Hooking up video output from computers, especially Macs, was a huge challenge. The problem was solved with no-name HDMI to HD-SDI converters, as the HD-SDI signal doesn’t support HDCP.) (We often found HDCP copyright protection would block the camera signal in the switcher. With the few Blackmagic Design switchers we use, we have had issues with the switchers accepting HDMI output from the Z7s.
My camera operators and I have standardized around Sony’s older but trusty HVR-s270 and HVR-Z7 cameras for easy camera matching and their 1080i output.
I was using a stationary camera to get what was happening on stage, a second camera for reaction shots, and a Mac and PC for playback and Powerpoint presentations. I used the switcher at a couple of conferences. These buttons make keying logos effortless.
With most switchers you need to go through a fairly long process that isn’t quite practical in most AV set-ups to do a live key.
If you switch inputs, the logo will stay up while switching until you hit the Logo button again. When you hit either the Logo 1 or Logo 2 button, the graphic will key over whatever you have on program out. Once you load a logo graphic into the buffer from your computer (via the micro USB 2.0 connector), you can use the switcher’s controls to place the logo where you want it on the screen.
The buffers are not full screen, maxing out at 512 x 512. One interesting feature are the two logo buffers, each with its own button. For most of my switching I could have easily gotten through the job without reading it.
I only needed the manual to learn how to load logos into the frame-buffers and a couple of other functions. The only other connector is for the DC power supply. There are also left and right 1/4-inch audio jacks for an independent audio source.
That means you can have both connectors hooked up to sources and cut between them - but not with transitions. A micro USB 2.0 connector lets you hook up a laptop and load logos into the frame-buffers, using the included software that’s provided for that job. Buttons on the far left of the console allow you to choose one of the connectors, so there are no menus to go through to make the switch. I usually use one output to feed projectors and the other for recording. One of the four inputs is HD-SDI only, and two more are HDMI only, but one input has both HD-SDI and HDMI connections. Next to it are HDMI and HD-SDI outputs that are both active at the same time. It has an HDMI “multiview” that displays all inputs. The back of the unit has all of the inputs and outputs. With the ez-Pro VS4, that is no longer an issue. Not all graphics cards want to put out 1080i, and when they do, some of them crop or underscan the picture. That is not difficult, but connecting computers, especially MacBooks, proved time-consuming. In all of the video switchers I’ve reviewed in the last few years, the standard way to set up was to select the output of the switcher - most often 1080i in my case - and then get cameras that all put out the same resolution. What most attracted me to this unit is that each of the four input channels has a built-in scaler. This year, South Korean company Lumantek introduced its new ez-Pro VS4 four-channel switcher with some incredible features for the price point.Ī number of features differentiate the ez-Pro VS4 from its competition, aside from its being an inexpensive HD switcher in a console form factor with actual buttons to push. Shortly thereafter, Datavideo Technologies and Roland also started putting out switchers in that price range. Over the years I’ve reviewed a number of them from Blackmagic Design, who was the first to bring to market a sub-$1,000 HD video switcher with their ATEM Television Studio model a few years ago (the more recent ATEM HD Studio Pro was reviewed here). If you do live event production and/or streaming, there is a good chance you will need a video switcher.