If your new flat screen only has one built-in HDMI connection, and you want to plug in both your Playstation 3 and your DVD player using HDMI – how do you solve it? One way can be this new automatic HDMI switch from IOGEAR. Too bad that it’s really expensive: $169.95…

Fulll press release from IOGEAR:

IOGEAR Simplifies Home Entertainment Connections With World’s First True Automatic HDMI Switch

Provides Extra HDMI Connections for HD TVs Without the Need for Additional Remotes

IRVINE, Calif., March 27 — Digital home enthusiasts no longer have to use a remote to alternate between multiple High-Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI) devices with the world’s first true automatic HDMI switch.

IOGEAR’s new HDMI 2×1 Automatic Switch (HDAS) is the only product on the market that senses which HDMI product is currently in use, with IOGEAR’s patented HDAS technology, and instantly locks and transfers the appropriate audio and video content to the connected HD display. It also eliminates the hassle of having to plug and unplug HDMI cables between home entertainment equipment in order to connect to an HDTV that does not have enough input ports.

According to In-Stat, HDMI-enabled device shipments will grow 78 percent per year through 2010(1). As the technology becomes increasingly incorporated into common consumer electronics products such as set top boxes, DVD players, gaming consoles like PLAYSTATION(R)3, and even computers, end users may run into the issue of having too many HDMI-enabled pieces of hardware and not enough inputs on their televisions. Because of this, they may not be able to experience the high-definition video and audio that their digital devices can provide. IOGEAR’s new HDMI 2×1 Automatic Switch provides two input ports that transfer fully-uncompressed digital video and audio to an HDMI display through a single output.

“The majority of new home entertainment products support HDMI, however, most televisions do not have enough input ports to connect to all of them at once,” said Miranda Su, vice president of sales and marketing at IOGEAR, Inc. “Our new HDMI 2×1 Automatic Switch eliminates frustrations associated with having to continuously plug and unplug devices. Additionally, it is the only true automatic switch available that intuitively detects which source is active and delivers the audio and video content completely in sync with almost no latency.”

The product is High-bandwidth Digital Content Protection (HDCP)(TM) compliant and supports 1080p resolution. LEDs on the front panel display the HDMI device that is currently in use. It is priced at $169.95 (MSRP) and is available immediately from all major catalog resellers, online resellers and selected retail outlets, and comes with IOGEAR’s standard three-year warranty.