On their website and the manual it says it has "10 inputs - 1xComposite,2xSVideo, 2xcomponent, 4xDVI and 1xSDI", but when you click on it it tells you that the inputs types can be customzed, ex "Inputs 1-4 can be DVI, HDMI 444 or 422 component, RGBHV". Does that mean when you order it you have to choose which inputs you want, or when you order can you easily swap out the different inputs?

There are no options on hardware for the HDQ (other than the advanced remote). Inputs 1-4 (DVI connectors) - you configure via the on-screen menus what type input you want it to be. The physical hardware does not change.

There are no options on hardware for the HDQ (other than the advanced remote). Inputs 1-4 (DVI connectors) - you configure via the on-screen menus what type input you want it to be. The physical hardware does not change.

How can you configure a DVI input to be an HDMI, or an S-video to be a composite via a menu? The physical hardware input is different. You can't plug a composite cable into a Svideo.

How can you configure a DVI input to be an HDMI, or an S-video to be a composite via a menu? The physical hardware input is different. You can't plug a composite cable into a Svideo.

Actually, you can, mostly because Lumagen is very clever about how it does things. DVI uses the same signaling and wires that HDMI does - all you need is an adapter or a cable with DVI on one end and HDMI on the other. Then you configure the EDID on the Lumagen and the input type and you are set. As to the S-video vs composite - this also works - I use a "svideo" input on my HDQ for the "monitor out" composite jack on my pre-amp. You need a small adapter that has a rca female jack on one end and svideo on the other - plug it in to input 8 or 9 then - go into the menu and tell it that that input is composite. It really does work.

LumagenHDQ Input 0 to Input 9:
Input 0: SDI (Serial-Digital-Interface)
Input 1 to 4: DVI-I with HDCP support. Can be DVI-D or DVI-A (VGA)
Input 5 and 6: SD/HD Component, RGsB, RGBS, or SCART
Input 7: Composite
Input 8 and 9: SVideo (SVID) or composite (VID on the Y channel)


Inputs 1 to 4 are DVI. These inputs can be independently selected as either DVI-D "MENU, IN, TYPE, DVI-D", or as RGBHV video "MENU, IN, TYPE, DVI-A" on the DVI-A pins of the connector. The RGBHV input allows you to connect the VGA output from a computer to the HDQ using a VGA to DVI cable.

DVI is a subset of HDMI. This means that you can plug a video source that has a HDMI output into the DVI inputs on the LumagenHDQ. All that is required is a readily available HDMI to DVI cable.

Inputs 8 and 9 are SVideo, but can be selected as composite "MENU, IN, TYPE, VID". To connect composite video you would use a RCA to SVideo cable. This feature was added in response to requests by commercial installers for additional composite video inputs.

Best regards,
Randy Freeman

LumagenHDQ Input 0 to Input 9:
Input 0: SDI (Serial-Digital-Interface)
Input 1 to 4: DVI-I with HDCP support. Can be DVI-D or DVI-A (VGA)
Input 5 and 6: SD/HD Component, RGsB, RGBS, or SCART
Input 7: Composite
Input 8 and 9: SVideo (SVID) or composite (VID on the Y channel)


Inputs 1 to 4 are DVI. These inputs can be independently selected as either DVI-D "MENU, IN, TYPE, DVI-D", or as RGBHV video "MENU, IN, TYPE, DVI-A" on the DVI-A pins of the connector. The RGBHV input allows you to connect the VGA output from a computer to the HDQ using a VGA to DVI cable.

DVI is a subset of HDMI. This means that you can plug a video source that has a HDMI output into the DVI inputs on the LumagenHDQ. All that is required is a readily available HDMI to DVI cable.

Inputs 8 and 9 are SVideo, but can be selected as composite "MENU, IN, TYPE, VID". To connect composite video you would use a RCA to SVideo cable. This feature was added in response to requests by commercial installers for additional composite video inputs.

Best regards,
Randy Freeman

Is there any loss in quality doing is this way (using conversion cables) and not having HDMI out compared to the VP50? I was all set to order the Lumagen until I found out about this.

Is there any loss in quality doing is this way (using conversion cables) and not having HDMI out compared to the VP50? I was all set to order the Lumagen until I found out about this.

Two issues: input side - if your source device refuses to play nice, then you might be limited to DVI/RGB input levels (depends on the source). On the output side - you must send RGB - this is the only real output limitation. This is desirable in many cases because by sending RGB you eliminate the color decoder on the display device (often a source of problems - electronics companies still can't get display color decorders to work correctly in many cases after all these years - sad.)

On the LumagenHDQ you can set the input type for the DVI inputs. The choices are DVI-D/HDMI 444 RGB, HDMI 444 Component and HDMI 422 Component. Many video sources that have a HDMI output will output the video type that is requested by the HDQ.

Best regards,
Randy Freeman

Actually, you can, mostly because Lumagen is very clever about how it does things. DVI uses the same signaling and wires that HDMI does - all you need is an adapter or a cable with DVI on one end and HDMI on the other. Then you configure the EDID on the Lumagen and the input type and you are set. As to the S-video vs composite - this also works - I use a "svideo" input on my HDQ for the "monitor out" composite jack on my pre-amp. You need a small adapter that has a rca female jack on one end and svideo on the other - plug it in to input 8 or 9 then - go into the menu and tell it that that input is composite. It really does work.

Is it possible to get that monitor out signal to appear on-screen regardless of what input is selected in the Lumagen?

Thanks.

Mark

Is it possible to get that monitor out signal to appear on-screen regardless of what input is selected in the Lumagen?

No. That would be an overlay/pip thing. It does not do that. You can send messages via RS-232 from remote devices into the Lumagens and get various messages to be displayed, but it is not video, just a text output.