What devices are you having trouble with?  I will attribute most of our good luck with HDMI to switching to Yamaha AVRs a few years ago.  We generally use the Snap HDBaseT extenders when not using DM, and everything just works.  I know that many displays cause problems if you use the ARC input, so we try to avoid those.

What were your problems with Extron?

I've only had 1 fiasco with them and that's because I was trying to save the client money by speccing a VGA/HDMI switcher that didn't have a scaling hdmi output. It also didn't help that we were using a late model 80" 1080p Sharp consumer panel.

I swear those Sharps were a big cause of our issues because of bad EDID.

Other than that, Extron has been solid for us and we mostly do commercial gigs. Their new Crosspoint series switchers with processors are f%^&* awesome.

Yamaha Receivers
Key Digital (or Ethereal for long length 30'/40')
Only Wyrestorm NON HDbaseT Baluns

about 600 systems installed in the last 3 years in every configuration possible, NEVER a single serious issue.

In that time we've had 1 balun go defective, 1 av receiver go defective, had 5 hdmi cables that needed to be unplugged and replugged to dissipate capacitance issues, and 1 client destroyed cable.

Here we go again.

From time to time I come across this "dissipate capacitance issues" comment with respect to HDMI. To me, this seems like snake oil and folklore. Sure, long runs or an impedance mismatch will bite hard in a multi-gigabit per second data path, and perhaps this operation can break through contact oxidation or reset an EDID issue, but I can't imagine how a simple unplug and re-plug will change a cable's capacitance.

Is this a case similar to jitter, once a significant issue before audio design engineers fully understood "digital" and, since the concept is just beyond the grasp of the lay (audiophile) public -- "jitter" must be the root of all evil and can be dispensed only by magic? Or, is this pure folklore and should be tossed into the bin with green magic markers?

We use HDMI cables for everything 50' and under and literally never have HDMI issues. Baluns/extenders drive me insane. We use them sparingly and only for long runs and when absolutely necessary.

We do the same as well, for the most part. If it's just a couple connections from a table to a tv, under 50', it's a pre-made non-active hdmi.

Exactly. Crestron, Extron and to a lesser extent, AMX,.and it just works.

50' is fine for1080 as it is only about 4.5gbs, if 4K source ever get here I would stock up on Ethereal's gigabit accelerator as I doubt it will work at 50'. Even 25' is questionable at 18gbs.

If you are not using Brent's products then you have no one to blame but yourself. Sure, if you are doing matrices then you should probably only use Crestron if picture quality matters--and it doesn't. If reliability is the key factor--and I say it is, then there are a few solutions and they are not found in most of the products the OP posted.

One suggestion I'd interpose here is to a. use shielded data cable and b. used shielded CAT5/6 keystones, eg., those from Datacom. One of the biggest issues we encountered that this has solved were unreliable RJ-45 terminations. These are not inexpensive but you either pay up front or you pay later in time and other products.

HDCP 2.2 will be a killer. I'm less worried at present about 4:4:4 4K as the chipsets do not exist outside of white papers. When they do show up it will be another disaster as cheap HDMI circuits will be distance and matrix induced errors and create failures.

The surest way to suffer is to use an AV receiver as your switcher or worse, connect its output(s) to HDMI extenders. Next to this is to use certain brands of HDMI extenders. When we don't use Etherial I fight for Crestron's. They cost more but I'd rather pay in sheckles than in time and have my soul sucked out of me.

Alan

If your not using Transformative Engineering's extenders you should really try them. I use their hle1-s with excellent results. The price is very reasonable as well.

maybe Im lucky but my HDMI issues have been minimal.

Same here and the longest HDMI cable we run is 7.5 Meters

Just read Fins post if you hate hdmi so much. Rip the tint of your windows, go for a drive and skin cancer will do you in before long and end your hdmi worries.

Just had to vent about a very frustrating experience today. Installed a Key Digital extender today and had sync problems between the tx/rx, Cat6, less than 100ft. Used two different models including 200Pro model and still a problem. Their tech support suggested it was a bad yamaha receiver or the fact that I terminated T568A rather than B. TV is a 6 year old Panasonic plasma.

Decided to try a cheap non HDBaseT Vanco I had in stock and it worked no problem whatsoever. I just don't get it. Now I don't know what to do with two Key Digital units that didn't work.

+1

I know it is expensive, but considering the service calls of other extenders, it is the least expensive solution. If you sell an extender at less than MSRP, you get close to the other brands. You may make less margin, but "almost" zero warranty issues.

DM tools is incredible and let's you see the audio and video signal path from input through the output. You can see every detail.

Our only choice for matrix distribution and critical extenders. Even their little 6x6 is rock solid. Only been fortunate enough to install up to the the 32x32, and love the results.

Currently have several 4K systems and they are working great too. Have the new kaleidascape 4K on order and have two 4K Joeys in transit. More testing and insane 4K choices soon. Try that with other brands???