Need Video Converter Assistance

[doransdome]

I am using a HP laptop, quad core with 4Gig of ram and 500Gig drive. My Hoster 3.321 was loaded to this laptop when my last failed. I have no problems with this version so I do not plan to upgrade.

My question is about the extending the video. This laptop does not have the yellow component jack so I had to purchase a pc vga to TV converter. The one I purchased is SW22050 from Sewell Direct for about $30.

It works perfectly when I have just one or 2 TV's hooked up. But recently the club has put in five (5) flat screen tv's and wired them in such a way that I have only 1 connection to make and we have Karaoke on 3 or all 5 TVs. It's great, but that is where I seem to have a problem. One night it will be perfect. The next time though I have no white. Whatever should be white is shown in yellow. Also it does not seem to matter if I connect to all 5 TV's or just 3 of them. Again, this converter works perfectly when I do smaller shows and just use my laptop and 1 old style TV.

It occurs to me that perhaps there is not enough signal strength for all the flat screens so I might need a more powerful converter. I find converters for sale anywhere from $20 on ebay to $200 on the internet, BUT, none of them show specs that lead me to believe they are stronger than what I am using.

I know there must be others out there that play clubs with this TV arrangement, So my question is.....what kind of converter is recommended for this application. Please be specific with brand, model and price and perhaps where to purchase. Or, might there be something else I am overlooking that would produce a solution to this problem?

Any assistance will be greatly appreciated. Thanks so much.

[Roy Dennis]

I have not had your particular problem which seems to be something to do with the way the club has wired their connection to all Monitors. It sounds to me that they have not connected them through a video splitter amplifier but just used a splitter lead to go from 1 to all 5.
I have a 4 way splitter amplifier which I use, 1 in 4 out (you can them to greater amounts) if I need to use extra monitors but with this you have to run separate video leads to each monitor which would not help you with your particular problem.

The only thing I can find by searching the Internet is this product: http://www.cybermarket.co.uk/shopscr6728.html

But I don't really know if it would help with your particular problem as I have had no experience with it. My advise would be to make inquiry with the supplier or ask the people at your club if they have wired their screens through an splitter amplifier.

[RIKKI TIKKI]

Doransdome,

I used to have a large nightclub gig ( closed at the end of 2010 ), and the Owners had their satellite company come in and prewire the club's TV's when they opened. Then the Owners ran the adapter cable for DJ & KJ convenience... my connection was just what you are talking about... laptop>vga to RCA adapter>RCA cable spliced to House RCA input...

Now, what the satellite company sold them is a Pico Macom Audio Video Modulator, Model PCM55SAW http://www.mjsales.net/items.asp?Fam...265&Cat2ID=117 , that was adapted to handle the clubs 7 flat screens, of various sizes. The cable run to the stage was about 50 to 60 ft. from the junction box behind the bar, and was just a standard RCA cable with one splice. ( I Cringed when I saw what the Owners had used as the Video splice cable, i.e. 2 Radio Shack 25 ft. Audio RCA cables, with the Red/White plugs, spliced together... I had to remember which lead to splice into each week... was it the red one or the white one? ) You could run Karaoke or DJ Video to 1 TV or any combination up to 7, were available for my show. I'm sure they probably had a video amplifier hooked in also, but I never had a reason to check what model, if any, that the satellite company used for the multiple TV's...

Never had a problem with this set-up, and the picture quality, was above average because of the new flat screen tv's, and this high quality Pico Macom Modulator that I now have ( They made it a gift to me when the club closed down, because of a greedy landlord that doubled their rent, after the first year! ), and will await to use it again, when the need arises! I see the previous club owner all the time, and will ask him if a video amplifier was used in connection with this modulator that they gave me!

[Karaoke Kiwi]

You could try using a video splitter/amplifier and using the splitter cables in reverse to produce a single strong signal. You would probably be best to combine 2 signals first to see if it worked. Jumping straight up to 5 might blow something.

Cheers

Albert
Karaoke Kiwi, London

Toshiba Satellite Pro L550-17U: Intel Core 2 Duo CPU T6570 @ 2.10 GHz:
8GB RAM: Windows 7 64 bit: Hoster 4.32.10

[doransdome]

Thanks all for your suggestions. The club made a few changes in their setup and I am now able to use a simple and cheap converter with RCA plugins. http://sewelldirect.com/pc-to-tv.asp

Only showing karaoke on 3 screens but that is working nicely. The other 2 keep in line with sports etc. (on mute of course)