I am in need of an AV switch for 5+ game consoles but am unsure of what I should be looking for. The one I have currently is about 7 years old and is causing distortion to the picture as well as the sound. I really am not looking to spend too much, but want to purchase one that will last as the newer systems come out. It has to be able to support a PS3 whereas that was my newest purchase. Any ideas/ comments would be greatly appreciated.
Hi Aifababy,
The hard part with switches and supporting the new consoles is how you intend to hook these consoles up. PS3, XBOX 360, and Wii all support component video if you have an HD set, while the 360 and PS3 also sport HDMI if your set is a bit newer, but Wii doesn't have HDMI.
How do you intend to hook them up? What kind of connection options does your set have?
regular tv and avi connections for all the systems
Until you get a new TV, any basic composite/S-video switch box will do the trick... no sense in blowing a lot of cash to support a TV you don't have. Do you have a digital surround system, or do you use TV sound?
Just tv sound at this point but will look into a nive surrond system if when we get a HD set
Sounds reasonable. For now, I'd say stick with a basic AV switchbox, like the Terk VS-4 (one that I use for some older systems), or something similar. The key is to spend as little as possible so you can save up for a bigger, better switch (which you may not even need if you get a nice receiver and TV with lots of inputs) down the road. This is only something to get you by.