A problem I used to have back in ye-pre-HDMI (or CRT) days was that I had several video sources (PC, DVD, XBOX, PS2....) and only one input in my TV. I went through several solutions, one a physical rotary switch, one with a remote but still much the same, but eventually I found the Joytech JS965, which even had optical switching linked to the video. (Prior to this I needed to switch the amplifier input as well....) But eventually amplifiers caught up and started performing the video switching role and I no longer had a use for it... so it went in a box 'cos I'm a hoarder. Took it from Hobart to Wagga then to Sydney and kept hanging on to it. Came close to tossing it several times. I think I kept it partially as it was a nice rack sized case!
20 years after I got it the problems that it solved are solved better. But now the problem is that non-HDMI inputs are becoming scarce on amplifiers, and I have been unable to use my sound sources, such as my turntable, cassette deck and minidisc as I don't have enough audio sources on my current amplifier. Thus after looking for several months for a solution and not really liking any that I've seen (rack mounted optical AV switches are rare now it seems) so I gave up and brought the Joytech out of retirement. (Took a while as I misplaced the power supply...) Gave it a quick test and it still worked fine. (Not much inside to break really.)
Hoarding rewarded yet again!
But while this did work for a time it was clear that it was past it's prime. One input was dead and it didn't solve my other problem; recording. What I kept wanting to find was a "pre-amp", or a input switcher that has no or minimal amplification. But they are rather hard to find these days, and some old ones (such as the Pioneer U24) go for high prices even though they are "just" a collection of inputs and switches. However I got lucky and found something for a good price that's kinda better an Akai DS-5. This allows four inputs, as well as the output of the amp, to be cross linked independently in all permutations. Will this solve the problem for good? Time will tell!
