Beyond simply recording what's on your screen, these HDMI devices can be used capture content from cable boxes and share a live stream of your gaming.
Modern TVs come equipped with multiple HDMI ports on them. So to get the best visuals from your devices, it's good to know the data transfer speeds of each.
The HDMI eARC port found on most TVs is an upgrade from the HDMI ARC standard with higher audio bandwidth that supports high-quality surround sound devices.
HDMI switches have come a long way in the past few years and are often very reliable now.
TV and home video editor Ty Pendlebury joined CNET Australia in 2006, and moved to New York City to be a part of CNET in 2011. He tests, reviews and writes about the latest TVs and audio equipment.