i think you might need a Semi truck size video card ;)

www.ems-imaging.com

I use HDMI on my flatscreen but to use HDIM for 25 screens would be costly to say the least. S-Vid would be cheaper and you could find somthing to send the singal to 25 screens. I would go that route. I run my vids at the max in SLV so either way they look ok. I don't use S-Vid on my my Flat becasue there is lag from the flatscreen for some reason.

www.smartvm.com

Are these 25 flat screens going to span the image across all of them video-wall style? Or do you need distribution of the same image to 25 separate monitors?

same image distribute to all screens

Where are you doing this and how far apart are the monitors going to be?

You need a (or several daisy-chained) video distribution amplifier. It would be better to use VGA, RGBHV (5-wire), or VGA over Cat5 instead of composite or S video.

its a sports bar and one wall has 10 screens about 3ft apart and on the opposite side is 4 screens, we are only connecting 14 screens. so vga over cat5 sounds cheaper but the part that connects the vga to the cat5(what is it called a baul?) that is expensive for a set right

www.svideo.com

Don't know if I'm helping but one you do find what will work please let me know.
www.tvone.com

Don't know if I'm helping but one you do find what will work please let me know.
www.tvone.com

Those TVOne models look good. I use Magenta Research at work.

For your setup, a couple Extron 1x6 VGA DAs would work for the 10 close together monitors, and then either Cat5 or longer VGA runs for the other 4. A good DA like Extron can push long 100' VGA cables.

And I also take it the venue has no built in switching system or modulator? (a modulator takes video signal and pumps it out over coax as a TV channel.) If so, tap the modulator and then tune all the TVs accordingly.

there's this
www.smarthome.com
and this
www.gefen.com
hope that's what your after

thanks everyone for the help.lots of ieas. itchie that balun for 38 dollars over cat5 sounds good for the price but how well does it work. that is my issue I don't want to go with something then a horrible picture.......and trying to stay with a budget

i don't know how good the baluns work personaly. i think a-swift said he used them alot and they work well. i use the gefen vga extender to go to projectors(vga) and the dvi extender to go to dvi or hdmi.

also, i would recomend using 'shielded cat5 solid core' for any cat5 product. you have to get it from a telecommuications supply place and put the cat5 connectors on it yourself but it's 10x better than the shit you buy in the store premade. regular cat5 with stranded wire (not solid core) will drop your picture ever so offten. i had this happen during a show with a cheaper product. it droped the picture for a second and when it came back on it didn't know what res to be at and was ALL efed up. it kept dropping the picture (blue screen) then would be half the size, then to big and pixalated. after 5 min i just turned it off and rocked just audio. took me a minute to recuperate

go with the best. you don't want some dumb shit like that to happen to you.

Thanks itchie, i am gonna go wit the cat5 five u and d-twizzle mentioned the same but i am gonaa try the baluns...i will let u know. and good tip on shielded cat5 i do want to keep it full proof while in a set. peace..... :)

no sweat, let me know how those baluns treat ya.

since this is semi on the topic, and was thinking of this the other day, what do you guys use in terms of keeping your long rolls of cat5 organized for something like this?

well, I never used cat5 and this is gonna be a one installation.

one time i mean.

Cat-5 and or 6 are not cheap either. Well at least you can run a network in your house after you get done with the party. : )

I mean the installation is staying up, so as long as it stays working great,
Install it once and forget it/

LOL I was just joking but it would be a waste to set it up and then tear it down. Sounds like this will be the cheapest way to do it let us know how it goes becasue I got an feeling I will be doing the same one day.

:0 oh!...lol went over my head///,,, I will put it up on youtube when its complete hopefully it'll work flawless(GOD WILLING) and it will help others out.

Video Matrix Switchers work nice as well, however do cost a bit more money, I installed component switcher for a club few months ago. Nice because you can pick what goes to what screen/screens.

what ever happened? did it work out?

you know what swift would do to hook all these up. 32x32 matrix switcher! yeyeah!

jesus. thats crazy and cool


WWSD( what would swift do)

bob dole

well he doesn't do it often.

lol

hey if anyone is looking for matrix switcher, hit me up. I am reseller and get them pretty damn cheap. Last one I installed at for club 12x12 Kramer I ended up making some crazy jack off it. These are over priced, Ill hook anyone up on this forum.

Come see the Bh setup, its ideal. Perfect with correct distribution boxes that can upgrade to RGB when the time comes. My guy who wired it is an expert and we still had some interference problems. Use quad shield coax cable and splice on RCA ends to go into the TV and Dis boxes. ITs the cheapest way to do it, and leaves room for upgrade to Hidef when ever we are blessed with lots of HIdef videos. Feel free to come see my places set up...its honestly unmatched.

Dan, I did video at a place for the first time on Saturday. The bar owner had seen me spin at another spot and wanted the videos at his spot. I went down there on saturday morning (I played that night) and there was NO MATRIX SWITCHER. He has about 30 plasmas and they all have their own satellite receiver.

I had a 1x4 distribution amp so I had his wiring guy run my 4 coaxes and I was on 4 screens that night. He understands that he needs a matrix switcher to do it right. If I'm gonna be there on the regular, I'll hit you up and see what you can get. We'll probably need to go HD component, those composite inputs are not very good.

Damn that dude got fucked real bad id hate to see the bill for those receivers.

Well the receivers themselves dont cost much. But the sat service has got to be EXPENSIVE. I'm sure the installer told him this is how much it'll cost to install all this with a matrix and this is without. He went the cheap way but his satellite bill is probably $500 a month now!

Yup would hate to see the bill for that. About 2 months ago one club near my spot had to redo the screens. Dude has 64 LCD HD screens sick. I spent an afternoon with the guy doing the wiring, just watching etc and asking questions, it was a good experience. Came our real real good. Those ematrix switches are sweet, press 2 buttons and they could have video going on all 64 screens. And yeah he paid a HEFTY price for his matrix switcher.

a bit late to add to this but have you tried a matrix

A Matrix or Video DA is the way to go. If everything is the same on all screens go with the DA. The place should have a Matrix in it though if they have that many screens.

You can get a non digital Matrix for $1000 that would do the just. A digital one is another story.

How much is a digital matrix?

You got $34,000.00 for a decent matrix? www.extron.com

Or if you are considering a true video wall then thin more in the lines of $100,000.00 for a processor.

Uh.... okay, that's a lil' bit different than I thought it would be.

LOL welcome to the REAL world of video distribution.

well you could always go cheap and get er done for minimum money. but sometimes its hard for people to understand that you can't get professional results without spending for professional stuff.

Yep, you get what you pay for.

In the UK i got one for £800 bot am only running 14 screens; but it works wonderfully; have 8 inputs and 12 outputs, so some TVs are paired. But its doin great.