Need Help Choosing a Video Switcher

[tommod]

Hello all,

Our church is looking into expanding our visuals department for our Sunday meetings. At the moment we have a single projector (Sanyo PLC-XM100L) which is connected by VGA to a PC that is running EasyWorship for song management.

What we would like to do is purchase some a video switcher that will allow us to mix 1 or 2 PC inputs, DVD player and up to 3 cameras, all in HD.

We do not currently use cameras in our meetings, but we are looking at purchasing cameras in the future - not primarily for IMAG, but for recording our sermons and possibly for future overflow screens.

I have been looking at the Blackmagic ATEM Television Studio, as it seems very good for the price.

I was wondering if this switcher will do all that we need. Our current projector is SD 4:3. Will the Blackmagic be able to output to this projector as well as simultaneously outputting HD video to TVs/recorder? We do not want to have purchase a new projector right now, but we also don't want to be stuck with a switcher that won't be able to handle HD cameras.

I would greatly appreciate any help you guys can offer!

Tom

[DTV-Engineer]

Originally Posted by tommod

I have been looking at the Blackmagic ATEM Television Studio, as it seems very good for the price.

I was wondering if this switcher will do all that we need. Our current projector is SD 4:3. Will the Blackmagic be able to output to this projector as well as simultaneously outputting HD video to TVs/recorder? We do not want to have purchase a new projector right now, but we also don't want to be stuck with a switcher that won't be able to handle HD cameras.

I would greatly appreciate any help you guys can offer!

Tom

I bought the ATEM Television Studio to evaluate for a number of potential applications (we're a regional broadcast television hub), and wound up writing a rather detailed review.

Blackmagic released this product a few months ago, but it didn't support SD until software version 2.7.1 was released last week. Chances are, if you buy one today it will ship with version 2.5, so one of the first things you will wind up doing is updating its firmware (not a big deal).

To answer one question: you need to set the ATEM to a particular standard (720p, for instance); every input must be that same 720p (1280x720 for computer video), and every output will be 720p. Two implications here: first, the switcher won't produce both SD and HD simultaneously. Second, you will probably need some conversion equipment to feed the input.

One thing that might not be obvious: the ATEM is strictly a digital device, even when running at standard definition. If you have analog sources (DVD players, maybe), they need to first be converted to digital. Similarly, if your projector expects an analog feed, you need conversion there too. The ATEM has an HDMI program output, and if your projector has either HDMI or DVI in, it will quite likely work without conversion.

The ATEM is a very impressive little box... as long as you understand and can live with its limitations.

-- Jeff

[Paris MkVI]

Jeff, I honor you for a well-written and thorough review of the Atem. I am also researching for the future, and your write-up provided very valuable answers to numerous "key" questions (no pun intended).

[DTV-Engineer]

Originally Posted by Paris MkVI

Jeff, I honor you for a well-written and thorough review of the Atem. I am also researching for the future, and your write-up provided very valuable answers to numerous "key" questions (no pun intended).

Thanks for your kind comment -- remember, Blackmagic tends to release firmware updates with significant functionality changes, so it's always possible that if you're looking for a feature that isn't supported now, that could change.

I'm a bigger fan of Ross Video: we've had about 20 years of phenomenal experience with them, and installed two of their Vision 3 Octane production switchers over the last year or so. Their product support is immediate and effective; I have a very hard time getting Blackmagic to answer inquiries, especially by email. It turns out that if you have a typical facility where some of your sources differ from the house standard format, by the time you get through buying an ATEM 1 M/E switcher, panel, and conversion gear, you have spent about as much as a Ross Crossover. I'm in the process of redesigning our church's video, and have drawn in a Ross Carbonite for the main switcher, with a handful of ATEM Television Studios for limited breakaway switching (in places where I can work around a failure).

Best,

Jeff