SW HD 4K PLUS Series - Switch Extron - Free user manual and instructions

Product Type	HDMI Switcher
Model Numbers	SW HD 4K PLUS Series (SW6 and SW8)
Video Support	Up to 4K/60 and 1080p/60
Data Rate	Up to 18 Gbps
HDR Support	Yes
Color Depth	12-bit Deep Color
3D Support	Yes
Audio Support	Lip Sync, HD lossless audio formats
Control Interfaces	Front panel buttons, USB, Ethernet (LAN), RS-232, contact closure, auto-input switching
EDID Management	EDID Minder® for continuous EDID communication
Auto-Input Switching	Yes, switches to highest-numbered active input
Front Panel Indicators	Power, HDCP, Signal presence, Input selection LEDs
Cable Equalization	Automatic up to 25 ft (7.6 m) with Extron HDMI Pro Series cable
Power Supply	100-240 VAC, 50/60 Hz via IEC connector
Dimensions (H x W x D)	1.75" x 17.5" x 6.0" (4.4 x 44.5 x 15.2 cm)
Weight	Approximately 2.5 lbs (1.1 kg)
Mounting	Rack-mountable (1U) or furniture mount
Operating Temperature	32 to 104°F (0 to 40°C)
Included Accessories	Power cord, LockIt® cable lacing brackets, mounting kit (optional)
Maintenance	Clean with dry cloth; no liquid cleaners
Safety	Use only with supplied power cord; refer to user guide for full safety
Repairability	No user-serviceable parts; contact Extron for service

Frequently Asked Questions - SW HD 4K PLUS Series Extron

How do I connect my sources to the SW HD 4K PLUS?

Connect HDMI sources to the input connectors on the rear panel. Use LockIt cable lacing brackets to secure cables and prevent signal loss.

What is auto-input switching and how do I enable it?

Auto-input switching automatically selects the highest-numbered input with an active video signal. Enable it via front panel control or PCS software.

How does EDID Minder work?

EDID Minder maintains continuous EDID communication with connected devices, ensuring proper power-up and correct video output from HDMI sources.

How do I control the switcher via RS-232?

Connect a serial cable to the RS-232 port using a 3-pole captive screw plug. Default protocol: 9600 baud, 8 data bits, 1 stop bit, no parity.

Can I update the firmware?

Yes, update firmware via the front panel USB mini-B port using Extron Product Control Software (PCS).

How do I perform a system reset?

Press and hold the front panel Reset button (rear panel) or use a specific button sequence on the inputs. Refer to the user guide for details.

How do I lock the front panel to prevent accidental changes?

Enable front panel lockout by pressing and holding the input buttons in a specific sequence. The Auto Switch LED will flash to confirm.

What is the purpose of the Contact Closure and Tally connectors?

These connectors allow external switching via push-buttons and can power indicator LEDs to show the selected input. They also support Show Me cables.

Why is my display not showing any signal?

Check that the source and display are powered on, verify HDCP authentication LEDs, and ensure cables are securely connected. Try a different input or cable.

What video resolutions and formats are supported?

Supports resolutions up to 4K/60 and 1080p/60, with HDR, 12-bit Deep Color, 3D, and HD lossless audio. Data rate up to 18 Gbps.

USER MANUAL SW HD 4K PLUS Series Extron

SW6 and SW8 HD 4K PLUS • Setup Guide

The Extron SW HD 4K PLUS are six and eight input HDMI switchers that support 4K video signals at 60 Hz. They switch 4K/60 signals between multiple HDMI source devices to a single display. The switchers support computer and video resolutions up to 4K/60 and 1080p/60, data rates up to 18 Gbps, HDR, 12-bit Deep Color, 3D, Lip Sync, and HD lossless audio formats. Both models feature EDID Minder ^® , which maintains continuous EDID communication with connected devices and ensures that the HDMI sources power up properly and maintain correct video output. The switchers also provide automatic input cable equalization up to 25 feet (7.6 meters) when used with Extron HDMI Pro Series cable.

The SW HD 4K PLUS Series offers control via front panel buttons, USB, Extron Product Control Software (PCS), Ethernet, RS-232, contact closure, and auto-input switching for integration with any control system. Front panel LED indicators provide immediate confirmation of HDCP authentication and signal presence for each input and output.

This guide provides instructions for an experienced installer to set up and operate these switchers. For full installation, configuration, and operation details, see the SW HD 4K PLUS Series User Guide, available at www.extron.com.

Rear Panel Features and Connections

A Power connector
B HDMI Input connectors
© HDMI Output connector
D +V connector (for tally voltage output)

Figure 1. SW6 and SW8 HD 4K PLUS Rear Panel

E RS-232 connector
F LAN (Ethernet) connector
G Contact closure input and tally output ports
H Reset button

Installation Steps

1. Turn off all of the equipment and disconnect it from the power source.
2. Mount the switcher on a rack shelf or furniture (optional). (See the instructions provided with the mounting kit, which can be ordered at www.extron.com).
3. Connect HDMI input sources to one or more of the SW HD 4K PLUS input connectors (see figure 1, B).

NOTE: LockIt® cable lacing brackets, one for each HDMI input and output connector, are provided with the SW HD 4K PLUS. These brackets can be used to secure the HDMI cables to the rear panel connectors to reduce stress on the HDMI connectors and prevent signal loss due to loose cable connections. For information on attaching the LockIt brackets, see the LockIt HDMI Lacing Bracket instructions in the SW HD 4K PLUS Series User Guide, available at www.extron.com.

1. Connect an HDMI output device to the output connector (see figure 1, C, on the previous page). By default, the EDID of this device is stored at the HDMI output.
2. Connect control devices. Connect your computer to one of the following SW HD 4K PLUS communication ports to configure and control the switcher via SIS commands or via PCS (Config and LAN ports only):

- RS-232 port — Connect the unterminated transmit, receive, and ground wires of the RS-232 cable to the provided 3-pole captive screw plug, as shown in the illustration at right. Connect the plug between the rear panel RS-232 connector (E), and the serial port of your computer. Protocol for the RS-232 port is 9600 baud, 8 data bits, 1 stop bit, no parity.

• Config port — Connect a USB mini-B cable between the front panel USB mini-B connector (see figure 2, B, on page 3) and a USB port on your computer for control via USB.
  • LAN port — Use an RJ-45 cable to connect this jack (see figure 1, F) to a LAN for Ethernet control of the switcher.

• (Optional) Connect contact closure and indicator devices. The REMOTE panel on the SW6 and SW8 models contains six (SW6) or eight (SW8) 3-pole captive screw connectors, each with three pins labeled C, G, and T, for contact closure and tally indicator devices. The panel also contains a 3-pole captive screw connector with three +V pins that provide power to the indicator devices connected to the tally (T) ports (see ② in the illustration below right).

Each 3-pole connector is labeled with the number of the HDMI input associated with it. Wire devices to these connectors as follows:

a. Connect contact input and tally output devices to one or more of the 3-pole CONTACT IN/TALLY OUT connectors (see 1 in the illustration at right), as desired:

• To enable input switching via contact closure, connect a push-button contact closure input device to pins C (contact) and G (ground).
• To identify the currently selected input when the front panel buttons are not visible, connect an indicator device, such as an LED, to tally output pin T of the same 3-pole connector.

When the input you are using is selected, the corresponding tally out pin shorts to ground, which activates the connected indicator.

b. If desired, attach the power wires for your connected indicator devices to any of the three ports of the +V connector (②).

NOTE: You need to connect the indicator LED to the voltage output if you want to power the device for visual feedback. However, only the contact and ground connections are needed to select an input.

Pressing the button on the contact closure device switches the connected input to the output.

Using a Show Me® cable:

The Contact and Tally connectors can also be used with Extron Show Me cables. The diagram at right shows how to wire a Show Me cable to a contact input.

For each Show Me cable:

• Connect the red pigtail to the C pin corresponding to the input being used.
• Connect the black pigtail to the T pin of the same input.

NOTE: The ground or drain wire on the Show Me cable is not used here. You can tie it back and shield it.

CONTACT IN/TALLY OUT Connector

SW6 and SW8 HD 4K PLUS

1. Connect the rear panel IEC power connector to an AC source (see figure 1, A, on page 1).
2. Power on the output display.
3. Power on the source devices.

Front Panel Features

A AUTO SWITCH LED
D HDCP LEDs
B USB CONFIG port
E Input selection buttons
C SIGNAL LEDs

Figure 2. SW6 and SW8 HD 4K PLUS Front Panels

NOTE: The SW6 front panel is identical to that of the SW8 except that it has six input buttons, Signal LEDs, and HDCP LEDs.

A AUTO SWITCH LED — Lights when auto-input switching is in effect. When auto-input switching is enabled, the switcher automatically switches to the highest-numbered input with an active video signal.
USB CONFIG port — Connect a USB cable (USB A to mini-B) between your computer and this female USB mini-B port to configure and control the switcher via SIS commands or PCS, and to update the firmware.
C SIGNAL LEDs — The LEDs labeled INPUTS each light when the corresponding input is connected to a device that has power. The LED labeled OUTPUT lights when the output is connected to a device that has power.
D HDCP LEDs

- Input LEDs — Light if the connected sources are HDCP encrypted and have been authenticated by the switcher inputs.

NOTE: If the source device connected to the selected input is HDCP encrypted (requires HDCP authentication), the corresponding signal LED may not light unless HDCP has been authenticated.

- Output LED — Lights when the currently selected input requires HDCP and the connected output device has been successfully authenticated.

NOTE: HDCP is re-authenticated on the output whenever a new input is selected.

E Input selection buttons — Press one of these buttons to select an input to switch to the output. The LED at the right of each button lights when the corresponding input is selected. If auto-input switching is in effect, these buttons are disabled, but the LEDs continue to light to indicate the selected input. The input buttons are also used to initiate a system reset and to enable and disable front panel lockout (see the SW HD 4K PLUS Series User Guide for more information).