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RCA VH920 Video Source Selector

RCA VH920 Video Source Selector

List Price: $129.95
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Product Info Reviews

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Rating: 4 stars
Summary: A very nice unit!
Review: I have this unit hooked up to my home theater since Christmas and I'm very happy with it. I'd like to clear up some slight confusion about what previous reviews here have stated about using either S-video OR composite video, but not both at the same time. I have tested it extensively, and you CAN hook up both at the same time. However, it is also true that this box does NOT do conversion. So how does this box handle this delema??? Very simple. Whatever video you put in, that's what you get out. IF YOU PUT BOTH S-VIDEO AND COMPOSITE VIDEO IN AT THE SAME TIME, THEN YOU GET BOTH S-VIDEO AND COMPOSTIE VIDEO OUT BOTH AT THE SAME TIME. S-Video comes out of the S-Video, and Compostite video comes out of the composite video port. There is NO conversion from one to the other. That means that any composite video IN devices will not go out the S-video OUT port, and vice versa. If you hook up both and you have a TV that dectects which one is currently sending a signal, you won't notice any problem. I personally have a tv that S-Video over rides the composite. So I only use this box for S-Video because EVEN THOUGH THIS BOX IS SENDING THE COMPOSITE VIDEO, MY TV ISN'T ACCEPTING IT. You'll have to see how your equipment works and decide if you need a box with conversion ability.
About using the remote, it AUTOMATICALLY works with all of my RCA devices. I didn't have to even program it!! If you have RCA then great, if not then I can't comment personally.
This unit is also nicely labeled, very attractive in appearance, and has SIX inputs which is nice. If it performed conversion and had an second output (it has One output) I'd give it 5+++ stars. As it currently is, it's a solid 4 stars in my book (as long as you calculate ahead of time if it's abilities are consistent with your equipment and your needs of course).

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: A GREAT Unit
Review: I use this to connect all my video game systems and it works GREAT. I have not used the remote feature, but dollar for dollar this is the best switch out there. if you need 6 devices hooked up to a TV get it..... it is self powered and it has svideo and composite.. look around you wont find a 6 switcher, self powered for LESS. If the learning remote feature is important to you (it is not to me) subtract a star.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Well worth the price
Review: Overall for the price, I think this is a worthwhile purchase. The sheer fact that it handles 6 s-video and composite inputs is worth it. I noticed no signal degredation in use.

I've read some reviews of people saying you can use s-video or composite, but not both-something I don't entirely understand. I used the 6 inputs for both, some are used for s-video (DVD player, Sony Playstation 2, Sega Dreamcast, Nintendo 64) while others were used for composite (VCR, original NES system). I had no problems with this.

I select the item I want to use and it works fine. Are some people trying to hook two items into the same single input? Or are some people trying to run both s-video and composite into the same source on their TVs? Well my Sony TV won't allow this, and it has nothing to do with the switcher.

If I have an s-video connection in say input 1 on the TV, then I can't have a composite source connected to input 1 as well, I simply have input 1 on my TV be for the s-video out feed from the switcher and input 2 on the TV for the composite video feed from the switcher. Audio is output to a receiver, so all set.

Overall I am very pleased with this item and feel it is a worthwhile purchase. Now I haven't tried the programming feature yet, but I can sure handle manually switching it if it doesn't work for me. It's not that big of a deal. I say, don't buy this unit for that feature, buy it because there are very few quality switch boxes that handle 6 inputs. And yes you can get cheaper switchers, which is fine for lower quality interlaced TV sets, but once you get a HDTV, you will want a higher quality switch box to keep signal degredation to a minimum.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: VH920 Video Switcher - Useful Overall
Review: Overall the RCA VH920 Video Switcher works well for general video switching. I'd expect this until to be a good seller as it's reasonably simple to operate and inexpensive with 6 ports. Both audio and video are acceptable, and the programming directions are conveniently silk screened on the bottom.

As already mentioned, the big downfall is it loses your programmed in remote codes upon power failure. Also, programming the device codes takes a bit to figure out. I did eventually program every device (including DiSH, Panasonic DVD player, TiVo, Panasonic Stereo/Amp, Sony VCR) on any remote key I choose. I had some initial problems until I realized it usually accepted them if I continued to depress the remote key for 4 seconds or so during programming. Plus, this way I can activate any device without activating the VH920 Video Selector by depressing the remote key only long enough to activate the device (usually about 1 second). Or activate the device and the VH920 Video Selector if I depress longer (usually about 4 seconds). Just wish I didn't have to re-enter remote codes on power failure.



Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Works great with one exception...
Review: The only problem I've had with this switch is that it will not recognize my TiVo remote. This actually seems to be more of a problem with the remote then the switch, because I bought a universal remote that supports TiVo and it recognized the codes from it no problem.

Other then the minor hitch with the TiVo remote it works great. Plus the IR control makes it possible to feed it into my video distribution system and change the input from the other room without having to get up every time.

Dan

Rating: 1 stars
Summary: RCA VH920 doesn't work remotely!
Review: The RCA VH920 is great for hooking up numerous s-video devices, but forget the claims that it will learn your remote. I have tried two different VH920's with no luck. Sometimes it will learn a code, but selects the wrong device. It won't work with my pronto, tivo, or DSS remote. Sometimes it would recognize my DVD remote, but if I tried to teach it another code, it would select the wrong input. Sometimes it would lock up.

RCA doesn't list any phone numbers to call for help. RCA customer support needs to address this issue on their website pronto! Don't waste your money unless you can talk to RCA about these issues.

George

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: the s-video inputs make the difference
Review: this box has s-video inputs wich really made the difference when i decided to buy it. you get a much better picture with s-video than regular rca cables. i have a dvd player and a satellite system along with a playstation 2 and i wanted to make sure they were all able to deliver quality pictures to my tv. the only reason i didn't give it 5 stars was the learning remote part of the system, it didn't learn any of my remote codes, it didn't come with a remote and i had to manually change from input to input. peace

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: the s-video inputs make the difference
Review: this box has s-video inputs wich really made the difference when i decided to buy it. you get a much better picture with s-video than regular rca cables. i have a dvd player and a satellite system along with a playstation 2 and i wanted to make sure they were all able to deliver quality pictures to my tv. the only reason i didn't give it 5 stars was the learning remote part of the system, it didn't learn any of my remote codes, it didn't come with a remote and i had to manually change from input to input. peace

Rating: 2 stars
Summary: Read the small type: "either" composite or s-vhs
Review: This is an OK unit, and if you want the nifty remote control learning feature (it switches source whenever it detects you using a remote for a differnt source) BUT it forces you to have all s-vhs or all composite/rca connection NOT a mixture as is the case for nearly all of us. For example, your DVD player will have s-vhs but your vcr is 99% likely to only have composite/rca. This box does not convert composite/rca to s-vhs. (...)

If you get stuck - dont scarafice your digital sources quality (...).

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Convenient, Cost Effective Way of Handling Multiple Devices
Review: This RCA VH920 video switcher device is a very convenient and cost effective way of accommodating multiple video devices (including VCRs, DVD player, LaserDisc Player, DSS satellite system, and 2 additional devices like a video game system, video camera, etc.) to a television. If you don't have a Home Theater system setup that incorporates the features of the VH920, then this is the thing you need -- no more manually switching cables and hoping you got the setup right - this does it simply and elegantly. The fact that it supports S-VHS devices is a super benefit as you know that S-VHS provides superior picture quality. And you don't have to have RCA/ProScan video equipment for it to work, it has a 'learn' feature that uses your equipment's remote control to integrate your device into the switcher's setup. I bought this device from Amazon and have been extremely pleased with the results.


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