Extron VSC 500/700

[HandOfIke]

Hi,

I'm thinking of adding an Extron VSC unit to my setup, mainly to use the centering and sizing controls. I just wanted to know what the differences between the two units are before I buy. As far as I can tell the only differences are the 700 has BNC inputs while the 500 has a VGA input and there are 4 levels of horizontal flicker filtering on the 700 and only 1 fixed level on the 500. Does anyone know what are the uses of the 700's 4 levels of filtering are and are useful for? Are there any other differences?

Thanks!

[Fudoh]

I'm thinking of adding an Extron VSC unit to my setup, mainly to use the centering and sizing controls

The VSC units are scan converters. They will convert progressive inputs to interlaced SD output. Is that what you need ?

The additional H filter control as well as the additional encoder setting on the 700 gives you a little more sharpness when down converting from higher resolutions than 480p. The VSC 500 and 700 models are pretty much identical otherwise. 700 got genlock but you won't need that (it's to synchronize multiple video machines in one setup).

[HandOfIke]

The VSC units are scan converters. They will convert progressive inputs to interlaced SD output. Is that what you need ?

That's what I'm after.

The additional H filter control as well as the additional encoder setting on the 700 gives you a little more sharpness when down converting from higher resolutions than 480p. The VSC 500 and 700 models are pretty much identical otherwise. 700 got genlock but you won't need that (it's to synchronize multiple video machines in one setup).

Is the extra sharpness worth getting a 700 for? I will be going from 720p, 1080i and 1080p on occasions. What are the additional encoder settings you speak of?

Thanks

[Fudoh]

Is the extra sharpness worth getting a 700 for? I will be going from 720p, 1080i and 1080p on occasions.

really ? Isn't it pretty bold to convert these to letterbox 480i ? I honestly can't tell. All I pretty much ever used were 480p inputs (except for my Super Hang On experiment one time, but I don't think I tempered much with the settings at that time).

What are the additional encoder settings you speak of?

On the 500 you only get the Vertical filter setting. On the 700 (in the same menu) you get vertical filter, horizontal filter and "encoder". The later is a postprocessing sharpness filter.

[HandOfIke]

Yeah mainly 480p, but occasionally I'll mess about.....

Thanks for the info!

Cheers

[HandOfIke]

The VSC units are scan converters. They will convert progressive inputs to interlaced SD output. Is that what you need ?

That's what I'm after.

Just a follow up, what happens if you put a 480i signal through the VSC500/700? For example if I'm running a Wii in 480p through it and the Wii outputs 480i (say switching to a GameCube game) will the VSC just pass the signal through and output the 480i or will the signal be lost?

Cheers

[Fudoh]

no picture and a out of range message on the display.

[HandOfIke]

no picture and a out of range message on the display.

Thanks

[HandOfIke]

Hi Fudoh,

Just reading up on your website about downscaling and you mention the VSC units.....

"The same conversion can be done with a scan converter's 480i output, for example one of the Extron VSC units I talked about above. You route your VGA signal into the scan converter and the scan converter's output into a RGB interface - again resulting in a 240p signal. By using the scan converter's anti flicker controls, the remaining flicker can be eliminated almost completely. Combining a scan converter like a VSC-700 with a RGB interface gets you a powerful combo with a resulting image easily on par with the other machines listed on this page."

This sounds interesting and I'd like to give this a go (I have an RGB interface) when you say using the scan converters anti flicker controls to eliminate the remaining flicker are you referring to all the controls (like the 700 unit has) or will the more limited controls of the 500 unit (as we've spoken about) not suffice or perform as well.

Thanks

[Fudoh]

You just need the vertical filter for that. On its lowest (highest?) setting it will render two identical fields - basically mimicking a 240p output and minimizing all deinterlacing problems. If you route that signal into a RGB interface and use the 240p/480i trick, you'll have pretty solid 240p.

[HandOfIke]

Thanks!!

[CiREdrol]

Hi guys, I'm new to the forum and scan conversion in general but I've been doing ok so far.
Basically what I'm trying to do is get the best downcoverted picture possible to to go from my MacBook Pro to a Sony BVM D14H1U. I have a VSC 500 converter and a RGB 203 rgb interface.. I guess I'm having trouble with the cabling. If I want to end up with the RGB interface outputting to the BVM I think I would need to go..

MacBook Pro DVI to VGA -> VGA cable into the VSC 500 -> BNC out of the VSC 500 into the VGA input of the RGB interface -> output BNC to the BVM... the part I'm kinda stuck with is going from the VSC to the RGB 203.. will any VGA to RGBHV cable work?

So my question is basically how to connect the VSC to th RGB 203?

I also have a Arcadeforge sync strike but I'm not sure that will be needed in this setup..

Any help would be appreciated!!

[zombiz]

Do someone have access to Extron's firmware downloads ?
Trying to get the latest firmware for VSC700, but it seems like Extron website access is reserved for "business purposes" only...

Thanks!

[Fudoh]

you can send me a PM for a download link to the FW for the VSC700.