Need a Video Switcher recommendation

[CBR372]

Hey All! So I am looking into upgrading our video switcher/scaler (Kramer VP-729) to a live no stutter or Fade-to-black switcher. The other thing is that it has to do is handle lots of different styles of inputs and output to VGA 1024x768 (native projector).

Our input devices right now include:

- 2 VGA from PC laptops onstage over a cat5 extender
- 2 HDMI from 2 mac mini's (qlab and protools for a class)
- Occasionally a composite signal over BNC->RCA from a tri-caster switcher for live cameras.

It outputs to a VGA CAT5 extender to our projector.


Ideally the new switcher would be able to handle all those along with at least 3 HD-SDI inputs for future PTZ cameras. I also want to have either a matrix view or at minimum a program/preview screen.

Suggestions?

 

[CBR372]

I am looking at the Analog Way Pulse2-3g (Pulse 350.) Thoughts?

 

[ruinexplorer]

If you do not want to fade through black, you need a switcher with a dual video card. Generally the easiest to find one like that is to look for one that mentions live and preview outputs. What is now considered "seamless" switching used to be known as "glitch-free" switching. Basically the one video card has the live input fade to black, switches to the new input (while in black), aligns the image, then fades the new image up. To have anything that will crossfade, it needs to be looking at both the live image and the image you will be switching to at the same time. For Analog Way, look at the Eikos2.