Question for Live Switching folks....Thanks!

[Jim_C]

1- Is anyone switching using VT4 or VT5 with a NON-VTPro card to switch with? An older 2 channel VT card?

2- For those using an RS-8 to switch with, is it stable and reliable?

3- For those switching with VT5, is it as stable switching as VT4 was?

We currently have 8 non-VTPro cards in post use so we are trying to decide if we should use them and the VT4 software and just add an RS-8 or if we should go up to VT5.2 and add the LC-11.

Thanks everyone. We have always been die hard hardware switcher people so the thought of going software switching has us a little worried.

Thanks again,
Jim

[D3Cast]

1- Is anyone switching using VT4 or VT5 with a NON-VTPro card to switch with? An older 2 channel VT card?Yes. Have used both [4.6] and [5] with my VT[2]-era card.

2- For those using an RS-8 to switch with, is it stable and reliable?Yes, although I haven't used it that much - I'm a "switch with the keyboard" guy. When you talk about "hardware" vs. "software" switching, semantically, there's not a lot of difference in the signal path between an RS-8 and a USB keyboard... it's just what device you feel the most comfortable with. And if you've read the boards for a while (and I know you have :)), you're aware that some RS-8s can allegedly be finicky as far as power fluctuations go... I've never used an RS-8 that has exhibited these issues.

3- For those switching with VT5, is it as stable switching as VT4 was?Yep.

We currently have 8 non-VTPro cards in post use so we are trying to decide if we should use them and the VT4 software and just add an RS-8 or if we should go up to VT5.2 and add the LC-11.Do you have the RS-8s already? If so, I might do the upgrade (I'm always an "go ahead and upgrade" guy, though, too), and hang onto the RS-8s, unelss there's specific functionality in the LC-11 hardware you're drooling over.

Is NewTek discontinuing the RS-8 in favor of the LC-11?

-steve

[jhogarty]

I'm using the vtpro card with vt5 and a Tricaster VM. Also using an sx84 to bring in my cameras and audio. So far I've not had any issues. Eagerly waiting for vt5.2 so I can use livetext and the of-11.

J.

[Keith Gandy]

1- Is anyone switching using VT4 or VT5 with a NON-VTPro card to switch with? An older 2 channel VT card?

Yes - we have upgraded our systems through the software upgrades. Presently we use VT3, VT4 and a VT5 on three completely independant systems and all run stable. We are even still using the Supermicro dual Xeon setup that was suggested with the VT2 system on all those setups.

2- For those using an RS-8 to switch with, is it stable and reliable?

No experience here.

3- For those switching with VT5, is it as stable switching as VT4 was?

Yes, stable in everything. As a matter of fact, I cannot remember a crash happening. We have found that the VT5 setup will occasionally get buggy if we attach a USB stick in the setup before a live switch. In that case, we perform a cold boot and everything is fine.

We do not use the CG in a live setting at this point. It still gives me the creepies.

We will be using the setup at a live open-air concert setting over the weekend. We trust our systems and are completely happy with their performance.

[Jim_C]

Thanks a bunch Steve, J, and Keith!!!!

I appreciate your responses a lot.

Jim