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Author Topic: Matrix Switchers and one other topic Michael Sharples Film Handler Posts: 12 From: Leeds, West Yorkshire, England Registered: Jun 2015 posted 11-14-2016 10:44 AM                        Looking to purchase a HD switcher, so far had two quotes one for £800 Crestron HD-MD8X2 QuickSwitch HD 8x2 HDMI Switcher, and £5500 for Extron DTP CrossPoint 82 4K Is the extron worth the extra £4700? And does anyone have any other suggestions that lie between the two. it's an 8:2 we are after. The other question was regarding frame rates. We have a barco DP2k-12C and a Dolby DSS200. if we have a program that contains 24fps content and 25fps content when it switches between the two we get glitching of the image and a pause while the barco makes whatever adjustments it needs to. the glitches can be doused out so it's not a problem i just wondered if this was a common issue across different makes of server/projector.. We have also been asked to play content at 30fps which has caused issues with conversion to DCP, interlacing etc(even with filters). It's nice in away that DCP have become available to everyone but it seems standardisation has gone out of the window along with proper ratios. Cheers  |  IP: Logged Steve Guttag We forgot the crackers Gromit!!! Posts: 12814 From: Annapolis, MD Registered: Dec 1999 posted 11-15-2016 06:36 AM                     They are not really the same piece. The Crestron 8x2 is a basic 8x2 switcher though it acts as a sink/source (very important if you don't want HDCP issues). If you don't have a Crestron control system, then your only choice of control will be using the front panel buttons. The Crestron piece works and it the lowest cost of its kind that I know of. That said, I think it is either discontinued or fast heading that way. Crestron has brought out a 6x2 that seems to be the future of that line. The Extron piece (and Extron does tend to be on the pricey side, regardless but as a company, they are tops and you WILL get support after the sale). That switcher has two DTP inputs and both outputs can be either DTP or straight HDMI (or both connected at the same time). There are two scalers built into it so you can do seamless switches between inputs too. The commands for the Extron are published so you can control it manually or with any controller of your choosing. You really should check out the feature sets of both (and look into the newer Crestron piece) and see which feature set matches your particular needs best. As a matrix switcher, either piece will perform that function. As for frame rate changes, when the projector gets a frame rate change, it loses sync. This is normal and to be expected.  |  IP: Logged Carsten Kurz Film God Posts: 4340 From: Cologne, NRW, Germany Registered: Aug 2009 posted 11-15-2016 08:39 AM                     Michael - don't know your specific application, but you may also have a look at USLs HDMI switcher: http://www.uslinc.com/index.php?page=shop.product_details&flypage=flypage.tpl&product_id=82&category_id=3 3&option=com_virtuemart&Itemid=249 A while ago they mentioned a list price of 1200US$. Some servers/projectors glitch at frame rate changes, some don't. As long as you program SPLs with that content, using the dowser is the only option for those that do. - Carsten  |  IP: Logged Steve Guttag We forgot the crackers Gromit!!! Posts: 12814 From: Annapolis, MD Registered: Dec 1999 posted 11-16-2016 04:53 AM                     The USL product is crippled. You cannot output the same source to both outputs at the same time. The Crestron HD-MD6x2-4K-E is less expensive and not so hampered. That said, it can only be controlled by a Crestron controller, front panel or the web interface. http://www.crestron.com/products/model/HD-MD6x2-4K-E Note, I've confirmed that Crestron has issued an end-of-sale for the 8x2.  |  IP: Logged Pete Naples Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1565 From: Dunfermline, Scotland Registered: Feb 2001 posted 11-16-2016 07:01 AM                     Michael, Have a look at CYP.  |  IP: Logged Carsten Kurz Film God Posts: 4340 From: Cologne, NRW, Germany Registered: Aug 2009 posted 11-16-2016 10:27 AM                     Well I wouldn't say it's crippled - as most USLs products, it offers a straight usability factor for typical applications, that is, fast and easy preview without touching the main output. Plus some other features that no other matrix offers. So, depends on what you want to do. It is certainly not a universal matrix. - Carsten  |  IP: Logged Jim Cassedy Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1661 From: San Francisco, CA Registered: Dec 2006 posted 11-16-2016 10:50 AM                     Last year, I bought two of these A-NeuVideo 4x4 HDMI full matrix switchers. One was sold to and installed at one of the screening rooms I work at, and I've kept the other one portable and use it for special event set ups. For example last week I used it at a film festival to switch between multiple Blu-Ray and computer video input sources, & output to a couple of booth video monitors and an NEC projector. It's fully HDCP compliant and I've found it will pass to non compliant devices as long as I have a compliant component plugged into the #1 output. It also has several EDID modes, (or you can disable it entirely) It can also be controlled by RS-232 commands. It came with rack ears, IR Remote, IR Remote extender cable & sensor, RS232 cable & software (Windows) and a better than average user & tech manual, which also details all the RS-232 command strings if you want to write or program your own interface. They did make several other models with larger matrix ins&outs, and a couple that also contain built-in scalers. I paid US$285 (each) + shipping for 4x4 model and they've both been working out very well for me.  |  IP: Logged Steve Guttag We forgot the crackers Gromit!!! Posts: 12814 From: Annapolis, MD Registered: Dec 1999 posted 11-16-2016 02:43 PM                     Jim, Lets talk about HDCP keys. Does that switcher act as a repeater or as a sink/source? That is, if you switch sources, is the switch pretty much instant (like an analog switcher would be) or does it have to do the HDCP handshake for the new source? Have you EVER had it, mid show blank the screen and go through an HDCP/EDID handshake again? I see that it can be configured for various EDID but didn't see anything about HDCP.  |  IP: Logged Michael Sharples Film Handler Posts: 12 From: Leeds, West Yorkshire, England Registered: Jun 2015 posted 11-16-2016 04:13 PM                        Thanks for the suggestions, i've also been pointed at the 'Kramer VP-772' Does anyone have any experience of the Kramer switchers? Also with the Crestron you don't appear to be able to strip the audio out and output it spearately, is that something the controller does or do you need a separate device to to that.  |  IP: Logged Steve Guttag We forgot the crackers Gromit!!! Posts: 12814 From: Annapolis, MD Registered: Dec 1999 posted 11-17-2016 05:14 AM                     Crestron has the HD-XSP for audio (it is the only HDMI audio decoder that I know of that handles most everything, but ATMOS). There are also a bazillion HDMI coax dembedders out there. With Crestron, they think in terms of you buying everything from them and being controlled by them...hence they would not make a product that would be considered to be part of someone else's system. It is definitely a "character flaw" to their product design.  |  IP: Logged Jim Cassedy Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1661 From: San Francisco, CA Registered: Dec 2006 posted 11-17-2016 10:08 PM                     Steve- In answer to your question- - The switch isn't 'instantaneous". I'd say there's about a 2 or 2.5sec delay, max. - - but it's clean, with no glitches. I've never had it crap out in the middle of a show. Note even when I 'hot plugged' another video monitor in during a show. To be sure, this isn't something you'd find me using at Telluride or over at Dolby, but for the other local festivals I work around town, it's served me well, and seems to be worth what I paid for it, IMO.  |  IP: Logged Steve Guttag We forgot the crackers Gromit!!! Posts: 12814 From: Annapolis, MD Registered: Dec 1999 posted 11-18-2016 07:16 AM                     So if you have source 1, and HDCP source (e.g. Blu-ray or most any Apple product) and have it going to output 1 which is the projector and you have source 1 also routed to output 2...if you plug the monitor (or whatever) into output 2, output 1 is unaffected? That is a good sign. Though I think you said that if you have an HDCP compliant sink on output 1, then it seemingly disregards HDCP on the remaining outputs. If that is the case, then that is how they did it. It is still a repeater (hence the delay on switching sources as it has to transfer keys about) but if it ignores the remaining outputs, it is in violation of HDCP but that doesn't negate its usefulness at stopping a very annoying problem.  |  IP: Logged

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