More and more churches are upping their technical game with the addition of some form of video and/or IMAG. Many companies in the past couple of years have developed products that, while not specifically designed for the house of worship, work in form and function. The two things that make the Analog Way Eikos LE Multi-Layer Seamless Switcher different from most other switchers in its class are its flexibility and its ease of use.
First the Eikos LE comes loaded for bear with a wide variety of connectors that will allow you to plug almost any video signal known to man into it. The inputs are spread out as follows: four universal computer and video inputs (via HD-15 connectors), four SD/HD SDI inputs and two DVI-I. The universal computer and video inputs accept computer sources (RGBHV, RGBS and RGsB (SOG) signals), standard TV/Video sources (composite video, S-Video), Component video (YUV, RGBS and RGsB (SOG)) and HDTV sources (480p, 720p and 1080i). This gives it the flexibility to work equally well with HD and SD cameras, as well as native computer inputs. This is great in the worship environment where most churches already have some sort of potential character generator in the form of one of the many flavors of lyric presentation software.
Another feature that adds to the Eikos LE flexibility is the option to run it in either matrix or mixer mode. In mixer mode it functions like any other 12-input mixer, utilizing the native video inputs and the ability to add picture-in-picture (PIP), titling, or logo insertion to the live frame, while previewing everything first. The matrix mode turns the Eikos LE into a true 12x2 scaled matrix by allowing main and preview outputs to be set to different resolutions and rates. This makes it a great option for churches with multiple venues in one location.
Last on the flexibility list is the fact that the Eikos LE can be rack-mounted and go right to work on its main surface or be paired with one of the many control surfaces. The Analog Way engineers have gone out of their way to offer many different options when it comes to controllers, and they cover a wide price range, so it's easy to find one with the functionality you want at a price you can afford—thus allowing you to start with a very simple set up like just the Eikos LE initially, and then add other parts to the mix to control up to six screens in single or multiple display configurations. This gives you a level of future-proofing that any technical director can appreciate.
In the ease-of-use department, Eikos LE comes up with some great features. Out of the box, it's hard not to notice the large and very detailed menu screen, making reading the menu options very easy. The large input selection buttons, which change color to indicate status, along with the menu control knob, give great tactile response for menu navigation and selection. All of this, along with the intuitive menu layout, gives you a piece of gear that doesn't require a four-year college degree to use. This is really important in an environment where most of the users are non-professional volunteers.
In conclusion, I managed to get the Eikos LE out of the box, set up, and put through some basic paces in about five minutes without really consulting the manual, which really speaks to how easy this switcher is to get working. When I did finally consult the manual I was really impressed with all the features that were packed into the small box. The Eikos LE has at lot of the higher end functionality with chromakeys and PiPs. It also offers some great features like mosaic preview, for a multiplexed preview of available inputs, as well as a virtual T-bar. Add to that the ability to future-proof by adding matrix and routing products all designed to work together with one of several control surfaces gives you a product that is a solid long-term scalable investment.
