but it works for now at least. I'm pretty sure I've never had a dropout with those two devices so far.

Hi! Do you know if the DXP switches exhibits the same issues with the OSSC? Also, do you still use the Vorke switch or have you found a better solution since this post?

//Henrik