Matrix HD and SD?

Each source or TV can do the upconverting so the matrix doesnt do the upconverting and you can simply switch the video/audio using any of the following products.

Autopatch, Extron, Noethings, AVAtrix.

All work with DIY solutions (IE...CQC).

I didn't read your question properly....nvm

Im confused to what you are asking....so I will ask questions.

What connections does your SD Tivo have, it has a component out connection correct?

I would assume all your TVs have a component connect in, correct?

As long as all your sources and all your TVs have component video connections you are okay, the sources and the TVs can do all the scalling for you. You can watch your SD Tivo on the same TV you watch the HD movies from another source.


I dont know of any matrix solution that will take a different signals and switch them so if your sources and TVs are really old and lack component video connections, you should consider upgrading those first.

Once again I will post that I send one connection to all rooms in the house, currently that is a component video connection. All my sources (Two Cable Boxes, Satellite box, DVD player, HTPC) have component video out connections. All sources are connected to my Extron switch using component video cable, all my rooms are connected to my extron switch using component video cable, all my TVs have one connection going to them and that is a component video cable.

I can do 480p, 720p, 1080i, 1080p and so on with this setup.

Also you posted the Video Storm CRM88 above, does it actually switch component to composite out? or composite to component? I think it will only switch component to component or composite to composite.

Not trying to hijack the thread but I do have a question. I was planning on doing something like this but audio is giving me issues. 1 of my displays will have 5.1 while the rest will just use the tv speakers. How do you handle this? All equipment will be centrally located.

The only way I can feasibly see accomplishing what you want is to standardize on one format (component video for example) and scale/cross convert your sources to that format, distribute that format using a matrix switch, and then either feed that format directly to your display OR have a device that downconverts to a format that your local display supports.

I've not seen large matrix switches that can also simultaneously cross convert signal types. Sure AVR's can do it, and I've seen standalone boxes that do it, but I doubt you'll find an all in one converting matrix. The CRM88 will switch both composite and component simultaneously, but I dont believe it cross converts the signal formats.

I guess that adds an additional strategy; have each source feed the CRM88 with both composite AND component video (as well as the audio of your choice) and choose the format to use at the local displays. This would require that all composite sources be upconverted to component and all component sources be downconverted to composite. Not impossible, but could be a lot of devices.

As for audio, same thing. The CRM88 looks like it will simultaneously switch both analog and digitial audio, and will even transcode SPDIF to coax digital audio (and back) but will not downconvert that to stereo (or upconvert stereo to digital). So again you'd have the opportunity at the head end to make sure that both audio formats are sourced.

Possible, but messy. Unless there's a device that I'm unaware of that will matrix switch as well as cross convert both audio and video formats.

Penngray, what Extron are you using?

I have used many (only because I love to test), Im currently using the Extron Crosspoint 300 HV88 for video switching and an Extron 50 for my digital audio switching.



Too obtain 5.1 (or 7.1) in zones I switch digital audio. I have 5.1 AVRs to handle that job. You can have them locally (in room) or in the closet (run all speaker wires back to Closet).

Sadly all the choices for full house Audio distribution lack the 5.1 option and that is why I went away from the Russound/Nuvo choices. I have a matrix switch switching all the digital audio and I have Surround Receivers (Ie...Denon 3805s) processing the surround sound to all rooms (even 2 speaker rooms).

I guess what I'm trying to figure out is if I have a couple xbmc boxes and a couple cable DVR boxes and one AVR receiver. I could run the component outs and the digital and analog audio outs to the matrix switch. Then run the component outs to all my displays from the matrix. I would then run the digital out(from matrix) to my A/V receiver which has homeruns to the speakers in the 5.1 system. I would also run the analog L/R(from matrix) through rca composite home runs to the TV locations. Is this correct? Now this assumes that cable DVR boxes and XBMC sends out digital and analog at the same time. Do they?

I dont know if they do digital audio and analog at the same time, I dont remember. I know PCs will not do that unless I have a "better" audio card like a delta 410 card but even then I think I have had problems getting digital audio and analog audio working simultaneously.

If they do then yes in theory you can do what you described.

My HD-DVR with comcast supports simultaneous output of digital and analog audio FWIW.

I believe that mine is a Motorola 6412.

Anyone know about the XBOX

for devices you have that can't do simultaneous analog and digital output (HTPCs), I use a pair of Midliand ADS3000 boxes......

So how would that work? Would you take the digital out from your device and run it to some kind of splitter (do they exist?). Then run one to a digital input on the matrix switch and the other to an analog input on the matrix?

Yep, that's it exactly. I use an inday 1x4 component distribution amp and use each Y Pr and Pb as channels, but any good splitter would work. Inday even makes a toslink splitter. I only chose to use my inday box because I already had it, and it works great in this application. I also use an inday 4x1 component video switch as a 3 channel digital audio switch. Prior to purchasing my Extron matrix I used the 4x1 switch and the 1x4 amp to distribute signal to 4 displays.

http://www.inday.com/

I then take 1 digital output and run that to my AVR (I don't distribute digital audio, just stereo) and another one and route it to an ADS3000 box (ads2000 or 4000 would also work) that is set to downmix the digital audio into 2 channel audio. That is then patched to my matrix switch. Works great as long as I don't lose power and the ads box gets reset. It defaults to 5.1 analog audio so you get basically no dialog =P The stereo downmix is really quite good and works great for my remote displays.