[TriEmbed] Project advice: SmartTV hacking

[Scott Hall]

Brian,
This is done all the time in companies, churches and schools for
"electronic signage".  First, with the chipsets used, the rendering of the
video signals is not in a form that can be 'tapped off' to be able to make
a transmittable signal, unless the motherboard of the TV is already doing
that for its own features -- in other words already creating an HDMI output
port.  Essentially what I do when consulting with places is to get an
external Roku device and forgo the internal "smart" works, then use an HDMI
distributing amplifier.  If you have more than one signal source, like
cable, Roku, DVD, etc, then an external HDMI switch is used.  You chain the
devices together kind of like this:

Cable     ──→╖                  ╓───→ TV or Monitor
             ╠══════╗    ╔══════╣
DVR/Camera──→╢4-to-1║    ║1-to-4╟───→ TV or Monitor
             ║ HDMI ╟───→╢ Dist.║
DVD Player──→╢Switch║    ║ Amp  ╟───→ TV or Monitor
             ╠══════╝    ╚══════╣
Streaming ──→╜                  ╙───→ TV or Monitor
  Device

a sample link for a 4-to-1 HDMI switch:
https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B00OJMAXZ2/ (really a 4-to-2 switch, as it has
2 outputs)

a sample link to a 1-to-4 HDMI distribution amp:
https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B0180PPTNO/

link to a review of switches and dist. amps:
https://www.gearhungry.com/best-hdmi-splitter/

- sgh

On Wed, Jul 27, 2022 at 10:50 AM Brian Chamberlain via TriEmbed <
triembed at triembed.org> wrote:

> Hi all, Just wondering if anyone here has any TV hardware reverse
> engineering experience? I have a client asking if I can pull a usable HDMI
> signal off of “SmartTVs”. Basically, they want a mirror of what is on the
> display panel (menus and all). Not just one TV but multiple brands/models.
>
> Their current solution is pointing a web cam at the TV from a distance.
> They’re looking for something more scalable (less space requirements,
> easier setup, more TV brand selection, etc).
>
> My answer to them at this is, “maybe and I’ll look into it”. They seem
> willing to pay me to do the investigation. Which sounds like fun but I am
> looking to talk with anyone who might have any experience with this or
> could point me in the right direction.
>
> Thanks!
> --
> -Brian
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-- 
Scott G. Hall
Raleigh, NC, USA
scottghall1 at gmail.com
*Although kindness is rarely a job, no matter what you do it's always an
option.*
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