Laptops through Vision Mixers

[skinnytechboy]

Ok, my hands are held up. AV is not my bag but my present employment has asked me to spec up a new multimedia setup. So before I start sending out for quotes, can anyone give me some advice on the best approach to punter wanting to use both video and data (VGA) in a performance. Usually I would just discretely use the remote to switch between inputs, but seeing how theres money to spend. Can anyone offer any better alternatives.

 

I've researched a little on splitters, but it all got alittle confusing......

 

Is there a definitive approach?

Is there a vision mixer that will take laptop?

Is there a teabreak soon :)

 

 

thanks in advance

 

Paul

[ChrisD]

Most cheap vision mixers are Composite or S-Video. You can get VGA to Composite convertors. Alternatively, you could convert from composite to VGA. It depends which will be used most and how much cash you have to splash. Bearing in mind you might want preview monitors for your sources, it's probably best to convert from VGA to Composite.

[Pete McCrea]

Two ways to skin this cat:

 

1) Loose the quality in the PC signal and take this down to video, mix with the video source and send to the Projector/screen. Cheaper of the two. Scan convertors cost about £300, Mixer about £800 for an Edirol mixer.

 

2)Scale the video upto Data levels, and mix/switch in the data, then output to the screen. Costs more. Scaller switchers (does it all in one box) cost about £2k.

 

Keeping the signal as a data stream means that the computer graphics don't loose resolution, and depending on the quality of the scaler, the video stays as a nice signal, so it's win win, except for the premium on the price. Extron, Analog Way and Kramer both do 1u units that achieve this, and all do bigger flashier units with more options. Many are capable to taking the HD standards now emerging, so are future proof.

 

My view? If the budget is there, then go down the scaling route and run the signal in Data where-ever possible.

 

edit:

The point of preview monitors is kind of relevevant, but TFT's are now fairly cheap, and signal slitters to allow for preview splits are not expensive. The key is budget available, and whether the de-grade in the image is surviveable with the scaning down of Data.

[BlueShift]

I definately second what Pete has said,

 

We have just moved from option 1) to option 2) for the quality improvement and it is a marked improvement. We have ended up with a system that is futureproof and scalable to our needs.

 

The scaler we ended up going for wasn't a huge amount more than a decent vision mixer.

 

Good video monitors are ironically much more expensive than a few 15" TFT panels so thats an easy choice.

 

Cheers

[david.elsbury]

Also, I'd just like to add that most (consumer grade) cheapish scan converters are, in my experience, rubbish!

If going off a laptop and you don't want to use VGA, then I'd try for the S-video output. Although I realise that if it's not your laptop and it arrives 5 minutes before the show is about to start, you don't want to be faffing around changing settings and whatnot.

 

HTH

David

[char-p]

There is also the option of running the video into a video capture system, such as the Hauppage Live USB, then using some vision software like Arkaos to choose video streams. Then hook the laptop out to the projector, and hit latch video feed.

 

PS. I know this works out to around £340, but it would be possible to use an open source vision system, such as Gephex reducing the cost to around £40 - but you will need your time to figure a system like this out properly before using live.

 

Paul

[Tomo]

There is also the option of running the video into a video capture system, such as the Hauppage Live USB, then using some vision software like Arkaos to choose video streams. Then hook the laptop out to the projector, and hit latch video feed.

The problem with this is latency - there will be a small delay between input and output video.

 

You're also very tied to the reliability of your laptop. With the other systems, if the laptop fails you can use the other video sources until the laptop comes back up.

With a this system, if the laptop fails you have nothing until the laptop comes back up. You'll also project the laptop rebooting sequence unless you manually blank the projector.

 

Whether these are serious issues for you depends on what you're doing, and what level of risk you can accept.

[skinnytechboy]

:) Gentlemen, my head is spinning! The kind of scenario that the above problem would involve is the "laptop turning up at last minute" one. Most punters tend to bring their precious on DVD in my experience, with the occasional seminar wanting to use PowerPoint (and you never know if they have s-vid output).

 

VGA converter seems the best approach for me at this point, but I would rather spend more on a mixer that is capable of this.

 

Any more suggestions?

[Pete McCrea]

As Blueshift mentioned their are options (which I must admit I forgot) from Kramer that offer the Scaling and switching capabilities mentioned for around £999 ex VAT.

 

Having a scaler installed means that you can get the system going, fire a feed from a DVD or send a black screen to the projector, and then when the lappie arrives, plug it in, set to dual screen, and switch to the laptop output with the press of a button.

[Tomo]

Ok, if the punter is bringing their own laptop, there are exactly two options:

 

1) Normal Video mixer (S-Video or Composite) plugged into projector.

Use scan converter(s) to reduce laptop VGA to S-Video or Composite.

 

2) VGA video mixer.

Use scan converter(s) to convert S-Video and/or Composite inputs to VGA - some VGA mixers will have this built-in, making life easier.

 

Option 1 is much lower quality, and significantly cheaper.

Option 2 is very high quality, with a pricetag to match.

 

The cost of either kind of scan converter is fairly low, but the difference in the price of the vision mixers is large.

[back_ache]

I would be tempted by the "scan convertor as switch box" route, that way you can abstract the source from the screen, this one for example http://sewelldirect.com/DVDO-iScan-VP30.asp takes everything from composite to component to vga to hdmi and has a serial port so that you can automate it

[skinnytechboy]

this one for example http://sewelldirect.com/DVDO-iScan-VP30.asp takes everything

 

Thanks guyz for all the above advice. On the strength of the price of option2, I think I'll go down the option 1 route. that is to purchase a good mixer and switcher seperately.

 

cheers