System Selectors and Such

Target Practice

Okay, so my $20 Pelican system selector that I bought like two years ago has finally gone from only being able to handle one system at a time (thus only making it useful to me because I have a shitty TV that only does RF and... RCA or something (I don't know, it's something that only uses two cables instead of the three of Composite/S-Video or the five of Component) to not properly displaying anything at all.

So... anybody want to recommend a decent, inexpensive system selector to me?

I know what I really need is a new TV, but I'm really not in the market for one right now.

Xieflow

I don't know what your price range is, but this system selector is fucking awesome :
http://shop1.outpost.com/product/4737609?site=sr:SEARCH:MAIN_RSLT_PG
6 inputs (5 in back, 1 in front), the 5 inputs in the back are composite / component / s-video (the one in the front is only s-video / composite). It has a built in lan switch (which I don't use), it has a small display that you can assign a name to each input, and the best, most important part of it is... it has a remote control. So you don't have to get off the couch to switch systems.

Target Practice

I think I'm going to stay away from Pelican products, thanks.

Besides, $100 is way too much.

Shadowfire

Xieflow wrote: »

I don't know what your price range is, but this system selector is fucking awesome :
http://shop1.outpost.com/product/4737609?site=sr:SEARCH:MAIN_RSLT_PG
6 inputs (5 in back, 1 in front), the 5 inputs in the back are composite / component / s-video (the one in the front is only s-video / composite). It has a built in lan switch (which I don't use), it has a small display that you can assign a name to each input, and the best, most important part of it is... it has a remote control. So you don't have to get off the couch to switch systems.

Fair warning, most of these selectors have some serious power issues. When a screen flashes a lot, usually when the screen is completely white, you'll find it loses signal. It can be very distracting, losing your picture for 2-5 seconds while your TV attempts to "find signal."

In conclusion, fuck this selector.

Xieflow

Shadowfire wrote: »

Xieflow wrote: »

I don't know what your price range is, but this system selector is fucking awesome :
http://shop1.outpost.com/product/4737609?site=sr:SEARCH:MAIN_RSLT_PG
6 inputs (5 in back, 1 in front), the 5 inputs in the back are composite / component / s-video (the one in the front is only s-video / composite). It has a built in lan switch (which I don't use), it has a small display that you can assign a name to each input, and the best, most important part of it is... it has a remote control. So you don't have to get off the couch to switch systems.

Fair warning, most of these selectors have some serious power issues. When a screen flashes a lot, usually when the screen is completely white, you'll find it loses signal. It can be very distracting, losing your picture for 2-5 seconds while your TV attempts to "find signal."

In conclusion, fuck this selector.

weird. I've been using mine for well over a year now with no problems.

Veevee

http://www.gamestop.com/product.asp?product%5Fid=801888

That is what I have and it gets the job done, been using it for a year or two now with no problems. I don't notice any loss of quality over composite, plus its cheap. Unfortunately its just a rebranded pelican selector http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2452317&siteID=c9Y1xnss3.w-kotGJIZALCr2cnnPCDpkKQ

ArcSyn

I got an Auto-Switch from WalMart for like $30-40 (can't remember). I think it's a Philips brand, and has 4 inputs, RCA and S-Video. It's awesome. Whatever is turned on is sent out, so you just turn the system you want to play on, and it does the rest, no buttons or selection necessary.
I use it for my cable box, DVD/VCR combo, PS2, and Wii.

The other thing is that the 4 inputs are rated in priority, so things like my cable box, which are always on, I plugged into the lowest priority input, and things like my Wii/PS2, which I only turn on if I'm playing something, at higher priorities. So I can leave my cable box on, and my VCR/DVD (say if I'm taping something) and still play a video game 'cause the output will override to that system rather than the cable or VCR.

EDIT: FOUND IT!
CNET Review

HarshLanguage

I haven't had any problems whatsoever with my $20 Pelican s-video push-button switcher. It's the one that was designed to match the PS2 (black with ridges). Good build quality, no noticeable signal degradation. I'm not aware of some widespread Pelican problem. Maybe the more pricey ones don't work as well, I dunno; but "more complicated = more problems" is common in all consumer electronics.

Bursar

I have something like this. It's only component or S-Video, but my tv's just component so it doen't bother me. I don't see any problems with the picture, and you don't have to plug the selector into anything, which was a big draw for me.