ALTINEX, Inc | Product Review

Product Reviews

By: Anthony D. Coppedge, CTS

Church Media Consultant

Originally published in the October 2005 volume 10 issue3 of the Church Media Hotlist newsletter.

Simple and efficient are the two words that best fit the AP445-401 ProAV Scaler. I've been working with the unit scaler for a couple of weeks now and have come to the conclusion that this is a simple but effective scaler. I also think that this product is aimed squarely at churches looking to move away from using projector remote controls as their primary means of changing inputs. With those facts being the case, this review will use only minimal technical terms so that even a non-techy person can easily understand the benefits of this scaler in their church.

The AP445-401 lets you plug in your VCR, DVD player and computer's video and audio so that you can use the front-panel buttons to change both the audio and video with a single button push. Any picture adjustments are also made right on the front of the unit, with clearly labeled as:

Color
Contrast
Brightness
Hue (tint)
Sharpness
Audio

Two additional buttons are labeled with simple (+) and (-) keys, for increasing or decreasing the currently selected option. So if you want to increase the brightness, you first push the Brightness button and then choose the (+) button until the picture looks the way you want it to.

To change from VCR to DVD to PC inputs, there are four options. The labels are a bit more "techie", but here's what they mean:

· S-Vid = S-Video - the little four-pin connector used on some VCRs and some DVD players.

· C-Vid = Composite Video - the connector is a BNC, so you'll need to use a cable from the yellow RCA output of your VCR with an RCA to BNC adaptor to make it fit.

· YPbPr - Nearly every DVD player should have three RCA outputs (usally colored red, green and blue). YPbPr is a techie way of describing these component video connectors. This input is much higher quality than the C-Vid or S-Vid for your video sources.

· PC - that's what it sounds like: a PC (computer) connection.

With a single button push, the corresponding input source will be sent to the projector. To make it even easier, a little LED light will shine above the currently selected input.

With a list price of $1,695, this is a mid-range unit with very simple controls. Aimed at the church that needs a more efficient way to change inputs on their projector without using a remote control and a super-easy interface for even the most techno-phobic volunteer, the AP445-401 Pro AV scaler is a convenient device.

The limitation of the output resolution (1280x1024) shouldn't be a concern for the churches this product aims to please, as super-high resolutions and a lot of inputs are normally reserved for extremely tech-savvy churches. Instead, the "K.I.S.S." (Keep It Simple, Stupid!) principle has been well applied to the Pro AV scaler, making it an ideal choice for churches that need ease-of-use and simple operation over extreme flexibility.

Anthony Coppedge provides consulting to Churches for developing and growing a Media Ministry, building teams, casting vision and even choosing the right equipment. He lives in Bedford, Texas with his wife and two daughters and can be reached at anthony@anthonycoppedge.com

WEB: www.anthonycoppedge.com | EMAIL: anthony@anthonycoppedge.com | PHONE: 817.819.7288 | FAX: 817.887.3700