UHD-401MV Overview and Use Cases – OREI

What Is the UHD-401MV?

The OREI UHD-401MV is a 4K 4-input, 1-output Seamless HDMI Switch and Multiviewer. It allows up to four HDMI source devices to be displayed on one TV, monitor, or projector in different viewing layouts.

Unlike a standard HDMI switch that only shows one source at a time, the UHD-401MV can also combine multiple HDMI sources on a single screen using multiview modes such as single view, picture-in-picture, side-by-side, triple view, and quad view.

The UHD-401MV supports HDMI 2.0b, HDCP 2.2, with a video bandwidth of 18Gbps. It supports input and output resolutions up to 4K@60Hz and supports audio formats including LPCM, AC3, Dolby Digital Plus, DTS, DTS-HD, and up to 7.1-channel audio through HDMI. It also includes RCA analog audio and Optical audio outputs for external audio systems.

The UHD-401MV can be controlled through front-panel buttons, IR remote, OSD menu, and RS-232 commands.

IMPORTANT — UHD-401MV Is a Multiviewer, Not Just a Basic HDMI Switch

The UHD-401MV can work as a standard HDMI switch, but its main purpose is multiview display.

This means it can show multiple HDMI sources on one screen at the same time.

Supported display modes include:

Single
PIP
PBP 1
PBP 2
Triple 1
Triple 2
Quad 1
Quad 2

This is useful for monitoring multiple devices on one screen, such as cameras, computers, media players, control systems, or presentation sources.

IMPORTANT — Seamless Switching Applies to Single Screen Mode

The UHD-401MV supports seamless switching in single screen display mode.

This means when the unit is being used as a standard switch showing one source full-screen, switching between HDMI inputs can happen without the long black-screen delay usually seen on basic HDMI switches.

In multiview display modes, the unit supports fast switching, but behavior may be different than single screen seamless switching.

IMPORTANT — Audio Output Can Be Selected Independently

The UHD-401MV supports audio de-embedding through RCA analog L/R and Optical audio outputs.

By default, the output audio follows the selected video source or Window 1, depending on the display mode.

However, the user can also select which HDMI input audio should be output using the remote, OSD menu, or RS-232 control. This is useful when multiple sources are displayed at once, but only one source’s audio should play through the external audio system.

The RCA analog output supports PCM 2.0 audio only.

The Optical output supports Dolby Digital, DTS 5.1, and PCM 2.0 audio.

In any case, audio from all media sources cannot be output at the same time.

IMPORTANT — RCA Audio Requires PCM 2.0

The RCA L/R analog output supports PCM 2.0 stereo audio only.

If you are using the RCA analog output, set the HDMI source device to PCM or Stereo audio.

If the source device is outputting Dolby Digital, DTS, DTS-HD, or another surround format, the RCA output will not produce audio.

IMPORTANT — Multiview Layouts May Scale or Resize the Image

When using PIP, PBP, Triple, or Quad modes, the UHD-401MV scales and positions the connected source signals to fit the selected layout.

This means the image may not appear in the same size or shape as it does in single full-screen mode.

For PBP, Triple, and Quad layouts, the unit also allows aspect selection between Full and 16:9. Use 16:9 when you want to maintain the original widescreen shape and reduce stretching.

Ports and Panel Layout

Port / LED / Button	Location	Function
Power Button	Front panel	Press once to power on; long press to enter standby mode
Power LED	Front panel	Green when powered on; red when in standby
IN 1/2/3/4 LEDs	Front panel	Shows active input status. In single mode, only the selected input lights up; in multiview mode, all active inputs can light up
AUTO LED	Front panel	Turns green when auto switching mode is enabled
IR Window	Front panel	Receives IR remote signal
AUTO Button	Front panel	Enables automatic switching in single screen mode
INPUT Button	Front panel	Switches input source in single screen mode
Multiview Button	Front panel	Cycles through display modes: Single, PIP, PBP, Triple, and Quad
RES Button	Front panel	Changes HDMI output resolution
RCA L/R Output	Rear panel	PCM 2.0 analog stereo audio output
Optical Output	Rear panel	Optical digital audio output
HDMI Output	Rear panel	Connect to TV, monitor, or projector
HDMI IN 1–4	Rear panel	Connect HDMI source devices such as media player, cable box, set-top box, laptop, PC, etc.
RS-232 Port	Rear panel	3-pin Phoenix connector for serial control
IR EXT Port	Rear panel	Connect the included 38KHz IR receiver cable
DC 12V	Rear panel	Connect the included 12V/2.5A locking power adapter

Step-by-Step Setup

Connect the included 12V/2.5A locking power adapter to the DC 12V port on the UHD-401MV.
Connect the HDMI OUTPUT port on the UHD-401MV to your TV, monitor, or projector.
Connect up to four HDMI source devices to HDMI IN 1, HDMI IN 2, HDMI IN 3, and HDMI IN 4.
If using external audio, connect either:
- RCA L/R output to an analog stereo audio system
- Optical output to an Optical/TOSLINK soundbar, AVR, or audio system
Power on the HDMI source devices, display, and UHD-401MV.
Use the INPUT button or remote to select a source in single screen mode.
Use the Multiview button or remote to select the desired multiview layout.
Use the RES button or OSD menu to set the output resolution that best matches your display.
If needed, use the OSD menu or RS-232 commands to adjust EDID, audio source, output resolution, multiview layout, aspect ratio, and system settings.

HDMI Cable Requirement — Critical

For 4K@60Hz performance, use high-quality Premium High-Speed HDMI 2.0 cables under 30 feet.

Understanding Multiview Modes

The UHD-401MV supports eight display modes:

Mode	Description
Single	Shows one HDMI source full screen
PIP	Picture-in-picture mode with one main window and one smaller sub-window
PBP 1	Picture-by-picture layout option 1. Two media sources side by side in equal parts.
PBP 2	Picture-by-picture layout option 2. Two media sources side by side where the left window is a bit larger in width.
Triple 1	Three-source layout option 1. Three media sources on the screen at the same time.
Triple 2	Three-source layout option 2. Three media sources on the screen at the same time.
Quad 1	Four-source layout option 1. Four media sources on the screen at the same time.
Quad 2	Four-source layout option 2. Four media sources on the screen at the same time.

Use the Multiview button on the front panel or remote to cycle through these modes.

In PIP mode, users can select the input source, sub-window size, and sub-window position.

In PBP, Triple, and Quad modes, users can select the input sources, display mode, and display aspect ratio.

Understanding Single Screen Mode

In Single mode, the UHD-401MV works like a 4x1 HDMI switch.

You can select HDMI 1, HDMI 2, HDMI 3, or HDMI 4 and display that source full screen on the connected display.

Single screen mode supports seamless switching between input channels.

The AUTO and INPUT buttons are only available in single screen display mode.

Understanding Auto Switching

Auto switching works in single screen mode only.

When AUTO mode is enabled, the AUTO LED turns green.

In this mode, if the currently displayed source is disconnected, the switcher will automatically identify the next connected HDMI input source and automatically switch to it.

Auto switching is useful when using the UHD-401MV as a standard HDMI switch, but it is not designed for multiview layouts.

IMPORTANT — Auto Switching Depends on HDMI 5V Signal Detection

The UHD-401MV supports auto switching, but it works by detecting the 5V signal coming from the connected HDMI source device.

In simple terms, the switch looks for which HDMI source appears to be “active.”

If one source is connected and then another source is plugged in or powered on, the UHD-401MV can automatically switch to the newly detected source.

However, many modern streaming devices do not fully turn off. Devices such as Apple TV, Fire TV Stick, Google Chromecast, Roku, and similar media players often go into standby mode instead of shutting down completely. Even in standby, they may continue sending a 5V signal through HDMI.

Because of this, the UHD-401MV may still detect that device as active, even when the customer thinks it is “off.”

For example:

If you have an Apple TV connected to Input 1 and a PlayStation 5 connected to Input 2, the UHD-401MV may switch to Apple TV when the PS5 is turned off because the Apple TV is still sending an HDMI 5V signal.

But when you later turn the PS5 back on, the switch may not automatically switch away from Apple TV because the Apple TV never fully stopped sending its HDMI 5V signal.

In this type of setup, manual switching using the front panel button or included remote may be needed.

Understanding the RES Button and Output Resolution

The RES button changes the HDMI output resolution.

Press the RES button to cycle through available output resolutions.

Long press the RES button for 3 seconds to switch the output resolution to 720p60. This can be useful if the display does not support the current output resolution and you need to recover the picture.

Supported output resolutions include:

No.	Output Resolution
1	4096x2160p 60Hz
2	4096x2160p 50Hz
3	3840x2160p 60Hz
4	3840x2160p 50Hz
5	3840x2160p 30Hz
6	3840x2160p 25Hz
7	1920x1200p 60Hz RB
8	1920x1080p 60Hz
9	1920x1080p 50Hz
10	1360x768p 60Hz
11	1280x800p 60Hz
12	1280x720p 60Hz
13	1280x720p 50Hz
14	1024x768 60Hz

EDID Settings

The UHD-401MV includes EDID management. EDID can be selected through the OSD menu or RS-232 commands.

No.	EDID Mode
1	4K60-2.0CH
2	4K60-5.1CH
3	4K60-7.1CH
4	4K30-2.0CH
5	4K30-5.1CH
6	4K30-7.1CH
7	1080P-2.0CH
8	1080P-5.1CH
9	1080P-7.1CH
10	1920x1200-2.0CH
11	1680x1050-2.0CH
12	1600x1200-2.0CH
13	1440x900-2.0CH
14	1360x768-2.0CH
15	1280x1024-2.0CH
16	1024x768-2.0CH
17	720P-2.0CH
18	AUTO

Understanding Audio Output

The UHD-401MV supports HDMI audio, RCA analog audio, and Optical audio.

Output	Supported Audio
HDMI Output	PCM 2.0 / 5.1 / 7.1CH, Dolby Digital Plus, DTS, DTS High Res
RCA L/R Output	PCM 2.0 only
Optical Output	Dolby Digital, DTS 5.1, PCM 2.0

The UHD-401MV does not support HBR audio.

Users can select the audio output source through the remote or OSD menu. Audio can follow Window 1 or be manually selected from HDMI 1, HDMI 2, HDMI 3, or HDMI 4.

Understanding the OSD Menu

The UHD-401MV includes an OSD menu for advanced configuration.

The remote control includes seven navigation buttons for the OSD menu:

MENU
EXIT
UP
DOWN
LEFT
RIGHT
OK

Through the OSD menu, users can adjust:

Output resolution
Multiview mode
Window source assignment
PIP position
PIP size
PBP mode
Triple mode
Quad mode
Aspect ratio
Audio source selection
Audio volume
Audio mute
Language
EDID mode
Baud rate
Factory reset
Firmware version

RS-232 Control

The UHD-401MV supports RS-232 command control using the 3-pin Phoenix connector.

This is useful for professional AV systems, control rooms, automation systems, and installations where the device needs to be controlled by a PC or third-party control system.

Supported RS-232 settings include:

Setting	Value
Baud Rate	115200 (default), also supports 57600, 38400, 19200, 9600
Data Bits	8-bit
Stop Bits	1
Check Bit	0

RS-232 commands can control power, output resolution, EDID, audio source, volume, mute, auto switching, input selection, multiview mode, PIP position, PIP size, PBP layout, triple layout, quad layout, and more.

What Source Devices Is the UHD-401MV Compatible With?

The OREI UHD-401MV is compatible with HDMI source devices such as:

PCs
Laptops
Media players
Streaming devices
Cable boxes
Satellite receivers
DVRs
Security camera systems
Game consoles
Blu-ray players
Set-top boxes

For 4K@60Hz, the source device, HDMI cable, and display must all support 4K@60Hz output.

What Displays Is the UHD-401MV Compatible With?

The UHD-401MV can be connected to HDMI displays such as:

TVs
Monitors
Projectors
Control room displays
Security monitoring displays
Conference room displays

The display should support the output resolution selected on the UHD-401MV. If the display does not show an image, long press the RES button for 3 seconds to switch the output resolution to 720p60.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What is the OREI UHD-401MV used for?
A: The UHD-401MV is used to display up to four HDMI source devices on one screen. It can work as a standard HDMI switch or as a Multiviewer with multiple display layouts.

Q: Is the UHD-401MV an HDMI switch?
A: Yes. The UHD-401MV works as a 4x1 HDMI switch as well.

Q: Can I display multiple media sources on one screen at the same time?
A: Yes. The UHD-401MV can display multiple HDMI sources on one screen at the same time.

Q: Can the UHD-401MV show all four sources at the same time?
A: Yes. Use Quad mode to display four HDMI sources on one screen.

Q: Does the UHD-401MV support seamless switching?
A: Yes. It supports seamless switching in single screen display mode. In multiview mode, it supports fast switching.

Q: Can I use this for security monitoring?
A: Yes. The UHD-401MV is useful for security monitoring because it can display multiple HDMI sources on one screen.

Q: Can I connect 4 NVRs or DVRs to the UHD-401MV?
A: Yes, you can connect multiple NVRs or DVRs to view multiple camera feeds on a single screen. Most NVRs or DVRs have a limited single screen viewing capacity, but larger facilities have more cameras and need all of them to show up on the screen at the same time and the UHD-401MV can help with that.

Q: Can I use this in a conference room or presentation setup?
A: Yes. It is suitable for conference rooms, meeting spaces, control rooms, classrooms, and commercial AV setups where multiple HDMI sources need to be displayed on one screen either one at a time or multiple at once.

Q: Does the UHD-401MV have audio extraction?
A: Yes. It has RCA analog L/R and Optical audio outputs for audio de-embedding.

Q: Why is there no audio from the RCA output?
A: The RCA output supports PCM 2.0 only. Set the source device audio output to PCM or Stereo.

Q: What audio formats does the Optical output support?
A: The Optical output supports Dolby Digital, DTS 5.1, and PCM 2.0.

Q: Can I choose which source audio plays while in multiview mode?
A: Yes. You can select the audio source using the A-IN button on the remote, the OSD menu, or RS-232 commands.

Q: Can I control the volume?
A: Yes, volume control is supported for LPCM audio.

Q: How do I change the output resolution?
A: Press the RES button on the front panel or remote to cycle through output resolutions. Long press RES for 3 seconds to switch to 720p60.

Q: Can I use the IR remote if the unit is installed inside a cabinet?
A: Yes. The UHD-401MV includes an IR EXT port and IR receiver cable, allowing the remote signal to be received even if the unit is installed out of direct line of sight.

Q: Does auto switching work with Apple TV, Fire TV Stick, Chromecast, or Roku?
A: Auto switching may not work consistently with these devices because they often stay in standby mode and continue sending a 5V HDMI signal. The UHD-401MV may still detect them as active even when they appear to be off.

Q: Why does the switch stay on Apple TV even when I turn on my PS5?
A: Apple TV may still be sending a 5V HDMI signal while in standby. Since the UHD-401MV still sees Apple TV as active, it may not automatically switch to the PS5. Use the front button or remote to switch manually. This applies to other devices such as Fire TV Stick, Roku Stick, Chromecast, etc. as well.

Q: Can audio from all 4 sources be played at the same time?
A: No, the audio from all four sources cannot be played at the same time. You can use the A-IN button on the remote to select which input source’s audio you need to hear through the audio outputs.