SVS - Scalable Video Switch by Arthrimus

[parodius]

Looks like an interesting project.
People who don’t like Scart will have the choice not to use it, and those who have lots of Scart cables like me will be happy as well

https://scalablevideoswitch.com/

Initially spotted here
https://www.timeextension.com/news/2024 ... aming-fans

[Bassa-Bassa]

Thanks for the headsup, seems too expensive for what it is, doesn't it? I understand that there's amplifiers for multiple output?

[neorichieb1971]

Interesting concept. I thought the prices respectible but you have to choose a number of the top row, then multiples of the 2nd row if required.

That could easily get expensive. Like 100's.

[LDigital]

Does it convert formats input to output or just pass through. So a component ypbpr in would that then come out as rgbs, or vga depending on output module?

[Dochartaigh]

I used to think this was a kinda useless project (or more kindly I might say "niche") when it was first announced, since back then you could still get a PROFESSIONAL GRADE Extron Crosspoint matrix stitcher all day long for around/under $100 (maybe ~$200 for the largest ones with up to 32 inputs and 32 outputs + audio).

But having several people ask me about those Extron Crosspoints in the last month, I've been tracking their prices, and the supply of those has DRASTICALLY changed now - they seem to have completely dried up - or like quadruple+ the price IF you can even find them to begin with (and those STILL seem to sell)...

So the above being said, for larger complex setups, the SVS seems like it's the only game in town tbh...

Sadly, it doesn't have matrix capabilities like the Crosspoints, where you can loop converters/scalers/transcoders/etc. in and out of the Crosspoint (and don't know about throwing different or the same images onto multiple screens with them)... so the SVS is still a far, far, cry from the capabilities an Extron Crosspoint can have.

[XtraSmiley]

The website says it's "whatever I want it to be," well, I'm asking now, it needs to be cheaply priced!

Awesome project, can't wait to see how it ends up!

[Gara]

$370 to build an 8x2 that's about equivalent to the Gscartsw. I wonder if it will have any bells and whistle type features like the Master System fix, sync regeneration, etc. I feel like I'd have to see a manual on how it handles all its functions and features to get excited. The website description doesn't tell me much.

Am I crazy or is it not mentioned anywhere that this is an automatic switch? I keep seeing the Retrotink profile switching capability mentioned, but it doesn't seem to be mentioned anywhere about automatic signal detection. I know it must support it

[ZellSF]

There's a two hour demonstration stream that may (or may not) answer some questions:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0AUlXqBe3Kk

[Konsolkongen]

I think the modules are pretty reasonably priced. Connectors are expensive.

Seems like a neat product

[Gara]

There's a two hour demonstration stream that may (or may not) answer some questions:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0AUlXqBe3Kk

Lots of great information there. They need to put it all into text form and put it on that product page. Thank you for sharing.

I gotta say, I'm pretty tempted. I don't really want to replace 3 Gscartsw, 1 Gcompsw, and 2 automatic SPDIF switches, but I really like the idea of having all those input and output options in one device. I have that hesitation of replacing a tried and true setup with a new product. It would be pretty amusing if I ended up keeping a single Gscartsw around just for the Master System fix.

[Johnpv]

This is super cool, and if I was just putting my set up together now I would definitely invest in this and build it out slowly. Though at this point it would be a big investment and tough to replace 2 gscarts, my component switch, and my component amp (for multi output).

[Guspaz]

It's an automatic switch, both in the sense that it will automatically switch to active inputs, and that it can communicate with an RT4K over the HD15 video cable to send serial commands for automatic profile loading. You can have unique RT4K profiles on the SD card for each input. It can also do something similar on the RT5X, OSSC, OSSC Pro, etc. via an IR blaster. You can program in one or more IR commands each time the input changes, so perhaps pressing a profile button and then pressing the "auto phase" button (though that may autophase too quickly, before video is ready).

If the scaler's remote doesn't have enough profile buttons (like the RT5X premium remote only has 10 profile buttons), you could program the SVS to at least switch the scaler to the right signal type (like YPbPr for a PS2 input, RGBS for a SNES input, etc.) Or perhaps just program in a macro to open your scaler's profile menu and hit the appropriate number of arrow keys and such, but there's only 248 IR command slots on the SVS, divided by the number of inputs, so keep that in mind. The SVS does have provisions for manual input switching as well, of course.

Pricing, well, it's not a mass-manufactured product, so limited economies of scale, and the plastics are IIRC 3D printed, but using something nicer than FDM. Pricing is very similar to the gscartsw/gcompsw, and if you wanted to replicate the functionality of having one each of the gcompsw and gscartsw, you'd end up at basically the same price for a 16-input SVS. You can probably save some money if you need multiple input types, but not quite 16 inputs.

No signal conversion is done. Other than sync conversion. Every output just duplicates whatever signals it supports outputting. The ideal setup is you use the HD15 output module to connect to an RT4K, since that cable type supports all output signals, and has the serial communication for the RT4K, and you use the automatic profile switching to change the RT4K input to the appropriate signal type automatically. You can do the same with SCART, but then you'd need an IR blaster to do the automatic profile stuff. If you have a PVM, you'd probably want to just connect two or three output modules to get the hookups to the PVM's different inputs depending on signal type. It's not a matrix switch, so multiple outputs will just mirror whatever signals that module supports.

Some of the input modules have optional low pass filters that you can enable with a switch on the side of the module to handle noisy signals. Max 32 inputs a the moment, but the plan is to enable more inputs via an expansion module that lets you connect additional stacks of modules, up to 32 for each stack. So, 64 inputs, or 96 inputs, or more, acting as a single unified switch.

I'm sure I missed a ton of details, I was just going on prior knowledge and skimming through the livestream vod.

Extra details on the sync conversion:
The HD15 inputs expect TTL sync since they assume VGA input, and VGA used TTL.
RGBHV is output as RGBHV via the HD15 output, and RGBS via the component/scart/etc. outputs
RGsB is converted to RGsBS (so your scaler/display can ignore the difference and just use one of the two if it wants)

JP21: planned support in the future via dedicated JP21 modules.
BNC input/output: maybe in the future, it's not trivial.
HDMI: never

[Dochartaigh]

it can communicate with an RT4K over the HD15 video cable to send serial commands for automatic profile loading. You can have unique RT4K profiles on the SD card for each input. It can also do something similar on the RT5X, OSSC, OSSC Pro, etc. via an IR blaster. You can program in one or more IR commands each time the input changes, so perhaps pressing a profile button and then pressing the "auto phase" button (though that may autophase too quickly, before video is ready).

If the scaler's remote doesn't have enough profile buttons (like the RT5X premium remote only has 10 profile buttons), you could program the SVS to at least switch the scaler to the right signal type (like YPbPr for a PS2 input, RGBS for a SNES input, etc.) Or perhaps just program in a macro to open your scaler's profile menu and hit the appropriate number of arrow keys and such, but there's only 248 IR command slots on the SVS, divided by the number of inputs, so keep that in mind. The SVS does have provisions for manual input switching as well, of course.

Now this I like!

Essentially what can be done with my CRT-C Extron Crosspoint project, when you incorporate a ~$20 Extron IP Link box into that setup (which many models can do both serial control, and IR control... as well as even turn relays on/off, power 12v devices like lights, has a library of 16,000+ devices which they can control --although I'm sure the RT4K isn't one of those, would have to do manually--, etc etc etc).

I hope they make the SVS open source so people can do all sorts of cool stuff. Still needs matrix switcher applications to be a real powerhouse IMO (like I can't see ANY complicated setup not needing at least an Extron RGB box incorporated in it for certain consoles/scenarios), but I like where it's going!

[Guspaz]

My rt4k_pi project might still be in early development, and not really ready for public consumption, but that didn't stop somebody from already building it themselves and using its REST API to control their RT4K from Home Assistant. Which is pretty trivial, really, because it's very easy to send REST requests from Home Assistant and tell the RT4K to do whatever you want.

Of course if you want to go the other way, you can certainly have the SVS talk to Home Assistant, at which point you can automate almost anything based on SVS input changes. You could use a HomeAssistant-connected IR receiver, or even just use RS232 via esphome and an HD15 dongle.

[ZellSF]

Of course if you want to go the other way, you can certainly have the SVS talk to Home Assistant, at which point you can automate almost anything based on SVS input changes. You could use a HomeAssistant-connected IR receiver, or even just use RS232 via esphome and an HD15 dongle.

I really hope USB control is coming (and is just a virtual serial port, like the RetroTink4K), it would be simpler to me.

USB control is listed as an upcoming feature, I know, but that doesn't mean it's 100% certain to happen.

[Arthrimus]

Hey guys, I'm here to answer any questions you might have.

Sadly, it doesn't have matrix capabilities like the Crosspoints, where you can loop converters/scalers/transcoders/etc. in and out of the Crosspoint (and don't know about throwing different or the same images onto multiple screens with them)... so the SVS is still a far, far, cry from the capabilities an Extron Crosspoint can have.

Unfortunately matrix switching would be incredibly difficult in a modular design like this. It would require significantly more switching hardware in each module, and significantly more signal channels between each module to simultaneously carry so many different signals around the switch. I looked at it early on and concluded it's not feasible for a modular design to have matrix switching. However with that said, I am doing research on signal transcoding, and may be looking to release RGB to YPbPr and YPbPr to RGB transcoder modules that could be installed in the switch to transcode a block of inputs into the desired output format. No timeline on these, but it's definitely on my radar as an objective.

Spoiler

It's an automatic switch, both in the sense that it will automatically switch to active inputs, and that it can communicate with an RT4K over the HD15 video cable to send serial commands for automatic profile loading. You can have unique RT4K profiles on the SD card for each input. It can also do something similar on the RT5X, OSSC, OSSC Pro, etc. via an IR blaster. You can program in one or more IR commands each time the input changes, so perhaps pressing a profile button and then pressing the "auto phase" button (though that may autophase too quickly, before video is ready).

If the scaler's remote doesn't have enough profile buttons (like the RT5X premium remote only has 10 profile buttons), you could program the SVS to at least switch the scaler to the right signal type (like YPbPr for a PS2 input, RGBS for a SNES input, etc.) Or perhaps just program in a macro to open your scaler's profile menu and hit the appropriate number of arrow keys and such, but there's only 248 IR command slots on the SVS, divided by the number of inputs, so keep that in mind. The SVS does have provisions for manual input switching as well, of course.

Pricing, well, it's not a mass-manufactured product, so limited economies of scale, and the plastics are IIRC 3D printed, but using something nicer than FDM. Pricing is very similar to the gscartsw/gcompsw, and if you wanted to replicate the functionality of having one each of the gcompsw and gscartsw, you'd end up at basically the same price for a 16-input SVS. You can probably save some money if you need multiple input types, but not quite 16 inputs.

No signal conversion is done. Other than sync conversion. Every output just duplicates whatever signals it supports outputting. The ideal setup is you use the HD15 output module to connect to an RT4K, since that cable type supports all output signals, and has the serial communication for the RT4K, and you use the automatic profile switching to change the RT4K input to the appropriate signal type automatically. You can do the same with SCART, but then you'd need an IR blaster to do the automatic profile stuff. If you have a PVM, you'd probably want to just connect two or three output modules to get the hookups to the PVM's different inputs depending on signal type. It's not a matrix switch, so multiple outputs will just mirror whatever signals that module supports.

Some of the input modules have optional low pass filters that you can enable with a switch on the side of the module to handle noisy signals. Max 32 inputs a the moment, but the plan is to enable more inputs via an expansion module that lets you connect additional stacks of modules, up to 32 for each stack. So, 64 inputs, or 96 inputs, or more, acting as a single unified switch.

I'm sure I missed a ton of details, I was just going on prior knowledge and skimming through the livestream vod.

Extra details on the sync conversion:
The HD15 inputs expect TTL sync since they assume VGA input, and VGA used TTL.
RGBHV is output as RGBHV via the HD15 output, and RGBS via the component/scart/etc. outputs
RGsB is converted to RGsBS (so your scaler/display can ignore the difference and just use one of the two if it wants)

JP21: planned support in the future via dedicated JP21 modules.
BNC input/output: maybe in the future, it's not trivial.
HDMI: never

This is a fantastic summary! Thanks for typing it out. Just a couple of things I'd like to add/clarify.

1. If you opt to install an SD card the 248 slot IR code limit is completely lifted. Also when using an SD card you can edit the delay time before the IR code is transmitted in the text file for each input on the SD card, so for the Auto phase example you could add an extra second or two of delay after the profile switch to send the auto phase command
2. The shells are SLA resin printed, so they have a much nicer finish and detail level than FDM printed products.
3. All input modules have a 9mhz low pass filter that can be enabled on a per input basis by flipping a switch on the module. This allows you to only enable it if you need it for a particular console instead of being a global setting.
4. BNC is actively being developed right now. I'm hoping to have it ready by March or April next year. BNC Inputs will support both AC and DC coupled signals, and will support RGBS, RGBHV, RGsB, and YPbPr signal types. BNC outputs will support outputting RGBS, RGBHV, RGsB, YPbPr, S-Video (Y on Green, C on Red) and Composite (on Green) either AC coupled or DC coupled (selectable by flipping a switch). You will be able to select between RGBHV and RGBS so RGBHV inputs can be output as either format as needed.

Of course if you want to go the other way, you can certainly have the SVS talk to Home Assistant, at which point you can automate almost anything based on SVS input changes. You could use a HomeAssistant-connected IR receiver, or even just use RS232 via esphome and an HD15 dongle.

I really hope USB control is coming (and is just a virtual serial port, like the RetroTink4K), it would be simpler to me.

USB control is listed as an upcoming feature, I know, but that doesn't mean it's 100% certain to happen.

USB control is 100% going to happen and it will be implemented as a serial COM interface, so it should be easy to script commands for. I will also be releasing an RS232 module for serial interfacing with the SVS as well.

Am I crazy or is it not mentioned anywhere that this is an automatic switch? I keep seeing the Retrotink profile switching capability mentioned, but it doesn't seem to be mentioned anywhere about automatic signal detection. I know it must support it

I updated the description on the website to make it more clear. Yes it has auto switching. It's sync signal based so it doesn't rely on things like blanking voltage being present in SCART cables etc.

Feel free to ask any other technical questions that you have guys. I'm an open book.

[Dochartaigh]

Sadly, it doesn't have matrix capabilities like the Crosspoints, where you can loop converters/scalers/transcoders/etc. in and out of the Crosspoint (and don't know about throwing different or the same images onto multiple screens with them)... so the SVS is still a far, far, cry from the capabilities an Extron Crosspoint can have.

Unfortunately matrix switching would be incredibly difficult in a modular design like this. It would require significantly more switching hardware in each module, and significantly more signal channels between each module to simultaneously carry so many different signals around the switch. I looked at it early on and concluded it's not feasible for a modular design to have matrix switching.

I totally get that. And unfair of me to compare a professional/commercial grade Extron Crosspoint matrix switcher where their base model 12(input) x 8(output) was $6000 USD back in the day, and their largest 32x32 was $43,000 MSRP... just a dream for a modern unit to have the same capabilities - since that's something I use every time I turn mine on! -- but totally get how not possible without making things crazily more complex.

However with that said, I am doing research on signal transcoding, and may be looking to release RGB to YPbPr and YPbPr to RGB transcoder modules that could be installed in the switch to transcode a block of inputs into the desired output format. No timeline on these, but it's definitely on my radar as an objective.

You hit two of the most common right on the head!

People also commonly want a RGB (or even YPbPr) to NTSC S-video/Composite one as well, since many, many (especially in the USA) CRT's do NOT have RGB or Component inputs...

Shouldn't forget about the SERR function/dipswitch of an Extron RGB device either - in my eyes that's the bread and butter for a LARGE part of the crowd who would be using a switcher like yours (i.e. those with larger, more complex, setups, who also wouldn't balk at spending this kind of money on a switcher as well). Kinda akin to the sync regeneration of the gscart other(s) mentioned in this topic already - and SUPER important to us running BVM's and other monitors (JVC and Ikegami as well) which require little more stringent sync signals to not have that flagging/skew on top of the image with certain consoles.

[RebeL9]

It’s absurdly expensive.

[Ms. Tea]

Nice to see you here, Arthrimus! Thanks for taking the time to give more info and answer questions.

[ZellSF]

People also commonly want a RGB (or even YPbPr) to NTSC S-video/Composite one as well, since many, many (especially in the USA) CRT's do NOT have RGB or Component inputs...

Shouldn't forget about the SERR function/dipswitch of an Extron RGB device either - in my eyes that's the bread and butter for a LARGE part of the crowd who would be using a switcher like yours (i.e. those with larger, more complex, setups, who also wouldn't balk at spending this kind of money on a switcher as well).

Those seems like some big assumptions. Personally I think the market for this is split between a lot of different use case scenarios, and there's really no common wants or a large portion of the crowd that would use this for anything that specific.

That said Arthrimus probably doesn't care about our assumptions either way, he did a survey on what modules people where likely to buy and he can probably deduce what's true based on those numbers.

It’s absurdly expensive.

Very specialized hardware tends to be. But it also depends on what you put it against. Is it more expensive than a gscartsw with 8:2 SCART ports? Sure, but if you want 8:2 SCART ports there's already a product for you.

Feel free to ask any other technical questions that you have guys. I'm an open book.

Is there a reason the USB-C power supply requirements aren't listed on the store page?

That has caused a lot of confusion in the RetroTink4K Discord for that product, so I'm not sure why you're not trying to get ahead of that.

[Guspaz]

Is it more expensive than a gscartsw with 8:2 SCART ports? Sure, but if you want 8:2 SCART ports there's already a product for you.

For a single gscartsw, if you actually need the two outputs, sure. Compared to two gscartsw (which gets you 15 inputs due to chaining), if you only need one output, it's $590 for the gscartsw and $590 for the SVS. And of course if not all of your inputs are SCART, then the gscartsw just won't accommodate you, not without extra switches and adapters.

Is there a reason the USB-C power supply requirements aren't listed on the store page?

That has caused a lot of confusion in the RetroTink4K Discord for that product, so I'm not sure why you're not trying to get ahead of that.

I don't know where that confusion could come from. The RT4K product page clearly says (and has always said) that "You may use any USB source supplying at least 5V/2A." But people don't read the product page. Or the product itself, which literally says "5V 2A" right on the USB port itself, and says "5V 2000mA" on the bottom label of the product.

[ZellSF]

I don't know where that confusion could come from. The RT4K product page clearly says (and has always said) that "You may use any USB source supplying at least 5V/2A." But people don't read the product page. Or the product itself, which literally says "5V 2A" right on the USB port itself, and says "5V 2000mA" on the bottom label of the product.

I didn't say putting it on the product page would fix the problem, but it might help (for the SVS).

[LDigital]

I am thinking to buy some modules to compliment and expand my existing setup. Not completely replace it as it’s working well now.

I have a gscartsw and a 4 input gcompsw. If I had 2x scart input 1x component input 1x scart output would it deal with correctly converting the component signals to rgbs scart that I can then chain into my existing gscart?


Also are these just placeholder listings or is everything sold out fully?

[ZellSF]

I am thinking to buy some modules to compliment and expand my existing setup. Not completely replace it as it’s working well now.

I have a gscartsw and a 4 input gcompsw. If I had 2x scart input 1x component input 1x scart output would it deal with correctly converting the component signals to rgbs scart that I can then chain into my existing gscart?


Also are these just placeholder listings or is everything sold out fully?

It's not a video converter, it does not convert component to RGB.

Component in needs component out, or a device on the other end that accepts component video (YPbPr) over SCART or VGA.

The SVS hasn't been for sale yet.

[Gara]

I have a gscartsw and a 4 input gcompsw. If I had 2x scart input 1x component input 1x scart output would it deal with correctly converting the component signals to rgbs scart that I can then chain into my existing gscart?


Also are these just placeholder listings or is everything sold out fully?

No, there is currently no function for transcoding YPbPr into RGBs. It would output the YPbPr signal over the Scart output module though. The newer Gscartsw revisions can switch YPbPr over Scart, but it will still ultimately be coming out as YPbPr on the output. Arthrimus mentioned he is looking into signal transcoding, so it might be a future feature.

Placeholder listings. It's not up for sale yet.

[Dochartaigh]

People also commonly want a RGB (or even YPbPr) to NTSC S-video/Composite one as well, since many, many (especially in the USA) CRT's do NOT have RGB or Component inputs...

Shouldn't forget about the SERR function/dipswitch of an Extron RGB device either - in my eyes that's the bread and butter for a LARGE part of the crowd who would be using a switcher like yours (i.e. those with larger, more complex, setups, who also wouldn't balk at spending this kind of money on a switcher as well).

Those seems like some big assumptions. Personally I think the market for this is split between a lot of different use case scenarios, and there's really no common wants or a large portion of the crowd that would use this for anything that specific.

I agree with you that there will be a LOT of different use cases for sure... but I don't think it's a "big assumption" that Composite (CV) and S-Video (YC) isn't extremely popular still. Heck, it's so popular not only did Arthrimus himself develop a module for those on both the input AND output side of his SVS, but they're also integrated into popular scalers like the RT5X-Pro, RT4K (and XRGB's before those), and even a special add-on was developed for the OSSC because it's such a popular connection type...

So when Arthrimus already has on his future-short-list a converter for YPbPr>RGB and RGB>YPbPr, it only makes sense to mention the third missing link (and debatably in the top-3 analog converters everybody and their mothers very commonly asks about in all the numerous groups/forums I'm in), and that's a YPbPr and/or RGB>CV/YC converter. That's EXACTLY something many of his users may just have a need for as well (especially with such a vast number of CRT's NOT having RGB or YPbPr inputs). This also mimics the product line-up of one of the only enthusiast-produced modern analog converter line-ups out there, by Jam/wakabavideo (and a couple others).



For the Extron RGB I also mentioned, Arthrimus himself has ALREADY incorporated some features mimicking what those boxes do, i.e. sync conversion and such. He's specifically already designed RGBHV/VGA/DB15 modules - the same connection type those Extron boxes use. People right in this topic are ALREADY asking if it'll be like the gscartsw (one of the VERY few competitors of the SVS) which already has a sync regeneration feature (commonly for Master System - which people also use the Extron RGB 580xi's COMP dipswitch to fix that; or the SERR dipswitch nearly every Extron RGB has which helps with skew/flagging from everything from the DC to OG Xbox, to Wii, etc. etc.).

Again, I don't think that's a "big assumption" either, if people are already asking about it, and people already use it in great numbers. This is an absolute MUST-HAVE for most people who use BVM's (and many PVM-style CRT's like JVC's and Ikegami's). Gscart already has a flavor it it – heck, even the improved BKM-68X board for A-Series BVM's already has this fix incorporated into it for exactly this... it's a SUPER popular ask, for those of us using higher-end CRT monitors.

Is that a niche-within-a-niche like I think your argument is alluding to - OF COURSE!!! But, ask yourself, who exactly are the type of people who would drop ~$370 to $590 on an SVS (comparable to the price of the already-super-popular single or double gscartsw setup) to begin with? Those are the EXACT type of people who also commonly own a BVM or likewise-finicky-sync higher-end JVC or Ikegami CRT. If he wants the SVS to be the end-all be-all of switchers, that's a feature which shouldn't be ignored, and is why I mentioned it.

Of course, we're only talking about maybe ~half of the users with the above -- since the other ~half might only be playing on a modern flatscreen with a RT4K or OSSC Pro or whatever, and not a CRT... but hey, more options WILL broaden the appeal of the SVS for ALL types of users, so I think it's a win-win down the line when the SVS gets even more well-rounded and expands with different really cool conversion modules.

[ZellSF]

That just sounds like more assumptions. Not that it matters.

Is that a niche-within-a-niche like I think your argument is alluding to - OF COURSE!!! But, ask yourself, who exactly are the type of people who would drop ~$370 to $590 on an SVS (comparable to the price of the already-super-popular single or double gscartsw setup) to begin with?

I mean it starts at 145$. Not everyone is looking for a gscartsw replacement (and why would they? that thing already exists and is cheaper at that).

[lechu]

BNC is actively being developed right now. I'm hoping to have it ready by March or April next year. BNC Inputs will support both AC and DC coupled signals, and will support RGBS, RGBHV, RGsB, and YPbPr signal types. BNC outputs will support outputting RGBS, RGBHV, RGsB, YPbPr, S-Video (Y on Green, C on Red) and Composite (on Green) either AC coupled or DC coupled (selectable by flipping a switch). You will be able to select between RGBHV and RGBS so RGBHV inputs can be output as either format as needed.

Hey Arthrimus,

I'm stupid. How do I know if I need AC or DC? I have all of my consoles as BNC cables to a Crosspoint matrix switcher, and I'd prefer to not buy new scart cables lol.

[Arthrimus]

Hey Arthrimus,

I'm stupid. How do I know if I need AC or DC? I have all of my consoles as BNC cables to a Crosspoint matrix switcher, and I'd prefer to not buy new scart cables lol.

For the BNC Input Module it won't matter. The input module is being designed to accept both AC and DC coupled signals. For the BNC output module that would depend on your TV or Scaler setup. In most cases AC coupling is what you would want, but some BNC equipped RGBHV monitors might expect DC coupled video signals.

[ZellSF]

First batch is out in people's hands now, and some early adopter fun:
https://x.com/Arthrimus/status/1890491169286812044?mx=2
TL;DR: Some Dreamcast VGA solutions aren't working. Arthrimus is working on a V2 of the VGA input module and will replace them for free.

Other than that it seems to be pretty much exactly what people expected it to be.

Can't wait for USB serial control (I really don't want to use IR anywhere in my setup).