Who doesn’t love a little switcher?
Particularly in the church world, compact is king, and any space you can save (as well as money) makes all the difference.
Church Production has taken a first look at BZBGear’s new “mini” switcher (adding to their already impressive line-up of compact switchers and controllers), the BG-QuadFusion-4K. Yes, you read that correctly. 4K, UHD video, in an all-in-one machine with two 4K program outs, an HD program out, a multiview out, and space for four 4K inputs, as well as H2x encoding for 1080p60 live streaming over USB 3.0.
Of course, BZBGear’s aesthetics don’t miss. This little unit comes in a sturdy but light aluminum alloy chassis painted BZB orange all around and then black on top, which surrounds backlit buttons shaded with BZB’s familiar orange, taupe green, and slate gray that offer the user a color-coded workspace. The right side of the interface offers a T-bar for manual fades, and the left side features three faders for quick audio mixing.
And yes, it’s small. I think I have a planner that takes up more desk space than this thing. At just under 2.5 inches tall, the QuadFusion-4K lives in an 11x7 inch square, which uses almost no real estate for those churches short on space. All you have to add is a monitor of your choice for the multiview and you’re in business.
BZB stacked an array of other inputs and outputs along the side of the chassis for quick, plug-n-play use. 3.5mm ins and outs offer line-level audio mixing. An ethernet port sits ready for web GUI control alongside ports for USB 3.0 streaming, an HD multiview out, and a DCB port for keyboard control, wireless tally, or device cascading.
But, wait; there’s more! Not to be outdone, BZBGear packed our new friend with features you’d pay three times as much for in other all-in-one products—PIP and POP. Dissolves, fades, and wipes. Chroma key. Luma key. And all for under $1800 out the door.
Honestly, that’s exciting.
We’ll be getting our hands on a unit for review in the coming weeks, so stay tuned for more about this impressively handy and mobile switcher from BZBGear.
Original article written by Joseph Cottle for Church Production.
