Anyone know of a Component Video Switcher/Selector? (1 Viewer)

[Alex_Santos]

I only have one imput on my tv and two on my receiver. Im trying to hook up at least 3 devices so Im looking for some way to get some extra component video inputs. Any ideas?

 

[Aaron H]

http://www.keohi.com/keohihdtv/interfaces/switches.html
Aaron

 

[Bob McElfresh]

This thread on HD Video Switching should give you at least 3 options. (You are not alone in needing this).

 

[Ken Smith]

You could also try www.inday.com

 

[Alex_Santos]

Its odd that I see no clear consensus on this issue. Many have chosen the JVC S111, but I get the feeling that I will need more than 3 inputs. Also, since I am in college, I dont have a lot of money to expend trying to solve this problem. $150 is probably the max. Anyone have any suggestions?

Edit: I checked out the Inday site. Their product doesn't look solidly constructed. Just my opinion of course. Anyone have any experience with this company? How about with audio authority? Thanks.

 

[Bob McElfresh]

Several people who post in the Receivers form have used the Inday product. Audio Authority tends to NOT sell to consumers. Most of their equipment goes into those multi-receiver/speaker/video switchers that you see in the retail stores. Their switcher seems to be a simpler version of their computer-controlled units that switch 8/16/24 sources into one. Should be pleanty good quality.

With the Zektor unit, one of the engineers who designed the thing Bill.P has recently become a member and has answered some questions we had about video switching in general. Do you have a nearly direct line to the engineers for any of your other equipment?

But... these box's are all designed for HD (progressive, 720/1080). This takes about 30 Mhz of bandwidth. Ordinary component video tops out at 4 Mhz so a switch box with 6-8 Mhz of bandwidth is plenty. These box's are over-kill for your needs.

Others on a budget have bought the Radio Shack 4 input audio/video selector box (15-1976) for $40 and found it works great for their PS DVD player, XBox, etc. Yes, you use the L/R/Audio jacks for the 3 component wires. This is what I'd recommend you do.

 

[Alex_Santos]

How does the radio shack thing work. How would a composite input switcher be used for component inputs? Im a little confused about this one.

Also, anyone else with opinions about the component switchers? Thanks.

 

[Eric_R_C]

Alex, the Radioshack box simply reroutes whatever signal you feed into it, provided that it comes through an RCA cord. You would connect your three component cables (red/green/blue) to the three connectors (video/left audio/right audio). Practically speaking, these connections are labelled as such to avoid confusion, as either of the three will reroute the video signal, for example.
Now, you will probably lose some component-video bandwidth in the process, but it's a good quick fix for now. (I believe the non-S video box is $20.)
Good luck, let us know if it works (Hell, you could always return if not.)

 

[Alex_Santos]

Will I see any degredation in signal quality? If there is, then why not just go with S-Video and save the cost of the switcher. Isn't there only like a 20% increase in quality from Svideo to component. Then if you loose some in the conversion, wouldnt it make them almost even?

 

[Eric_R_C]

If your receiver switches S-video, then I'd suggest you stick with that for now. I'd say the difference between S-video and component is way less than 20%, but if you use the Radio-Shack switcher, the component would be slightly better than the S-video (and switching through the receiver would be MUCH more convenient.)
[caveat-if you were talking about using the Radio-Shack switcher for S-video, I personally would go ahead and do the component video instead. If you've got to switch, you might as well use the best video possible.]

 

[Alex_Santos]

Thats what I was thinking. Just go with the receiver and save the cost of an extra switcher. Anyone else?

 

[Alex_Santos]

I could sure use some more imput on this one.

 

[Eric_R_C]

What else did you need to know? Other than high end equipment or a new receiver, there aren't many more options.

Either:
1) Buy,try (and return if need be) the Radio-Shack switcher for component video...or
2) Use your current receiver to switch S-video.

Anything else would require more expense. A friend of mine used the DVDO-Iscan(?) I've heard good things about it, but he said the Component video looked too similar to the S-video to justify the $500 price tag.