CurtPalme.com Home Theater Forum

medazner · Joined: 12 Dec 2007 Posts: 9

Happy New Year Folks!

Just a quickie...I have an xbox360 (component) and htpc competing for inputs on my trusty barco 701s. Because of the way it's situated it's a pain to swap over the BNC connectors when switching from movies (PC) to games (xbox). Would it be safe to stick BNC splitters on each of the R G B inputs and have both the xbox and PC connected together to save fussing, with me turning each source on/off appropriately? Or would each load/interfere with the other and disrupt the desired signal? I can imagine if both xbox and pc were feeding in together that would give the Barco a headache but if I was careful to make sure one was off while the other was used could I get away with this? I am having trouble finding a 5xBNC switcher...
Any help much appreciated!
Cheers

Ile · Posted: Mon Jan 03, 2011 8:15 am Post subject:

Curt might still have free RCVDS800 Barco switchers.
https://www.curtpalme.com/forum_archived/viewtopic.php@t=24625.html

virusc · Joined: 11 Apr 2007 Posts: 358 Location: Massachusetts

I'm not sure a RCVDS800 will work that way as if you put the Component from XBOX to a RGBHV card the projector will be controlled by the 800 comm bus and and will put it in RGB mode and not component mode. If you make the RCVDS800 stand alone by doing a mod you could use it as a switcher.

medazner · Joined: 12 Dec 2007 Posts: 9

Hi,
thanks for your responses so far!
Virusc I have a feeling you're right plus I dont really want to spend much money (even if it's only shipping for one of those RCVDS800's - I'm in UK) and those things are huge and need their own power. I was hoping for a really cheap and easy solution but I didn't pay enough attention in electronics class and I can't work out if having two sources connected so crudely to the same input would have any adverse affects. I know it's a lame solution but does anyone know if it would work or are these 'splitters' (http://www.bikudo.com/photo_stock/695512.jpg) typically used to duplicate an output rather than an input? Would there be some kind of volatile interference if both sources were inadvertently turned on at the same time, perhaps causing damage to the Barco? Would it be safe if I was careful to make sure one source was turned off before the other was turned on?

virusc · Joined: 11 Apr 2007 Posts: 358 Location: Massachusetts

I would hold out for a local pro grade switcher (EXTRON, ETC) that should go cheap. If you have some extra money I would really recommend getting a older Moome external that has the component input and HDMI as you will want this eventually if you stick with CRT. BTW the barco RCVDS800's only have a max of 60mhz when they were new and you can see the difference easily. I use the RCVDS05 switchers and although they do eat a output card every so often they are much better. If this is your only TV and you have a decent screen, you will really be sacrificing the picture quality if you use a low grade switcher.

That is a BNC T connector. this is for chaining. You will get reflections + degrade the signal. Why not just make a HD-15 to component cable with female ends and manually unhook the HTPC and XBOX that way?

**Curt Palme** · Posted: Mon Jan 03, 2011 2:06 pm Post subject:

No you can't do that. Each source will load down the other one, and you'll get a dim picture if you get one at all.

ecrabb · Posted: Mon Jan 03, 2011 3:16 pm Post subject:

You should be able to pick up a component switcher for next to nothing (literally) these days. With the switch to HDMI, analog stuff is now worth pennies on the dollar/pound. When I say next to nothing, I mean it... As in the price of a lunch at a decent restaurant.

SC

medazner · Joined: 12 Dec 2007 Posts: 9

Many thanks for everyone's help so far.
I had a look on ebay and found an Extron unit which I think will be good for the 720p output from the xbox:
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Extron-ISS108-ISS-108-/190485440819?pt=UK_Consumer_Professional_RL&hash=item2c59d12933
Maybe a bit overkill but at least it looks the part!
There is also this moodier looking one which would probably suit me just fine:
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=260716446926
Just out of curiosity, if I were to use a component switcher would I just feed the rgb from the xbox, the rgb from the PC into it and leave the h&v connected to the barco?
Cheers!

virusc · Joined: 11 Apr 2007 Posts: 358 Location: Massachusetts

either one will work but I would get the ISS108. This is really nice.

medazner · Joined: 12 Dec 2007 Posts: 9

Thanks Virusc, I agree! Smile

roland@b4 · Joined: 07 Jul 2009 Posts: 82 Location: Reading UK

I agree with the others you cant just connect both. Even when off they will put a load on the input

The RCVDS 800 can't be modified to stand alone.

I have an Extron system 8 switcher which will do the job

I'm based in the UK in Reading looking for £15 for it.

medazner · Joined: 12 Dec 2007 Posts: 9

Thanks Roland, I will think about that...how much would postage to London be? I'm thinking the Extron System 8 might be better than the
ISS108 as the 108 seems to have an in-built scaler that doesn't do 720p (you need the ISS408 for that) - does that mean the 108 will force a 720p source to something like 852x480 or 1024x768 or would you just bypass the scaler/turn it off for 720p?

Ile · Posted: Wed Jan 05, 2011 3:24 pm Post subject:

**Curt Palme** · Posted: Wed Jan 05, 2011 3:38 pm Post subject:

I know that way back in about 2000, there was a little kit for sale on eBay that plugged into the RCVDS800's serial comm. port to convert it to standalone. In a class move, I didn't buy it, and am kicking myself ever since. I have not tried that mod above though.