I bought a really old school video switcher/ SEG. A Showtime Video Ventures model ..probably back from the 80s or early 90s. All buttons light up but darn if I can get a video signal to pass through the Coax inputs and outputs. Are there any places around that repair these old time switchers? Might just be something loose inside but if I open it up, i know all hell will break loose.

Generally, pro switchers are "simple" and repetitive. Not simple enough for me to fix of course, but reasonable if you can find a manual. And pro manuals are often service manuals, too. Can you post a pic?

Eehh, if it's this thing: https://books.google.com/books?id=XARMtUUMxm8C&pg=PA110&lpg=PA110&dq=Showtime+Video+Ventures&source=bl&ots=xu8uIo8t2J&sig=E8XUgBZOLHxMghI219o7E6CSGMU&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiIt5KovvTZAhXly4MKHcCaDq0Q6AEITzAI#v=on epage&q=Showtime%20Video%20Ventures&f=false
I take back what I said about 'pro' stuff, unfortunately.

Does 'coax' mean F-type connectors, or RCA, or BNC?

If its like the Ampex ACE editor, all your source signals will have to be synchronous with your reference.

Yes F type connector. Older consumer switcher from the 80s


Generally, pro switchers are "simple" and repetitive. Not simple enough for me to fix of course, but reasonable if you can find a manual. And pro manuals are often service manuals, too. Can you post a pic?

Eehh, if it's this thing: https://books.google.com/books?id=XARMtUUMxm8C&pg=PA110&lpg=PA110&dq=Showtime+Video+Ventures&source=bl&ots=xu8uIo8t2J&sig=E8XUgBZOLHxMghI219o7E6CSGMU&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiIt5KovvTZAhXly4MKHcCaDq0Q6AEITzAI#v=on epage&q=Showtime%20Video%20Ventures&f=false
I take back what I said about 'pro' stuff, unfortunately.

Does 'coax' mean F-type connectors, or RCA, or BNC?

http://videokarma.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=196770&d=1521498662

Fairly simple to fix with a manual. Without a manual, virtually impossible. It's also possible that it needs external reference (genlock, sync, other) to work, and also possible as mentioned all inputs have to be synchronous. Hopefully there are no specailized or custom IC's in there, as they would be in the "unobtanium" class of components today.

Post a pic of the back -- clear enough to read the labels, etc.
At that vintage, it's pretty unlikely that it has a frame sync on each input, which would mean that all sources would need to be synchronized before entering switcher.

Not likely F connectors. That is RF and I never saw a device that would direct convert RF to baseband video in the day especially in the prosumer market. This is a 525 baseband unit as the V interval label and sync timing indicator lamp shows. It needs sync somewhere via a camera input or a sync input. Probably RCA connectors on the back. The sync timing adjustment is to get the cameras in phase (tint) sync during a dissolve which is mixing two sources at once. Gotta get them matching in phase. The switcher may generate its own sync to reference to.

Open it up and look for bad solder joints and buldging caps in the power supply. Not much else can happen.

Not likely F connectors. That is RF and I never saw a device that would direct convert RF to baseband video in the day especially in the prosumer market.

F connectors are usually RF but not always. The Blonder Tongue agile modulators most of us tube TV collectors use to feed our sets use F connectors for audio and baseband video input as well as RF output...Guess they were either too lazy to spec out normal BNC/RCA for the A/V inputs on those or the cable industry hates non-F connectors with a passion...

In the 'believe it or not' category, back "in the day" there were manufacturers that actually used F connectors for baseband video. Consumer stuff, not broadcast or even pro. A few, not many, but enough to confuse the issue into the 2018's :-D