Extron SW4 VGA Ars VGA/Audio Switcher Dropout Issues

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Odolwa
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Extron SW4 VGA Ars VGA/Audio Switcher Dropout Issues

Post by Odolwa »

I am having issues with the Extron SW4. I purchased three of them, the third hasn't arrived in the mail just yet. The two that are in my possession both have dropout issues that occur during gameplay for a fraction of a second. bobrocks95 told me in my "D-Sub 15-Pin" thread that I may need to open up the switch up and change something on the inside, and that this subject would warrant a new thread to get help from other Extron owners. I don't know what to do, and I doubt that both of the switchers I own are damaged. I have the switchers set to Auto, if that has anything to do with it. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks.
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matt
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Re: Extron SW4 VGA Ars VGA/Audio Switcher Dropout Issues

Post by matt »

Yeah, these switches don't like 15khz RGB in auto mode. You'll have to set them to manual.

I'm not aware of a method to fix this problem, although it would be nice if it was possible. They're awesome devices as long as you don't need the auto switching feature. I have one of the 6 input ones and am very happy with it.
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maxtherabbit
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Re: Extron SW4 VGA Ars VGA/Audio Switcher Dropout Issues

Post by maxtherabbit »

matt wrote:Yeah, these switches don't like 15khz RGB in auto mode. You'll have to set them to manual.

I'm not aware of a method to fix this problem, although it would be nice if it was possible. They're awesome devices as long as you don't need the auto switching feature. I have one of the 6 input ones and am very happy with it.
+1 to all of this
fernan1234
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Re: Extron SW4 VGA Ars VGA/Audio Switcher Dropout Issues

Post by fernan1234 »

-1?

I've never had these issues and I use mine 99% of the time with 15khz RGB, set to auto-switching and I think I've never had a drop out or a failure to switch to the last active input like it's supposed to do.
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Odolwa
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Re: Extron SW4 VGA Ars VGA/Audio Switcher Dropout Issues

Post by Odolwa »

matt wrote:Yeah, these switches don't like 15khz RGB in auto mode. You'll have to set them to manual.

I'm not aware of a method to fix this problem, although it would be nice if it was possible. They're awesome devices as long as you don't need the auto switching feature. I have one of the 6 input ones and am very happy with it.
Wow, I’m surprised that’s what the issue was. Setting it to Auto mode causes dropouts. I wish I didn’t buy 3 of them. But you’re saying the 6SW can do auto switching without this issue?
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maxtherabbit
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Re: Extron SW4 VGA Ars VGA/Audio Switcher Dropout Issues

Post by maxtherabbit »

Just don't use the auto switching, simple as

The SW6 is no different from the SW4
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bobrocks95
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Re: Extron SW4 VGA Ars VGA/Audio Switcher Dropout Issues

Post by bobrocks95 »

fernan1234 wrote:-1?

I've never had these issues and I use mine 99% of the time with 15khz RGB, set to auto-switching and I think I've never had a drop out or a failure to switch to the last active input like it's supposed to do.
My SW12 auto switches perfectly as well. I feed it with attenuated csync cables exclusively.

Those with auto issues, they're the ones with 3.5mm audio jacks right? You feeding it csync at TTL or 75ohm? Are the 8 and 12 ones different?
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maxtherabbit
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Re: Extron SW4 VGA Ars VGA/Audio Switcher Dropout Issues

Post by maxtherabbit »

I'm feeding it TTL. Tried both 15kHz C-sync and 15kHz HV-sync

Yes with the 3.5mm jacks. Could be different revisions floating around, but I did update my firmware to latest available with no improvement. The switching drops are very infrequent so it's easy to miss
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Odolwa
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Re: Extron SW4 VGA Ars VGA/Audio Switcher Dropout Issues

Post by Odolwa »

maxtherabbit wrote:I'm feeding it TTL. Tried both 15kHz C-sync and 15kHz HV-sync

Yes with the 3.5mm jacks. Could be different revisions floating around, but I did update my firmware to latest available with no improvement. The switching drops are very infrequent so it's easy to miss

How do you update the firmware, and is it even possible with my model? When I went to download the firmware, it required me having to make an account, and it mentioned that I need an email that is from an institution. How would I update the firmware anyway, there’s no USB port to plug it into.
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matt
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Re: Extron SW4 VGA Ars VGA/Audio Switcher Dropout Issues

Post by matt »

Odolwa wrote:Wow, I’m surprised that’s what the issue was. Setting it to Auto mode causes dropouts. I wish I didn’t buy 3 of them. But you’re saying the 6SW can do auto switching without this issue?
No, I meant that I am happy with the SW6 despite its problems with auto switching. I prefer to have it in manual anyhow so I can leave 2 consoles turned on if I want.

Mine is an SW6 ARS with the 3.5mm jacks.
fernan1234 wrote:-1?

I've never had these issues and I use mine 99% of the time with 15khz RGB, set to auto-switching and I think I've never had a drop out or a failure to switch to the last active input like it's supposed to do.
What model do you have?
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maxtherabbit
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Re: Extron SW4 VGA Ars VGA/Audio Switcher Dropout Issues

Post by maxtherabbit »

Odolwa wrote:
maxtherabbit wrote:I'm feeding it TTL. Tried both 15kHz C-sync and 15kHz HV-sync

Yes with the 3.5mm jacks. Could be different revisions floating around, but I did update my firmware to latest available with no improvement. The switching drops are very infrequent so it's easy to miss

How do you update the firmware, and is it even possible with my model? When I went to download the firmware, it required me having to make an account, and it mentioned that I need an email that is from an institution. How would I update the firmware anyway, there’s no USB port to plug it into.
It's done over RS-232 serial. You have to know someone "inside" to get the files. Like I said, updating the firmware did not help the problem at all so I wouldn't worry about it
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Odolwa
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Re: Extron SW4 VGA Ars VGA/Audio Switcher Dropout Issues

Post by Odolwa »

matt wrote:
Odolwa wrote:Wow, I’m surprised that’s what the issue was. Setting it to Auto mode causes dropouts. I wish I didn’t buy 3 of them. But you’re saying the 6SW can do auto switching without this issue?
No, I meant that I am happy with the SW6 despite its problems with auto switching. I prefer to have it in manual anyhow so I can leave 2 consoles turned on if I want.

Mine is an SW6 ARS with the 3.5mm jacks.
fernan1234 wrote:-1?

I've never had these issues and I use mine 99% of the time with 15khz RGB, set to auto-switching and I think I've never had a drop out or a failure to switch to the last active input like it's supposed to do.
What model do you have?
The model is in the name of the thread, "Extron SW4 VGA ARS".
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bobrocks95
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Re: Extron SW4 VGA Ars VGA/Audio Switcher Dropout Issues

Post by bobrocks95 »

They were asking what model fernan had, someone who was not getting dropouts.

VGA Ars SW12 here, 12 inputs 2 outputs. All my cables use 75 ohm attenuated csync just to reiterate, and I've run consoles for hours on end without any sync dropouts.

Maybe the 8 and 12 are built a bit differently? They do have separate product manuals; not sure if the specifications section shows any minor differences other than the 2x video output.

Or it's the 75 ohm sync?
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Sirotaca
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Re: Extron SW4 VGA Ars VGA/Audio Switcher Dropout Issues

Post by Sirotaca »

I also use an SW12 VGA Ars exclusively in auto mode with mostly 15 kHz sources (primarily C-sync, though I've tested separate sync as well), and I've never seen any dropouts that weren't caused by something else in the chain. It's been rock solid for me.
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maxtherabbit
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Re: Extron SW4 VGA Ars VGA/Audio Switcher Dropout Issues

Post by maxtherabbit »

I'd like to point out that these are not "sync dropouts" in the traditional sense. They are switching glitches where the auto switch deselects the correct input and reverts back to input 1, or whatever the next lower "active" input is from the switches perspective.

If your 15kHz source is connected to input 1, you will never experience a drop out
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bobrocks95
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Re: Extron SW4 VGA Ars VGA/Audio Switcher Dropout Issues

Post by bobrocks95 »

15kHz on 8 of my inputs (component on input 1 because it definitely doesn't auto-switch). Sounding like the 8/12 units are more tolerant maybe?
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fernan1234
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Re: Extron SW4 VGA Ars VGA/Audio Switcher Dropout Issues

Post by fernan1234 »

Yeah sounds like it, mine is also an 8 input model.
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