J-Tech Digital JTD-0801 Multi-Functional HDMI Converter Switch with 8 Inputs to 1 HDMI Output

I have a Sony 57" DLP HDTV circa 2003. It still has a great picture, but predates HDMI inputs. So I needed a converter to connect Fire's HDMI output to the TV's RCA composite video/S-video inputs. Bottom line: This one worked great, first try, right out of the box, with excellent picture and sound quality. But before trying the J-Tech converter, I tried and failed to connect Fire multiple times. If you are interested in the details, read on. Perhaps I can save you some pain and suffering.I first tried "ViewHD Premium HDMI to TV Composite RCA AV + S Video Full Size Converter." Connected Fire to the converter, converter to the TV, and had Fire working for 45 minutes. Then it died. All I could get after that was a vertical color bar test pattern. About 50% of the reviewers of the ViewHD converter said that's all they ever got. At that point, I had a 50/50 chance that either the converter had failed, or the Fire TV box failed. I returned Fire TV for replacement. The replacement unit also did not work with the ViewHD converter. Be aware that when you call Amazon support for help with the converter issue, they will instruct you that their technicians do not support connecting Fire through a converter device.I noticed that the back of my HDTV has a VDI input, so I then tried a VDI to HDMI adapter. This was a fail because VDI cannot pass audio.I returned the HDView converter and got an E-More HDMI to Component (YPbPr) converter, to try that connection on the back of the set. That is the same connection type that our cable uses, which works fine. This converter also failed out of the box, yielding only the vertical color bar test pattern.Finally, I returned the E-more converter and ordered the J-Tech. Success! This unit feels heavier and more substantial than the other converters. We have only used the RCA composite video connection, but I'm confident the S-video would work as well.We really enjoy our Amazon Fire TV!

This box is a little pricey but I feel it is a good value. There are more expensive units out there. I use this with a Xbox 360 via hdmi, cable box via hdmi, SNES via scart cable then scart to hdmi converter then to the 3rd hdmi input on this box. I have my N64 via composite, VCR via composite, and PS2 via component. I have not tested the vga or digital audio out. Everything looks and sounds just fine with no lag that I could determine. I really enjoy using the remote with the IR extender hidden by my cable box. Beware though, I have PS1 games that I play on PS2 and all that would appear is the PS1 screen then it would go black and say no signal. The audio was still there. I tried with composite cables in the second component input but got a gray picture (some component inputs don't support the yellow composite cable through the green component input)and the same no signal. I tried the composite cables in the composite inputs and PS1 games worked! But both composite inputs are being used as mentioned before so I have my PS2 hooked up through component on the box and the composite cables hooked up to the component input on my tv (which supports composite through the green component input). So if I want to play PS1 games I'll have to swap the av cables on the back of the PS2. Another issue which really isn't a big deal is no s-video. The N64 only supports up to s-video but I will eventually get mine hdmi modded. Overall a good product.

UPDATED REVIEW:After using this product for 4 months now with various input devices, I'm lowering my rating down to one star. My original rating was based on the faulty observation that 4/8 inputs and conversions worked well; I now realize that this is not the case. Keep in mind, the product has not changed, degraded, or broken in any way from when I first started using it, but rather I now better understand its faults. The two new realizations I've come to are that, for the analog inputs, this device severely distorts the sound, and there's no way to tell the device that the input should remain in a 4:3 aspect ratio. Regarding the sound, much like how the digital inputs end up being scaled way too bright in the output, it seems as if the same thing happens to the sound; namely, it seems as if the analog-to-digital audio converter scales the volume way too loud, which results in a lot of distortion in mid to high tones, which just turning down the volume on my receiver or TV can't fix (and keep in mind, you WILL have to turn down the volume, because it is LOUD). Secondly, because this device outputs a 1080p signal to the TV, my TV or computer display won't let me change the aspect ratio to 4:3; however, this device scales the video input to fill the screen, meaning that any video source that's meant to be shown in a 4:3 aspect ratio will be stretched to widescreen with no way to change it, either on your display or through this device.I really want to like this product. On paper it's exactly what I need. However, everything that I originally wrote below still applies, and because of all of this device's flaws, I cannot recommend it.ORIGINAL REVIEW:Bottom line: the composite and component to HDMI conversions work great and as you would expect; the VGA and HDMI to HDMI conversions, however, do not. When the input signal is any of the VGA or HDMI inputs, then the output video is way too bright and washed out, like the signal is driving the lamps in my display to output maximum power. No amount of adjustment of my display could fix the problem. I contacted the manufacturer, and they said that this is a problem with the model, not just a defective unit. I was seriously considering returning it, but my AV receiver can't do component-to-HDMI conversion as well as this unit can, so I decided to keep it instead and only use it for its component and composite conversion capabilities.I'd give this product a 2.5/5 stars, because only 4/8 inputs work as they should, but I'm okay with a 0.5 star bump for pretty good customer service.