Re: Kramer VDAs

"William Meyer" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote in message
news:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> oN 10-Nov-03, Cameron Dorrough said:
>
> > What should I be looking for in a broadcast VDA (apart from the
> > obvious like Gain & EQ control)??
>
> In a broadcast VDA, gain controls are standard; EQ controls are not.
> Generally, EQ is found only on equalizing VDAs, and then it is
> specified as tailored to a particular cable type, and generally for up
> to 1000 feet of that cable.
>
> These days, most ordinary VDAs will probably be using the Elantec VDA
> chips (and if they don't, the question should be asked: why not?) If
> this is so, then it's very easy to achieve good performance.
>
> I see on Kramer's site that their 104L VDA is specified as having a
> 420MHz bandwidth. That's much more than needed, and while it's good to
> have >60MHz bandwidth, going much beyond 100MHz is of questionable
> wisdom, and can create other problems (sensitivity to RF pickup,
> tendency to oscillate, higher noise floor, etc.)

Thanks for the info.  I didn't know that. :-)

> Without knowing how many VDAs you need, it is hard to advise. The units
> from Kramer and their ilk are attractive when you need only one or two
> VDAs, and the free-standing packaging may therefore be attractive.
> Systemically, in larger installations, it is far better to consider
> rack-mounted products, such as Leitch, Ross, and Videotek.

Soory, I should have mentioned it.  We (the client, specifically) is looking
at getting two VM20ARII 4x1:5's for CV distribution into their switchers -
hence my nervousness.  Quality is paramount!

These are rack mounted, but they don't want to fork out for IRT's, let alone
a few Leitch units!

> In VDAs, as elsewhere, you get what you pay for. The cost of VDAs is
> generally a small percentage of any system cost, but the faults that
> can result from prefering low cost over quality almost inevitably
> qualify such decisions as short-sighted, at best.

Now if only I could get them to understand that, whilst looking at their
bank balance at the same time..

Thanks guys.

Cameron:-)