A buffer chip is used to isolate the internal connection between an HDMI receiver chip and a remotely-located HDMI port in a consumer electronic device. In one embodiment, an HDMI receiver/transmitter circuit is coupled to a main processor via an internal bus. The HDMI receiver/transmitter circuit, which includes one or more local HDMI inputs/outputs, is further electrically coupled to an HDMI buffer chip, which is in turn connected to one or more HDMI ports located remotely from the HDMI receiver/transmitter circuit. In one embodiment, the detection and control of the HDMI buffer chip is provided directly by the HDMI receiver/transmitter circuit. In another embodiment, the HDMI buffer chip may be electrically isolated from the device's main processor.