Communications Specialties Application Note

USING QUADSWITCH

FOR VGA

IN A SCIENTIFIC OR INSPECTION

CONTROL APPLICATION

MARKET: Security, Scientific,

Inspection

DOC. NUMBER: T-19

Many of the new cameras used in today’s sci-

entific and inspection control applications have

VGA (progressive scan) outputs. These cameras

allow the user to capture much finer detail than a

typical video camera would.

This TECHnique describes how CSI’s

QuadSwitch for VGA allows multiple VGA cam-

eras to be connected to a single computer moni-

tor or display device, saving the user the expense

and space associated with using separate moni-

tors for each camera source.

In addition to the easy-to-use front panel but-

tons which allow for switching between the four

inputs, QuadSwitch for VGA can be controlled

by two different remote control options – through

an RS-232/422 serial port and/or through a one-

to-one contact closure to ground.

A distribution amplifier from Communications

Specialties, such as the TwinSplit

for VGA, may

be connected to the output of the QuadSwitch ei-

ther to extend the distance that a monitor or dis-

play is placed from the unit or to allow more than

one monitor to receive the output.

The requirement for more detail from a cam-

era image is often a necessity in today’s scien-

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QuadSwitch for VGA ........................... 1340

tific and inspection control environments. VGA

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TwinSplit for VGA................................ 1302

cameras, which meet this need, have a progres-

sive scan output that cannot be displayed on tra-

ditional NTSC or PAL TV monitors. Instead, they

need to be displayed on VGA-type monitors or

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T-18 Using QuadSwitch for VGA in an Access

Control Application

displays.

As there are often multiple cameras involved in

scientific inspection and control environments, the

cost of procuring displays for each camera can

be a significant added expense. However, using

QuadSwitch for VGA, up to four VGA cameras

can be connected to a single monitor or data dis-

play. The individual sources can be manually

switched for viewing purposes, or displayed au-

tomatically at various intervals using the RS-232/

GPI port on QuadSwitch.

Four VGA Cameras Connected to a

QuadSwitch for VGA

TwinSplit is a registered trademark and QuadSwitch and TECHniques are

trademarks of Communications Specialties, Inc.