Vision switcher TVOne C2-6104A multiviewer 5-input & Tally module - computer, video, component, HDMI
£1.488
Description
Included with unit:
- Push-button wired remote control and cable
- Set of simple tally LEDs (require XLR cables)
- Multiple DVI adaptors: composite video, component video, RGB 15-pin ("VGA"), HDMI
- Manual
- AC cable
(Further accessories available separately - see below)
- Free delivery within the British Isles
- Price includes VAT
Don't be misled by the DVI connectors for the 5 x inputs and 1 x output! The inputs are TVOne's proprietary DVI-U format, which accept not only every format that DVI can accept, but also composite video, Y/C and YUV, hence the passive adaptors which we are supplying with the unit. Similarly the output can be switched to any flavour of DVI output.
This device would ideally suit a Church or similar organisation with a requirement to project or broadcast at SUPERB quality from a variety of sources including cameras, PCs, DVD players etc. Devices of this type are widely used by AV companies to guarantee that they can combine any inputs for projection and switch cleanly between them. It is the Swiss penknife of AV equipment.
This is a professional combiner of multiple sources onto one screen, either simultaneously as a multiviewer or one after the other as a video switcher with completely clean and instantaneous switching (i.e. without freezing or mixing via a third source, as in some presentation switchers). It is designed for monitor multiple sources on one monitor in a TV studio, but has been used by us exclusively as a video switcher for webcasting because of its ability to switch between High Definition video (i.e. component cameras) and almost any PC source without the need for additional conversion. Whilst it is designed for a 24/7 TV studio, this unit has had very light intermittent use, typically for 1-4 days before being put away for the next job and has only clocked up 1162 hours in use (see photo).
This is a complex device to set up owing to its flexibility, but once set up it can be made very simple to use. The different screen arrangements or individual sources can be recalled with presets which can be triggered by a simple contact closure to the Tally connector (see photo), and a modified Kramer 8-input composite video latching switcher is supplied with the unit for this purpose. A mechanical push-button swtiches to any one source or any combination of sources, effectively providing a 6"x 4" 5-input vision mixer control panel. There are also built-in keying and mixing capabilities and still stores.
The included Tally connector option also supplies tally light outputs, again on simple contact closures. Included with the unit are a set of tally LEDs with XLR plugs. The tally LED can be attached anywhere near the camera viewfinder and illuminates when a particular preset is recalled, i.e. when that camera is live. Both tally inputs and outputs can be programmed according to user requirements. (Please note that units are usually advertised without the Tally option.)
Additional accessories available separately include:
- set of component to composite converters (for monitoring)
- 4-input composite multiviewer (enabling 4 x component sources to be previewed on one composite monitor)
- component DA to split the output
- high quality component to composite video converter (for composite streaming or recording)
- component HDD recorder (takes standard removable 2.5" HDDs)
The C2-6104A contains four of TVOne's highly respected Corio2 scalers. Inputs 1-4 can be scaled (resized) and positioned anywhere in the video frame and have border and ID caption added. Input 5 is always full screen. The output is almost as flexible as the input and can be set to most PC resolutions or to HD video.
A presentation (projection) switcher example:
Cutting full screen between
- 1 x older composite (standard definition video, single cable) camera
- 1 x component (HD 3 x cable) camera
- 1 x recent PC (DVI WUXGA 1920 x 1200)
- 1 x older PC (SVGA 800 x 600)
- DVD player (HDMI)
Another example:
- internal still store with background image
- 1 x fixed camera input in picture-in-picture with coloured border (HDMI)
- 1 x moving camera input, intercut with first camera inside picture-in-picture (component)
- 1 x DVD player playback in second picture-in-picture with coloured border (component)
- 1 x full screen animated words keyed over composite image from laptop Powerpoint (with simple black background keyed out) (1366x768)
NB it is easy to achieve a perfect pixel-by-pixel key from a laptop running Powerpoint etc.
Our webcasting example:
4 x cameras with tally lights (component 1920 x 1080i50)
1 x PC or presentation switcher output - whatever the AV guys at the conference we were webcasting gave us, usually analogue RGB (VGA of some flavour)
There are more features which are too complex to go into and which we never exploited. See the manual on the TVOne website under the Downloads tab. Here is the manufacturer's more technical summary:
"C2-6104A CORIOview 4-Window High Resolution Multiviewer is based on tvONE's exclusive CORIO®2 technology and has five fully HDCP compliant Universal DVI inputs (including one for cascade or background usage) to place up to 4 sizeable windows on a single DVI output. Each window is powered by a CORIO2 scaler providing full PIP flexibility.
Universal DVI covers multiple Digital and Analog formats and is the same as DVI-I plus Composite Video and S-Video. DVI-D resolutions up to 1920x1200 at 60Hz and 1080p are supported along with analog DVI-A (RGBHV/YUV/ YPbPr via optional HD-15 adaptor) resolutions up to 2048x2048 at virtually any refresh rate. Virtually all computer signal formats are accommodated. High performance de-interlacing with motion-adaptive noise reduction provides input compatibility with YUV and YPbPr sources such as 525i, 625i, 720p, 1080i and 1080p. Custom resolutions can also be added quickly and easily using available software.
Key Features of the C2-6104A CORIOview
· 4-Window Processor
· 4x High Quality CORIO®2 Scaling Engines
· 5x DVI-U inputs (DVI-I, DVI-A, Composite and S-Video)
· 5th input for background or cascading multiple units
· Fully HDCP Compliant
· 4x Internal Still Image Stores
· DVI-D I/O support to 1920x1200,1080p at 60Hz
· DVI-A I/O support to 2048x2048, 1080p at 60Hz
· Analog supports RGBHV, RGBS, RGsB, YPbPr
· 10 User-definable Presets for quick setup
· Motion Adaptive De-interlacing and Noise Reduction for YUV and YPbPr inputs
· Color Borders and Source Labeling
· Variable Image Zoom to 10X and Shrink to 10%
· Per-pixel or Percentage Scaling Control
· Autoset - Automatic Analog Picture Sizing
· Chromakey, Lumakey, Genlock and Mix
· Front Panel includes LCD, Menu Control and Quick- Setup features
· Control via RS-232/RS-422/RS-485, Ethernet or Front Panel
· CORIO Tool Suite compatible
· Optional modules (e.g. for Tally input/output)
· 1RU rack-mount case
· Optional Tally Module
Manufacturer's Specifications:
Inputs
Universal DVI 5x DVI-U (DVI-I + YC/CV) fully HDCP Compliant
Digital DVI-D Format:
Max HD Resolution 1080p at 60Hz
Max PC Resolution 1920x1200 at 60Hz
Analog DVI-A Format:
Television Standards NTSC, PAL, PAL-M, PAL-N, SECAM
Max HDTV Resolution 1080p at 60Hz
Max PC Resolution 2048x2048
Output
DVI-I 1x DVI-I Connector
Digital DVI-D Format:
Max HD Resolution 1080p at 60Hz
Max PC Resolution 1920x1200 at 60Hz
Analog DVI-A Format:
Television Standards NTSC, PAL, PAL-M, PAL-N, SECAM
Max HDTV Resolution 1080p at 60Hz
Max PC Resolution 2048x2048
Control Methods
Front Panel Buttons & LCD
RS-232/RS-485/RS-422
Ethernet (TCP/IP) RJ45
Mechanical
Desktop Case (HWD) 44x420x200mm (1.75”x17”x7.9” )
Weight (Net) 3.08kg / 6 lbs 13 oz