No matter how many HDMI inputs your fancy new TV comes with, within about a week, you’ll end up needing at least one more. And since you spent so much time picking out a TV with a gorgeous picture, why wouldn’t you want an HDMI switcher that looks just as great?
The Cadent HDMI Switcher from Sewell Direct’s (the same folks behind that sunlight-matching Silk smart bulb) Salt Labs is designed for those who really care about their home theater setups. Milled from a solid block of aluminum, it screams ‘high-end hardware,’ which is usually as important as picture quality—probably even more so—to home theater enthusiasts.
The front face features capacitive touch controls for switching between the Cadent’s four 4K-ready HDMI 2.0 inputs. But if you don’t want to get fingerprints all over it, the device also comes with a matching milled aluminum wireless remote with similar touch-friendly buttons.
However, the Cadent is not only about looks. It includes a feature called PolyView that provides on-screen thumbnail previews of what’s currently playing on all four connected devices so it’s easier to find what you’re looking for. The Cadent also speeds up the often annoyingly long extended display identification data—or EDID—wait time, which is what’s usually responsible for the long delays while switching inputs. If you don’t consider yourself the patient type, this HDMI switcher may be worth considering.
If this all sounds like a must-have addition to your already impressive home theater setup, you’ll probably think the Cadent’s $250 price tag is almost too good to be true. Salt Labs says this little box should be available sometime in the next couple of weeks. But in the meantime, you can leave your email address on the Salt Labs site and the company will let you know when your latest home theater upgrade is ready.