Disable HDMI on Radeon HD 7850

[Larkspeed]

This is my situation my TV has 3 HDMI ports yet I have 4 HDMI devices.

I use an auto HDMI switch so that I can have up to 3 HDMI devices plugged into a single port and the one that is on is made active and the others are isolated to prevent feedback.

I currently have my Blu-Ray and my Xbox360 on the switch since they would never be turned on at the same time.

Now my issue.

I want to run a 5m HDMI cable from my PC to the TV so that using a wireless controller I can play PC games and output them to the big screen of the TV.

The problem is though that since my PC is on most of the time I feel it would seize control of the auto switch and prevent the other devices being able to switch it.

I do not want to have to keep unplugging cables and I have not bought the 5m HDMI cable yet.

So before I waste money on a cable can anyone tell me if it is possible to disable the HDMI port on the GPU so it's effectively turned off and the switch will work right?

 

[Uncle Petey]

Could you not just use one of the free ports on the TV and use the remote control to switch inputs?

 

[Larkspeed]

There are no free ports on the TV I already have 4 into 3 and the PC makes 5

 

[Uncle Petey]

It must be too early for me.
4 into 3? You just said 3 into 1.

You have three ports on the TV.
A splitter runs three devices into one port and you have five devices. I make that as five ports for five devices or am I missing the blindingly obvious?

 

[tommybhoy]

Plug in the HDMI, disable the TV screen via desktop properties in windows and only enable it when gaming?

 

[Larkspeed]

It must be too early for me.
4 into 3? You just said 3 into 1.

You have three ports on the TV.
A splitter runs three devices into one port and you have five devices. I make that as five ports for five devices or am I missing the blindingly obvious?

I said 4 devices into three ports, 2 of them through a 3 into 1 splitter

All the ports in the TV are full the only free port is on the splitter and I need to be sure the HDMI port on the graphics card can be disabled before I spend money on a cable. (PC would be device number 5)

Plug in the HDMI, disable the TV screen via desktop properties in windows and only enable it when gaming?

Yes that's what I asked I need verification that this is possible before I buy a cable

 

[Uncle Petey]

So there's no way to swap them around so that you can have the PC going into a port that won't auto switch to the always active connection?

 

[Larkspeed]

Nope,

Port 1 and 2 both have devices in them that are always on and port 3 has the splitter

 

[chaosophy]

Yes, you can just disable/enable the display(s) as needed.

If you only have the one main monitor on the PC and are using the TV as second screen the card will probably run at slightly higher clock speed in Windows, so if you're worried about power usage it is preferable to just enable/disable the 2nd screen as and when you need it.

But as a test can you not just move the PC a couple of meters closer to the TV and try it with a shorter lead?

 

[tommybhoy]

Yes that's what I asked I need verification that this is possible before I buy a cable

Yep, works, been doing that for years now, good to go mate.

'Win' key and double tap 'P' can duplicate screens btw on W8(iirc W7 too) if that's any use, it also brings up a screen input tile on W8 and use arrow keys to select your screen output.

 

[Larkspeed]

Yes, you can just disable/enable the display(s) as needed.

If you only have the one main monitor on the PC and are using the TV as second screen the card will probably run at slightly higher clock speed in Windows, so if you're worried about power usage it is preferable to just enable/disable the 2nd screen as and when you need it.

But as a test can you not just move the PC a couple of meters closer to the TV and try it with a shorter lead?

I have 2 screens on the PC both on DVI the HDMI would be a third display

Yep, works, been doing that for years now, good to go mate.

'Win' key and double tap 'P' can duplicate screens btw on W8(iirc W7 too) if that's any use, it also brings up a screen input tile on W8 and use arrow keys to select your screen output.

Thanks for that I feel pretty confident spending the money on the cable now