Current Issue

May 2012

Print Article     Email Article

  Page 1 of 3   >>

Video Review: Barco FSN-150 Live Production Switcher

Full-featured capabilities with the ability to hook up and begin switching between cameras in a matter of minutes

by Michael Parks

A gleaming expanse of glowing buttons casts green and red accents upon the technical director, who is otherwise only illuminated by the program monitors from the front, a soft fill from the graphical user interface, and a sharp rim light from the laptop to the side that patiently waits to do post production work. But who needs to enhance a Sunday morning service if the raw recording emerging from that glorious mixing console is a true masterpiece? Switchers on the market today try to create that final-cut product, and while the Barco's FSN switcher isn't the all-in-one product some other switchers claim to be, it certainly functions as the tool to bring every possible element of a live recording seamlessly together.

Barco began making radios in the 1930s, and through a history better chronicled by someone who knows what it means to "divest divisions," the company has molded itself into a global technology company. They provide visualization solutions for a wide variety of markets, including broadcast, transportation, security, and education. Barco can even meet your church's air traffic control needs. For this review, we're going to zero in on the FSN-150 and FSN-1400, Barco's production switcher and image processing system that was introduced in 2009.

Setup

Barco's technical team did a fine job of connecting our existing video sources to the FSN-1400. This consisted of three Canon XL1s prosumer camcorders, a feed from our computer running EasyWorship, and a laptop to provide title cards and overlays. The test of user-friendliness came when I set out to patch in a source on my own. I quickly and successfully patched in component cables from a Blu-ray player and made a few taps on the touch-screen to assign it to an input on the switcher. Barco's Athena scaler creates remarkable input and output flexibility, enabling the user to mix any combination of high- and standard-definition video signals from an assortment of cameras, computers, and media devices. The final output can be HD or SD as well.

Cards are housed inside a modular chassis that utilizes a mid-plane configuration. The front processing card has a separate rear cable connection card, with the two joining at the mid-plane card that routes the signal. So the front cards, which basically process the inputs and outputs, can be changed without removing the rear cable connections, or the passive rear connector card can be replaced without the expense of replacing the front card. The optional redundant power supply is a welcome feature as well.

Standard cards for a basic setup include one native input card with eight native inputs as well as frame synchronization, one dual-channel universal input card for the integration of analog, digital, and computer inputs, one mix effects card to provide program and preview outputs, and one system card, which basically functions as the PC that runs everything. From there, the unit can be configured and reconfigured over time as needs change. More native input cards and universal input cards can be added to accommodate additional sources. Native auxiliary output cards enable you to switch additional outputs. A multi-viewer card allows you to monitor up to sixteen sources or outputs on one or two monitors. This feature can simplify the video room setup and cut costs.

  Page 1 of 3   next page >>

Michael Parks heads up the video ministry at Hilltop Community Church in Richmond, Calif. He has been involved in film and video production for 25 years and is the author of the blog “Close-Up on One” at www.churchproduction.com/michaelparks.