If you're in the video industry you know what a switcher is. If you are not in the industry, but want to have interesting live recordings of events, video switchers allow for real time cutting of different sources into one recording.
You see the effects of switchers all the time on live TV. Sporting events, talk shows and news programs all use live switchers to cut between different cameras, feeds and other sources to make an interesting fast paced show.
We use the Panasonic High Definition AG HMX100 switcher for our event recordings. These switchers take in 4 High Def cameras, a VGA/DVI source (usually a computer feed) and 2 HDMI sources -which can be computer, cameras or other digital input. This switcher creates great looking images, and allows for fast paced cutting that follows the flow of your content.
When a speaker references a slide, the slide appears on the screen. When a speaker is making an impassioned point, the camera stays on a close up of her. We follow the dynamics of the presentation and conversation, which makes for interesting TV.
Look here to see some examples or our switchers at work.