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View Full Version : *Review* Sonance Navigator Video Matrix



Gary
04-15-2005, 04:06 PM
I often talk about products or manufactures being audio only in an audio/video world. If you’re installing whole house music systems and ignoring distributed video, you’re selling your customer short and hurting your bottom line.


We sell these systems, as “Distributed TV Systems” the idea is to take the simplicity of your home theater and extend it to the entire house. Whether they want to admit it or not, most people's home entertainment is TV centric. Allowing people to watch their Tivo or use the on screen interface to their music server at any monitor in the house is a very powerful thing. For the dealer, you get two big benefits, you sell more control (and make more money) and your client’s use the system more and tell more of their friends just how cool it is.


Moving along.


The Sonance Video Matrix is an 8X8 matrix video switcher that feeds up to eight video sources to eight monitors. The sources can be component, s-video, or composite. It supports resolutions up to 1080i, making it perfect for whole house HDTV. Control is via RS232, sorry no IR. Distribution is via Cat5, very much like the Crestron PVID, this switcher it uses one pair for composite, two for s-video, and three for component. Unlike the PVID it converts composite to S and vice versa. The front panel includes a USB connection that's for local control with a laptop. There's also a series of lights that indicate what source is routed to each zone.

http://www.sonance.com/image_data/thumbnails_lg/1099685114.jpg


On the rear you will find eight video inputs. Each input includes three female RCA jacks. The inputs accommodate component, s-video, or composite, but just one type pre input. Each input also has a RJ45 loop output to feed other Navigators. On the output side, you will find eight RJ45 zone outputs and a zone 1 component, s-video, and composite output. The later are provided for a local monitor. Each output also has a corresponding RJ45 loop in, the loop in/out setup allows you combine up to four switchers, giving you a 32x32 matrix.


The matrix is 16.75” wide, 3.5” tall, 15” deep and includes detachable rack ears. The Cat5 for each zone terminates to a special wall plate that has an RJ45 on the rear and component, s-video, and composite jacks on the front. This piece retails for about $2600, making it a great value. Sorry to my friends to the north, but exchange rates, like Social Security and the BCS are just beyond my comprehension.So you'll need to do your own math.


On to control, like I said control is RS232 only. The protocol is very simple, to route an input to a zone, the command is as follows- imc (zone) (source) carriage return, 9600 8 N 1 are the default serial settings although the baud rate can be set to anything up to 57600. All the commands are in the manual in a very clear table. I first tested the switcher with a RTI RP6/T2+ combo. Switching was fast and reliable. If you are using a entry level remote, you will need an IR to RS232 converter. I believe Xantech makes one.


The website claims that the unit includes a Crestron module, if it did, I couldn't find it.


Next I tested it with a Crestron CP2E. For testing purposes I just entered the codes into a serial i/o, again flawless and fast operation. After I had been satisfied, I installed this in a client's working system. Video quality and reliability has been excellent. I did write a simple one way Crestron module, if anyone wants it, drop me a line.


Summing up, this product while lacking some of slick features of a PVID, opens up HD video distribution to a whole new price range. The only thing I would change is adding IR control.


http://www.sonance.com

olysan
04-16-2005, 05:10 AM
Hey Gary,

Great review. Just one question. I was considering this piece for a system I designed this week. Only problem is that when I went to price it out my price list (effective Jan 24, 2005) shows MAP as significantly different from what you list as retail. Was there a huge price drop on this thing?


Mike

PHSJason
04-23-2005, 01:13 PM
I just looked at my latest Sonance price sheet and the price on the navigator is:
NAVIGATOR VIDEO MATRIX
Navigator Video Matrix 92007 $5,800.00
Navigator Video Wallplate 92054 $500.00
S-Video to RCA Adaptor 92053 $15.00
RJ45 to RCA Adaptor 92089 $15.00
I did hear a while back that Sonance was running a special and including 8 wall plates for no charge with each matrix. I don't have the details on that in front of me however.

Jason

OEX
07-06-2005, 06:57 AM
This item has already made the close out list 35% dealer cost for the matrix, 37% the wall plates.

Just a FYI

ejfiii
10-16-2005, 06:54 PM
Gary et al,

Any update to this product? Looks like a good solution for some situations that I have been looking for. Still happy with those installs in the field? One question though is why no audio (digital spdif or analog L&R)? Is that a problem in the real world when designing and installing?

Thanks in advance.

billw
10-17-2005, 09:09 AM
Sonance has separate parts for analog audio. You might be able to use composite video switching on the Harbor piece to do digitial audio. Have not tried.