AV switches

[The EdgeCrusher]

can anyone recommend any decent ones?

[Push Upstairs]

I've never had any complaints about my Pelican selector...



...other than not being able to find them anymore.

[atomicthumbs]

Yup, I've got one of the 4-switch AV with S-video selectors too. Never any problems.

I also have a Sony 4-switch and also two 4-switch RCA AV with S-video RF modulators (that also has a convenient AV input in the front).

[Tan]

i've got a philips hdtv hub from walmart, it has 3 component, 4 composite and 4 s-video IIRC, cost about $28 canadian

[unwinddesign]

Pelican System Selector Pro. Beats the living crap out of any other selector under $75, bar none.

[cyberfluxor]

I got a Radioshack 6-port AVI selector gold plated with 2 infrared ports. It was $100 but got a discount through a friend when I got it years ago. It's really nice, comes with a remote and lit buttons on the front. Haven't had any problems with it, except confused friends that for some reason can't figure out how the rear ports are inversed to the front panel buttons.

[tholly]

Pelican System Selector Pro. Beats the living crap out of any other selector under $75, bar none.

Ditto....Version 1 of the Pelican System Selector Pro is utterly amazing....

[rbudrick]

I know this has been brought up before, and I can't remember the answer, but are there any selectors with a crapload of inputs on it (not the usual 3 to 7, but more like 10 to 20 or more)?

-Rob

[c0ldb33r]

I'm not sure which brand I have.

It's black, has 5 square buttons, and each button has a name plate that can be replaced. It allows you to mark which systems are attached to which buttons, which I love. It uses AV and S-Video, and has the same grill style front as a ps2.

I can't tell the brand because (1) I'm at work right now, and (2) it's mounted in my entertainment behind a little door, so the underside and back are hidden. I don't remember there being a logo or anything on the top of it.

My wife got it for me like 2 years ago. She got it at walmart. I like it - it's pretty good :D

[Push Upstairs]

You have the (standard) Pelican selector.

[c0ldb33r]

How is the pro version any better? Should I be concerned? :hmm:

[The Manimal]

I've actually heard that running 1080i/720p through the Pelican Pro I has a lot of interference/noise/something... Can't speak from experience, though. I guess it is a lot better than the second version (w/remote), which I guess has problems when using both the component output for video and the optical out for audio together?

[Push Upstairs]

How is the pro version any better? Should I be concerned? :hmm:

I think the Pro version has alot more bells and whistles and also more slots to plug in systems (like 7 or 8). If you have alot of older systems and all you really want to do is hook them up with standard A/V cables (or RF) then you haven't a thing to worry about.

I have everything from an NES to an XBOX hooked up to the two of mine and i have zero complaints.

[unwinddesign]

I've actually heard that running 1080i/720p through the Pelican Pro I has a lot of interference/noise/something... Can't speak from experience, though. I guess it is a lot better than the second version (w/remote), which I guess has problems when using both the component output for video and the optical out for audio together?

The first version came with the remote. I run it through 720p and I have no interference whatsoever on my projector. Granted, running cables through a switch box will always result in some [in this case, not noticeable] degrade in quality. It's always better to use the inputs on your TV than a switch box. A lot of TVs actually come installed with five or six component inputs these days, so it's actually possible to direct connect everything to those sets.

[smokehouse]

First off I can say that I’d never use a selector to pass HD.

Ok, to answer the question, I use a cheapo RCA unit that has 4 different sets of RCA audio/Composite video and S-video. It works great, I’ve never had any problems with it.

[GameSlaveGaz]

I'm not sure which brand I have.

It's black, has 5 square buttons, and each button has a name plate that can be replaced. It allows you to mark which systems are attached to which buttons, which I love. It uses AV and S-Video, and has the same grill style front as a ps2.

I can't tell the brand because (1) I'm at work right now, and (2) it's mounted in my entertainment behind a little door, so the underside and back are hidden. I don't remember there being a logo or anything on the top of it.

My wife got it for me like 2 years ago. She got it at walmart. I like it - it's pretty good :D

That could be Pelican or Intec or even some other 3rd party brand. I have the standard 5-input Pelican and my boyfriend has an Intec one I bought him when I still worked at TRU, and they're both identical in set-up (including the interchangable labels) except for probably size and the fact that mine has both AV and RF hookups to connect to the TV (which I needed for my TV) and his only had AV.

[SNKFan75]

I use the Pelican 8 Port System Selector Pro and the smaller 4 Port version as well. THey supply Composite, Component, and S-Video outputs. Not to mention digital audio out.


SNKFan75

[Jasoco]

Right now I have just the Pelican (GameStop re-branded) 5-system switcher as mentioned above. Well, I have 3, but since then I have decided to only connect up the three current consoles at once so I only use one anymore.

But what I really really want is to consolidate EVERYTHING into one input on my TV. The thing is, it's not HD. It's just a regular flat screen 27" Sylvania tube. I probably won't have HD for a long time so I have to make due with this for now. What I want is to take all my devices and connect them into one input. I have two RCA jacks, one counts as S-Video and a Conponent input.

I have the following:
DVD Recorder (Connected to Component right now. Looks best when watching DVD's.)
PS2
GameCube
Xbox (All connected to the switch box connected to the front input. RCA)
And a TiVo (Connected to S-Video.)

The thing is the TiVo has no Component, so having it on S-Video is the best I can get. (Though it looks MUCH better than when I had it connected to RCA and RF.)

Do the Pro selectors connect to one input? And do they accept lesser connections like RCA and S-Video and just up-convert them to Component? How do they work? Because I really really want to get this all consolidated.

[Joker T]

I have the same system selector as Jasoco, will replace it when I get an HDTV but until than I'm fine with the quality.

I think I need to pick up another one now that I think of it.

[SNKFan75]

Right now I have just the Pelican (GameStop re-branded) 5-system switcher as mentioned above. Well, I have 3, but since then I have decided to only connect up the three current consoles at once so I only use one anymore.

But what I really really want is to consolidate EVERYTHING into one input on my TV. The thing is, it's not HD. It's just a regular flat screen 27" Sylvania tube. I probably won't have HD for a long time so I have to make due with this for now. What I want is to take all my devices and connect them into one input. I have two RCA jacks, one counts as S-Video and a Conponent input.

I have the following:
DVD Recorder (Connected to Component right now. Looks best when watching DVD's.)
PS2
GameCube
Xbox (All connected to the switch box connected to the front input. RCA)
And a TiVo (Connected to S-Video.)

The thing is the TiVo has no Component, so having it on S-Video is the best I can get. (Though it looks MUCH better than when I had it connected to RCA and RF.)

Do the Pro selectors connect to one input? And do they accept lesser connections like RCA and S-Video and just up-convert them to Component? How do they work? Because I really really want to get this all consolidated.


Jasoco,

My 8 port selector connected to all the inputs on my TV. There aer Component, S-Video, and RCA and all of these go to the input on my switch box. Then I just select the appropriate output on my WEGA for viewing. Is that what you mean?

SNKFan75

[alec006]

Currently im using an RCA 4 switch selector connected to a Pelican 5 selector connected to a Gamestop 4 switch selector to a pelican 4 switch HD selector. All of them work very well,just it seems that my Pelican 5 selector takes a little bit of brightness out the pic.maybe its just me but i connected the one of the devices to the RCA and the brightness returned. BTW dont try to connect S-Video and Composite video together to the same time.Meaning you can only have one video source into 1 video/audio input. Meaning only S-Video and Audio Or Composite video and audio. Hope this helps.

[CosmicMonkey]

I have one of these: Joytech AV Control Centre 2 (http://www.tvcables.co.uk/cgi-bin/tvcables/joytech-av-control-centre-2.html).

Absolutely great bit of kit. And it's about to be joined by another one.

[CYRiX]

What I've wanted is one with a REMOTE! My systems and tv are too far away from my couch! Anyone know of a good one (or atlest one?)

[pacmanhat]

The most recent Pelican Pro comes with a remote. It ain't cheap, though. :(