I currently have a PC and will be getting an Xbox Series S soon. My display only has one HDMI port, and I do not have speakers because I normally use a headset with my PC. I would like to keep both devices connected instead of constantly swapping cables.
An HDMI switch seems like the obvious solution for switching the video signal between the PC and Xbox, but I am unsure how to handle audio. I have a headset and IEMs, though wearing separate audio devices for each system does not seem like a practical long-term setup.
Is there an HDMI switch with a built-in audio output or splitter that would let me connect both devices to one display and use headphones or speakers for whichever device is selected? If not, what additional audio hardware would work well alongside an HDMI switch?
3 Answers
Before buying extra equipment, check whether the display has a headphone jack or audio output. If it does, you could run both sources through a regular HDMI switch and connect your headphones to the display. Since your display only has HDMI and VGA, that option probably is not available, so a switch with an audio breakout would be the simplest solution.
A basic HDMI switch will solve the one-port problem, but it usually will not provide a convenient headphone connection. Look specifically for an HDMI switch that lists 3.5 mm audio extraction or an optical audio output. Make sure it supports the resolution and refresh rate you use on the PC, since some cheaper switches can limit those features.
An HDMI switch with an audio output should handle this. Connect the PC and Xbox to the switch's inputs, connect the switch's output to the display, and plug your headphones or speakers into the switch's audio output. Select the device you want to use, and the switch should send both its video and audio to the right places.
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