Video switching software

[way kool productions]

Sorry for posting this here, but I needed a starting place.....Here's the deal. I hired a production company for an event. stage and lights, two big screens, live cam, video presentation. The company shows up with some video switching software. Long story short, I use my xdcam, into a switch box, into the computer and the video shows up on the 2 big screen worse than MPEG4, DVD's slitely better but still more along the lines of MPEG4. Can anyone tell me why this happens??

[Shootblue]

I'm guessing the software had to compress it somewhere along the way to allow the processor to keep up. I'd be unhappy too...

Sony makes a small switcher for things like this that you could prob rent if it came back up again...I think its called the anycaster or something similiar. Actual physical box with SDI, etc. Get you an XD Deck and you are in bidness!

[Necktie Boy]

NewTek make the Tricaster, just for this type of work. Around $7k

[The Daywood]

There is always the MX-4 from Focus....Little 4 input switcher with built in DVEs and Sync Controllers provided you always go from preview to program. They only run $2K
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/386854-REG/Focus_Enhancements_ASYF_0816_01_MX_4_Digital_Video _Mixer.html

or even its big brother http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/386856-REG/Focus_Enhancements_ASYF081201_MX_4DV_Digital_Video _Mixer.html which accepts firewire...

Sigma makes one, but it doesn't have any Sync Controllers, but it's only $500 http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/485162-REG/Sima_SFX_10_SFX_10_Video_Mixer.html

Edirol, Datavideo, and even Korg make some inexpensive switchers as well...It ends up being easier and cheaper than running into and through a computer...

[willis]

I'm a big fan of the Anycast from Sony. It has SDI inputs, all kinds of nice features (DSK, scan converter, SD --> HD uprez, + lots more) and is very compact. It even has a decent mixer built in if you only have a coupla channels of audio, and is very reconfigurable. Its also possible to record each input to its own hard drive, as well as outputting the mix to a hard drive. Overall, very nice, although I hear Grass has something better out :-P.

[canuckcam]

But the Anycast is $15k. ... Video Toaster is a good product, it's come a long way from the Amiga version, but you can still get the falling sheep wipe... It's fairly scalable as well. But don't switch using the keyboard unless you like making mistakes.