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[Aaron McQueen]

I'm looking to send multiple sources to multiple outputs.  Something like a 4x4 switcher, scaler, matrix, that accepted component, s-video, and vga inputs and vga outputs.  Any suggestions on the best way to do this?

[Brad Weber]

Are you wanting to send any source to any output at any time or to send the same source to multiple destinations at one time?  Are you thinking 4 inputs of varying formats (e.g. 1 component, 1 S-Video and 2 VGA) or 4 inputs each of which accepts S-Video, component and VGA?

Off hand I don't know of a 4x4 (or 12x4) matrix scaler available in one box, although there are numerous 8x2 matrix scalers available as well as systems that allow control of multiple 8 input scalers.  If that is what you are looking for then it might be more cost effective to get 4 scalers dedicated to the individual sources and a 4x4 RGBHV matrix.

Are there any budget constraints beyond as inexpensive as possible?

[Aaron McQueen]

I would like to send any source to any output and the inputs are of varying formats.  So multiple scalers into a matrix is the only option?

As far as budget we are just in the idea stage.  We recently did a youth rally were we had 4 projector screens.  We just did a distrubution, so all screens has the same source.  This is a yearly rally and next year we are going to step it up big time.  One thing we were looking at was having a live video feed on 2 screens and content on the others.

[Greg Hertfelder]

You might be overdesigning. If you want live camera (NTSC interlacing) video on screens A and D, and progressive-scanning RGBHV computer video on screens B and C, then create two seperate switching systems; one would be NTSC interlacing-scan, and the other RGBHV progressive-scan.

If, for recording purposes, you need to record computer output, down-convert the RGBHV to NTSC interlacing. We always want to start with the highest video bandwidth possible (RGBHV) and down-convert when necessary, not the opposite.

If you just have an infinite budget to work with, I would purchase or rent two Edirol V-440HD switchers, one for screens A/D, and one for screens B/C.

[Brad Weber]

Analog Way, Folsom Research and FSR all offer scaling switching systems made to support up to 3 projectors, you could DA one or more of those outputs if you had two projectors with the same content.  These systems also have the option for a production switcher like controller, support preview for each output at the operator, allow for various transitions, support some keying, etc.  Because of this they are very popular for live event production and act as the production switcher.

However, these are not inexpensive systems.  Unless this is something you do on a regular basis you will likely be better off finding a production company that has such a system and renting it.  You might even want to try that once anyways just to see if it is what you want.

If you only have one or two computer sources and are showing PowerPoint type presentations, then downconverting those to video (NTSC, S-Video, component or SDI) and then DAing all your sources to feed a video production switcher for each screen might be more cost effective, but with some sacrifice in image quality.

Check with some local production companies.  See what they do for this type of situation and maybe go to some of their events to see how it works.

[ProSoundWeb Community]