TV Input & HDMI Port Selector
Select every device you want to connect, enter your TV details, and get an instant port assignment plan — which HDMI goes where and exactly which settings to change for each device.
What devices are you connecting?
Select all devices you want to plug into your TV — select as many as you need
Select at least one device to continue
Tell us about your TV
Brand and port count help us give you exact settings
Check the back of your TV or your manual — most TVs have 3 or 4
HDMI 2.0 vs 2.1 — Why It Matters for Your Setup
Not all HDMI ports on your TV are equal. The version stamped on the port (or in the manual) determines what signal it can carry. Plugging the wrong device into the wrong port causes problems that look like cable faults but aren't.
Supports 4K at 30Hz or 1080p at 60Hz. Fine for cable boxes, Blu-ray and basic streaming. Not suitable for PS5, Xbox Series X or modern gaming at full specs.
Supports 4K at 60Hz. Covers almost everything except next-gen gaming. Roku, Fire Stick, Apple TV 4K, cable boxes and Blu-ray all run perfectly on HDMI 2.0.
Supports 4K at 120Hz, VRR (Variable Refresh Rate) and ALLM (Auto Low Latency Mode). Required to get full performance from PS5 and Xbox Series X. Usually only 1–2 ports per TV.
Audio Return Channel. One specific HDMI port (usually labelled ARC) sends audio back to a soundbar or AV receiver. eARC is the enhanced version supporting Dolby Atmos — always use eARC if your soundbar supports it.
HDMI-CEC — The Setting That Lets One Remote Control Everything
HDMI-CEC (Consumer Electronics Control) lets your TV remote control other HDMI-connected devices — and lets devices automatically wake the TV. It sounds technical but the benefit is simple: one remote turns everything on and off.
What enabling CEC does: When you turn on your PS5, Xbox or Roku, the TV switches on and jumps to that input automatically. When you turn the TV off, connected devices go to standby. Your TV remote can control the volume on a CEC-enabled soundbar.
Enable it on every HDMI device you own. It's almost always off by default. On your TV it's usually found under Settings → System → HDMI-CEC or under the device-specific name listed above.
When You Need an HDMI Switch
Most TVs have 3–4 HDMI ports. A modern setup with a gaming console, streaming stick, soundbar and cable box can use all four immediately. An HDMI switch plugs into one TV port and expands it to multiple inputs — no quality loss on passive switches for 1080p, and negligible loss on powered switches at 4K.
For 4K HDR content through a switch, always buy an Active (powered) HDMI 2.0 switch, not a passive one. Passive switches often fail to pass HDR metadata correctly.
Game Mode vs Standard Mode — What Changes and Why It Matters
Switching to Game Mode doesn't just change one setting — it disables a pipeline of image processing that adds latency. Here's exactly what changes and why each one matters for gaming.
Standard mode: 40–100ms. Game Mode: 5–15ms. The difference is visible in any fast-paced game. Game Mode disables all post-processing to cut this down.
Game Mode disables frame interpolation automatically. You don't need to turn it off separately — it's part of what Game Mode does.
Local dimming adds processing delay. Game Mode reduces or disables it to lower latency, which is correct — dark-scene crushing isn't a problem most games have.
Game Mode doesn't automatically enable VRR. You need to turn on G-Sync (Nvidia), FreeSync (AMD) or HDMI Forum VRR separately in the TV's settings menu.
Auto Low Latency Mode switches to Game Mode automatically when a console launches a game. Enable it once in settings — never need to switch modes manually again.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, but mainly for 4K at 120Hz. A standard High Speed HDMI cable handles 4K at 60Hz. For HDMI 2.1 bandwidth (4K 120Hz, 8K 60Hz), you need a 48Gbps Ultra High Speed HDMI cable. The cable's HDMI version is the bottleneck — even if your TV and device both have HDMI 2.1 ports, a standard cable will limit performance.
The PS5 defaults to 4K 120Hz output, which requires HDMI 2.1. If you plug it into an HDMI 2.0 port, the TV may not be able to display the signal. Fix: plug the PS5 into the HDMI 2.1 port (check your TV's manual for which port number), or connect via HDMI 2.0 first, change the PS5 output settings to 4K 60Hz, then reconnect.
Three things to check: (1) Make sure the HDMI cable is plugged into the ARC port on the TV — it's labelled, usually port 1. (2) Go to TV audio settings and set the audio output to "ARC" or "HDMI" — the TV may still be sending audio to its internal speakers. (3) Enable HDMI-CEC on both the TV and the soundbar — ARC only works reliably when CEC is active on both devices.
Yes. TVs have no memory of what was previously connected. Swapping a cable in an HDMI port works perfectly and doesn't affect the port or the devices. You just need to manually switch inputs on the TV each time. If you swap frequently, an HDMI switch is more convenient than physically unplugging cables.
eARC (Enhanced Audio Return Channel) is the upgraded version of ARC. Standard ARC supports stereo and compressed 5.1 surround sound. eARC supports uncompressed 7.1 surround and Dolby Atmos at full quality. If your soundbar or AV receiver supports Dolby Atmos, connect it to the eARC port — otherwise standard ARC is fine.
For 4K at 60Hz (standard 4K streaming, PS4 Pro, Xbox One X), any High Speed HDMI cable works — including most cables made since 2010. For 4K at 120Hz (PS5, Xbox Series X, high-end gaming PCs), you need an Ultra High Speed HDMI 2.1 cable rated for 48Gbps bandwidth. Cable length matters too — over 2 metres, buy an Active HDMI cable for reliable signal.
