How to help needed. Combine componet video? (1 Viewer)

[Jeff Schnebelen]

I searched the forum and came up empty. Can any one suggest a piece of equipment that will allow me to take multiple Component Video signals and out put it to one device?
:frowning:
My Situation.
I have a CRT projector with a line doubler hooked to it. Line doubler has the ypb(whatever) 5 connector type of cable coming out and into my projector. I am getting ready to add HD to the mix. That will give me more that one YPB? source to go to my projector. What to do? I have searched the Internet for a Component signal combiner and came up empty there to. Any help will be appreciated. Thank you.
PS-I just spell checked my doc and found that I had spelled component wrong. I decided to post this anyway and I will search internet again. That is why my searches were not getting any results. Thanks for any help you give.

 

[Bill Slack]

You need a component switcher.
www.inday.com
The cheaper one is what you'll want if you have a Pronto, since the $20 extra price just gives you the remote ti discreetly select the inputs. That's what they told Gregg Loewen, anyway, who is a proud owner (though I don't think he has it hooked up yet...)
There are other switchers, but none seem to be close to the price/feature that this gives.

 

[John-Miles]

i believe if you want to do it on the cheap you can also get a couple of composite switchers.... or you could upgrade your receiver to one that has component switching
hey any excuse to upgrade right?

 

[Todd_B]

I would suggest a simple composite switch for any 480i/p source.

That said I'm using the Radio Shack 15-1978 model. It ran me a whopping ~$20.00 at a local rat shack and I have yet to detect any hint of signal loss through my Panny AE200.

Todd B

 

[TimG]

The line running from the doubler to the projector is a 5 wire RGBHV line. What kind of doubler is it? I am guessing you are running a component into the doubler? I-Scan pro maybe? You can't use the Inday because you need a switch that does RGBHV and not a component switch. Post your question on the www.avscience.com forum under crt projectors, or do a search for RGBHV switcher. Depending on your projector you may be able to just add extra inputs on the projector. What kind is it?
TimG

 

[Jeff Schnebelen]

Thank you all for your time.
Bill: I got your link and that seems to be exactly what I am looking for. I wonder why it costs so much as compared to an AV switch. The insides should be about the same I would think. Thanks for the link it was most help full.
John: I would love to upgrade my receiver buy I am saving to do an entire audio upgrade. I want rotel seperates and Martin Logan Ascents for L/R mains. Undecided on rest of the speakers. Anyway, thanks for you suggestion and that day will come, Soon I hope!!!
Todd: I took your suggestion and looked into it a little deeper. I went to the ratshack and found one that even included my s-video stuff so I can kill two birds with one stone. It was only 35 bucks. If it does not work, or if I do see any video degradation, I will take it back. Thank you.
TimG: Your guesses are pretty right on. I do have the I-Scan pro. My projector is a Zenith Pro 895x. Connections are as follows....
Component (RGB) from my dvd to the doubler.
Composite video from VCR to doubler
S-video from Sat to doubler
S-video from LD not hooked up due to doubler being full.
Component (RGBHV) from doubler to projector.
With that said, this box I got from ratshack has 8 inputs and 2 outputs. 4 ins are Left/Right/Video and 4 ins are s-video. 1 output is Left/Right/Video and 1 output is S-video. I was told that even though the Audio LR are for audio, it will pass the video just the same. That is what I am going to test out. For 35 bucks, and the ability to take it back if it fails, I didn't think I could go wrong. Basically, I just want more ins on the line doubler. The ratshack box does this, I hope!
Thanks again everyone. I have learned so much here. This forum ROCKS!!!

 

[TimG]

Jeff, you do realize that you can't run a Hi-def signal through the I-Scan, right? It will only take a 480i signal.

TimG

 

[Jeff Schnebelen]

TimG:
Nope! I did not realize that. NOW what am I gonna do?:frowning: How much am I gonna have to spend to make it right? Anyone?
ah, Tim, Your right, life is too short to drink cheap beer. That is why I am a Michelob man.

 

[Bill Slack]

Jeff:
RGBHV is not component (it's also no better/worse than component; once it reaches the display, there's not really any difference, but in connecting, there is.)
HOWEVER... according to stuff I've found online your projector can take either a RGBHV OR Component signal on the RGBHV inputs (the HV cables just aren't used in component)... and it appears to just autodetect what input it receives.
(http://www.visualsolutionsdist.com/Zenith-PRO895X.asp)
So, you should be able to:
Set the Iscan to component output.
Run the Iscan into a switch box.
Run your HD receiver into a switchbox.
Output the switchbox to the projector.
And all should work, via component video. If your projector has BNCs you can either get a cable with the right combination of connectors for get BNC->RCA adapters to use with any existing cables you might have.
There are also RGBHV switch boxes out there (and HD boxes that output RGBHV-- the DTC100, for one), but are even touger to find (for a reasonable price) than a component switch box.
As for the Inday box... It's more expensive because it's an electronic switchbox and can handle 200mhz+ compared to a composite/s-video electronic switcher than can only pass ~4mhz. On a mechanical switchbox this isn't really an issue since the conductor->conductor contasct should be passing a few hundred mhz. HD requires ~35mhz. The inday switcher is actually really cheap compared to the alternative electronic ones with remotes. I don't work for them, I'm just happy to see a remotely (hah!) reasonable solution.
Considering your setup, I would go with a solution that makes the system most integrated and easy to use from a remote, but that's up to you... A mechanical switxhbox will display fine image quality and do the job just fine. But you need to get up and hit a button to switch inputs.

 

[TimG]

I don't know, I still don't think you can feed this projector a component signal. You can try it but I don't think it will work.

TimG

 

[Bill Slack]

The higher-end version from the same projector line (according to a Zenith press release I found) says it supports component video on the same physical input, and is auto-sensing. That spec sheet I posted says this projector supports it.

I agree, that none of this is gospel, but I don't know why you would assume it won't work... there appears to be information to the contrary. The worst that can happen is it won't sync, so defiantley give it a try...

 

[Jeff Schnebelen]

Thank you all for the replies. I will try the switch box connection. It can't hurt. I am looking into options on the new Iscan Ultra. It has an HD RGB passthrough port and That is exactly what I need. Problem is my current Iscan pro is only a few months old. I am trying to work something out with my vender about a buyback trade up deal. He his supposed to call me back on Monday to see what they can do. It supprised me that when I told him about the Iscan ultra, He had no idea that it exisited. I think I read the MSRP was around $1000. If I can't get that down, It will be a while before I can afford it. Does any one else know of a box that has the HD pass through on it? Thanks again you guys.

Jeff S.
_________________________________
only a life lived for others,
is a life worthwhile.
Albert Einstein

 

[Bill Slack]

Link Removed -- you can get it for $695 by saying you saw it on the HTF, if you call.
It is also a scaler, so you could scale DVD/LD/etc. up to 1368x768, assuming your projection can sync on that (I would certainly assume that it can...)
The re-sale value of IScans is actually pretty high, thought they don't go close to retail for either new/used on the internet.
The IScan Ultra has a scaler too, but looks like it will only scale everything to fit in a native 16x9 raster.
Maybe your projector has a built-in scaler anyway though...?

 

[TimG]

Bill, I did some checking and all the other info I found on this projector said nothing about component input, but I guess it is possible. The only problem with the spec sheet posted is it is for a digital projector (LXG 120), not the pro 895 crt projector. I just don't want him to get stuck with something he can't use. Very few crt projectors are able to take a component input, and the only ones I have seen that would, required a special card. I would second the recommendation on the Quadscan though, it will look much better than a doubler and that is a hell of a price for one.
TimG

 

[Bill Slack]

Yeah, I don't get why that spec sheet is listed. BUT... the specs listed in HTML appear are NOT for an LCD projector (it lists brief info on the CRTs...), so I assuemd they were right.

Also, the 12xx series defiantley said it supported component, and also listed the 895 projector as being in the same series. That said, I would just try flipping to switch on the Iscan to see if it works, before spending on money on switching devices.

 

[Jeff Schnebelen]

Gentleman,
I tested the theory over the weekend. I pulled the H/V sync cables off my projector, fliped the switch on the Iscan to YPbPr. The red gun went almost completely out, the blue gun was vary dim, the Green gun was SUPER Bright. I did not leave it that way vary long, a few seconds at most. The picture was Very GREEN.
I spoke with the company that I purchased my Equipment from. They told me I would get those results before I told him I did get those results. He said, they have sold and worked on enough of those Zeniths that they know them very well. My only option is to get the doubler with the HD pass-thru. That will combine all my signals into one cable going to the projector. BUT, I am definitely interested in the Focus product that Bill mentioned. If I can get that for that price, that may be cheaper than the Iscan Ultra. I don't have a price on it yet but the MSRP is $1k. Why Double when you can Quadruple? I am all for that. Thanks Bill. I will look into that ASAP.
As far as the website you visited that shows the lcd specs on the pro895x page. That must be a bad link. If any of you are interested, I have the pdf's of the Install and Owner Manuals I can e-mail to you. Then you can see the TRUE specs.
Thanks again you guys. This forum ROCKS

 

[Bill Slack]

Some of the specs were for a CRT projector (an LCD doesn't have 7" liquid-coupled CRTs, for one...)
It was difficult to find much info though... I assume you flipped the switch on the Iscan to do component? The projector must be able to sync on green or something if you were syncing at all, but can't do component. That would be my guess, anyway...
The Quadscan price is listed in the HT advertising/deals section, so they price should defiantley be valid. Unless they're sold out or something. I think you'd see a big improvement using more than just a de-interlacer, like the Iscan is (even the Ultra appears to do nothing more than sacle to 16:9.) I'm not sure of all of the features of the quadscan, but it should do lots of useful stuff for ya, and appears to have a pass-through, as well.
Remember to make sure your HD tuner can hook in via RGB-HV too, most cannot!
Good luck, and your setup seems very nice!

 

[TimG]

I was going to suggest just trying the IScan with component, but I guess you beat me to it. I will once again agree with Bill, the quadscan for that kind of money is a steal. Glad to see we could help. I will probably get one for my projector as soon as the "financial advisor" gives me the go-ahead.
TimG