Most Flexible Switcher for Retro Gaming - Extron Crosspoint Overview
ฝัง
- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 1 มิ.ย. 2024
- This is an overview of my favorite switcher for my retro consoles, the Extron Crosspoint series. It's able to take in and output any signal you can think of, and because they're obsolete pro AV equipment, they can be found dirt cheap on eBay.
Useful Links:
BNC to RCA adapters - amzn.to/45yj7a2
S-Video Couplers - amzn.to/3r47FUq
S-Video to RCA - amzn.to/3sBhPMQ
Component cables - amzn.to/3Z1X3Cn
Component Transcoder - amzn.to/3Eml5OF
Shmups thread with software - shmups.system11.org/viewtopic...
Crosspoint Ultra product page - www.extron.com/article/cpultraad
eBay listings for switchers - www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from...
Example of the Extron IP controller - www.ebay.com/itm/255989620308
![[TH] 2024 PMSL SEA GF D2 | Summer | ร่วมส่งแรงใจ เชียร์ไทยไปพร้อมกัน](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/dN2gLsCJ0T0/mqdefault.jpg)
After watching this I bought an Extron Ultra 1212 with Ethernet and Audio inputs. Now I can easily connect everything to my 2950Q, 20L5 and D24. Thanks for your help!
This video showed up on my feed and made me realize something:
I created a pretty functional and robust control program for Extron units because Docharty (or whoever) had one up that seemed very limited to me. In particular, your ability to control your outputs did not seem sufficient for multiple displays. Just from memory, but I'm pretty sure his relied on you having the presets set up to manage any change in which output you were doing. So I made mine to allow complete control, as if you were physically at the unit itself, complete with a GUI that mimicked the unit it detected and the corresponding inputs and outputs.
However, I did not upload it to Github nor to Shmups like I thought I did in like 2021.
I'll try to find time this month to clean up the code before I upload it.
My favorite feature was the ability for it to autoswitch to an active input and route video and audio as desired. Works on both my analogue Crosspoint Ultra and an HDMI DXP I have, so I imagine it should work with any Extron unit on your network.
If I find time to do that soon, I can send it your way. You might find it useful.
That would be great! I'll be switching from a Crosspoint to an MVX later tonight as I've converted all of my consoles to d-sub. It sounds like it would still work though, correct? If you do end up sending it, do you mind if I share it with people via a video once I get it up and running? If so, let me know how to credit you! Thank you!
EDIT: I also just put up a video today on using a touch panel from Extron for more robust control;!
@@lexlocatelli I believe so. I'm pretty sure all Extron video switchers with an ethernet or RS232 connection support the SIS commands that the units I tested it with did. If you see SIS commands mentioned in the manual, support is pretty much assured for basic stuff.
Thank you for taking all the time in making this video. Your information is so clear and precise. I really appreciate it, you’ve helped me a ton!
Good breakdown of the options and walkthrough of setup.
This is a great video on the Extron switchers. I have a few of those switchers myself, Crosspoint 450 and 300. I also have the Extron USP 507 which can transcode any signal to whatever output format is needed. In my case I can take the S-Video and component signals from my PS1, PS2 and Gamecube (S-Video) into the 507 and output them as RGB for my PVM monitor to accept, and it works very well. Extron also makes the Y/C (S-Video) cable with the BNC connectors as I have several of. The audio Phoenix connectors you can make yourself as I made two dozen of them for both my switchers.
The only thing I would like to figure out is using the Ethernet port, to where I can control it from the web interface.
I was thinking of using Extron but ended up with some Crestron gear from a company I work for (they were all written off and replaced so I got to take some home)
I love the Crestron gear for the extensive customization if you know how to program it. I currently use my iPad as well as a touch panel to control what consoles I want to use as well as what screen I want to send it to.
Hey dude great video!
One thing I'm concerned about is sanding the pheonix to rca adapters can you make a vid or show some examples of it?
Even after I've tried sanding some down they still are really tight and shifting out of place
Yeah I didn’t really know what he meant either
There’s also the Extron MVX range. They’re basically the exact same thing as the Crosspoint, except they have DE-15 connectors instead of BNC and as such are much more compact. My MVX is an 8 in, 4 out in just 1U.
I did mention them on-screen around the 25 minute mark, but since I don’t have one I didn’t want to comment on them too much. But, plenty of people I know have them and seem to like them! Just takes a few more adapters than the BNC ones, depending on what your sources are.
Thank you for the great video. Just a quick question here. I have a PVM that supports both component and RGBs, with the same set of ports. So my question is, if I use a Extron Crosspoint Ultra to accept inputs from my consoles with different cables (eg Wii with component, PS1 with RGBs, DVD player with component), and I just use one output that goes to the back of my PVM that supports either RGBs or component, would this work flawlessly by just changing the channels on Extron Crosspoint Matrix so that it switch between component and RGBs output? Thanks
No, you need to go into a menu on the PVM to change from Component to RGB whenever you switch between those two formats. I don't know of any PVM that will do that automatically, even my 14L5 requires a manual changeover on my part in the menu.
@@lexlocatelli Thanks and yes I know this has to be done manually within PVM to change RGBs to Component. But in this case between Extron and PVM, what cable should I use? Would it be a component cable plus a sync cable that is needed for RGBs output?
@@hanshen4639 I believe that should work!
Transcoding 9:26, couldn’t you just convert it before it goes into the switcher? For instance, couldn’t I just convert my RGB to component and then send into the switcher? Or is there something I’m missing? That way you wouldn’t have to waste an input and output?
You could, but only if you have one single RGB source. If you have 4 RGB, and 4 Component, it makes more sense to send the RGB output to a transcoder and back into the system. That way you’re not buying 4 RGB transcoders. The cables would add like $20 to the cost, while a quality transcoder is $80+.
Thank you for the well comprehensive video!
I have one issue tho.
I have everything hooked up using scart to bnc (rgbh) but when I try to display it on my JVC TM-H1750C the sync isn’t going through .
My extron is cross point 450 plus.
When I connected the console directly to the tv using scart to bnc it’s working fine.
I am thinking it might be the extron is looking for an H sync signal…
So is there a way to maybe change the extron output from rgbhv to rgbh?
You shouldn't need to, but I can't remember if the H or the V port on the Crosspoint needs to be used for c-sync. Let me ask some smarter people than me for help...
@@lexlocatelli bro thank you for the amazing quick response! Ok I will try also from my end and will see if something comes up ..
@@b2collects You're using the right port; h-sync is the one you're supposed to use for c-sync according to the official documentation from extron. You shouldn't need to do anything special for it to work; it could be an issue with the box itself. Do you have any devices and a monitor with RGBHV sync you can send through to test?
@@lexlocatelli no :’(
@@lexlocatelli might be some capacitors needs changing
What makes the ethernet port so important? You say yourself that you can just use the front of the machine to change inputs. What makes the Ultra, Plus and 300 so much better than a normal Crosspoint? If you could elaborate it would be very helpful to me. All the information I can find online is super vague.
With ethernet control, you don't need to get up to change inputs on the switcher. A lot of us keep this kind of AV equipment in a standing rack or desktop rack, not particularly close to the consoles or convenient to get up and use. For me, my consoles are within arms reach of my computer desk where I play my games at, but the switcher is on the other side of the room. With ethernet control, I can turn on my consoles next to me, and press a button on my Extron touch panel to change inputs using an ethernet command. Or I could use my web browser to do the same thing.
Ethernet control also makes creating/saving/switching Presets easier, again because you're just pressing one button on the web interface to load a bunch of presets.
@@lexlocatelli I see, I just looked into what a Extron touch panel is. I can see the benefit now. Thank you.
What cables hook into the unit?
Any cable; composite, s-video, component, or RGB, as long as you have an adapter to get it into a BNC port.
@@lexlocatelli ok so bnc adapter