Pelican System Selector Pro 2.0

[Chi Kong Lui]

Crap! My search just got a little more complicated. I found this unit from Joytech customized for the X360:


What blows about both units from Pelican and Joytech is that they are both not quite out yet. What's the hold up?

Chi

[Chi Kong Lui]

One more to the mix:

Joytech Control Center 240c
Review here: http://www.lcvg.com/feature.php?ID=2

Got rave reviews (mostly in Europe since its European company) and have 6 component inputs (one more than Pelican version 2) and had the LCD screen now. Looks better than the Xbox version to boot! Looks like a winner for me.

Chi

[Kin Korn Karn]

Originally Posted by GC_Chi

One more to the mix:

Chi

If you pick it up, let us know how it works out. It seems to offer everything I would need. The programmable readout is awesome. Up to five characters!

Here's hoping I won't have to worry about picking one up any time soon, though.

[Chi Kong Lui]

I picked up the Joytech 240c from Best Buy, buried in the recesses because it looks too slick to be in the videogame section and too out of place to be in the AV section (you'll most likely find it in the AV section if not in-between isles). Don't bother asking BB employees as they will have no clue as to what you are talking about (they couldn't find it on the floor).

The packaging is super slick and the design/form of this thing looks great. I have a feeling the guts of the Xbox 360 version will be similar, just a different shell with face-plate options. I prefer the gun metal color of 240c with the 17 inch DVD player foot print.

The controls are simple and streamlined. Programming the labels is as basic as programming a digital watch. I'm using the console manufaturers' component cables and the one that came with the 240c to feed into the TV. The basic remote control for simply switching between systems seems a little out of place, but I guess that's what universal remotes are for. So far everything is great. I'm contemplating getting a monster cable to see if that will improve PQ.

Chi

[Kin Korn Karn]

Originally Posted by GC_Chi

I'm contemplating getting a monster cable to see if that will improve PQ.

Chi

The review you linked seemed to indicate that the included cables were lousy. Surely worth a try to replace them.

[policeman1978]

I purchased both systems, Joytech Control Center 240c from best buy and the System Selector Pro 2.0 at game stop. To answer the question on the lcd the pro is not programable in the sense where you can make up your own system names, only assign them from a select choice. I had problems with both systems using 480progressive 16x9 mode.
Heres the problem...
With 480p 16x9 turned on, the joytech would give me a jittery top and bottom part of the screen. The system selector 2.0 wouldn't let me set it to 16x9 and would keep switching between 4x3 and 16x9. Only way I could fix it was turn it to 480i. Then I was able to see it in widescreen at the resolution.
With the Joytech I was able to solve the problem by unpluging my optical cable from the switch box.

I checked the other resolutions on both systems and I had no problems in fact I thought the selector pro 2.0 seemed higher quality the the joytech. I returned the Joytech and kept the selector pro 2.0

[Chi Kong Lui]

Originally Posted by policeman1978

Heres the problem...
With 480p 16x9 turned on, the joytech would give me a jittery top and bottom part of the screen. The system selector 2.0 wouldn't let me set it to 16x9 and would keep switching between 4x3 and 16x9. Only way I could fix it was turn it to 480i. Then I was able to see it in widescreen at the resolution.
With the Joytech I was able to solve the problem by unpluging my optical cable from the switch box.

That's strange. I didn't have this problem with the Joytech. I ran kill.switch for the Xbox and Soul Calibur 3 for the PS2 fine.

As for the SS Pro 2.0 issue, this is strange because isn't the widescreen setting determined by your setup on your console and you aspect ratio control on your TV? The system selector shouldn't have any influence over that.

Originally Posted by policeman1978

I checked the other resolutions on both systems and I had no problems in fact I thought the selector pro 2.0 seemed higher quality the the joytech. I returned the Joytech and kept the selector pro 2.0

Thanks for giving your impressions. I would have given the SS Pro a try if I could find it anywhere. After I bought the Joytech, I noticed a GameStop had the 2.0 buried on its shelves.

The only issue I seem to have with the Joytech is that there appears to be a faint single interference line at 480p when watching DVD movies. Its barely noticable at times, but sometimes pops up and is distracting to my hyper sensitive eyes. I haven't determined if its my TV or the Joytech. I suspect it could be interference coming from stacking the cable box and the Joytech together with a ton of wires all going out of the same tight hole.

Chi

[David Stone]

I was given the SS (original) for Christmas this year, and after a nice little 3-hour set-up to re-wire the rig, I can't believe I went for so long without it. It is absolutley central to my system set-up, apart from the TV and surround receiver. It's that integral.

Pelican, thank you.

[policeman1978]

I had everything set up normally. I had the first system selector pro and that worked fine other then the faint wavy bars running down the screene. I did notice faint wavy bars on the joytech but not on the selector pro 2.0

[Chi Kong Lui]

Originally Posted by policeman1978

I purchased both systems, Joytech Control Center 240c from best buy and the System Selector Pro 2.0 at game stop.

BTW what color was your System Seletor 2.0? Did you have a choice between white, silver and black?

Chi

[policeman1978]

They only had one color, silver.

[jztennisplaya]

I have three questions:

1. It seems like out of all of the switchers I have read about, the pelican system selector pro is the best. So, should I hold out for the 2.0 version or spring for the old one? Also, is there a better switcher out there?

2. Is up-conversion truly necessary? I have an expensive HD LCD TV and am wondering whether I should get an a/v reciever to up-convert the signals, but the bad thing is I haven't seen an a/v receiver out there with more than 4 inputs. So, can someone explain why I would need to up-convert, what systems could benefit from it, and whether I should stick with a switcher or go to an a/v receiver?

3. If I connect both composite and component cables to a switcher, will one component output cable be able to carry both signals to the TV?

Thanks a lot,
- John

[Chi Kong Lui]

I bought home the System Selector Pro 2.0 home today thinking it would resolve my issue with the Joytech Control Center and I would return the latter.

Much to my disappointment, the System Selector Pro 2.0 was much worst. I couldn't get a clean signal from the Xbox 360 through the SS Pro 2.0. There was a lot of wave-like noise/interference. I tried swapping out the Monster cable to see if that would help and that made the noise 10 times worst. The monster cable definetly makes a difference.

From my own experience, I can't recommend the SS Pro 2.0. So far the Joytech is the best. I hope perhaps getting Monster cables for the Xbox 360 may resolve my earlier problem.

Chi

[Chi Kong Lui]

Originally Posted by jztennisplaya

1. It seems like out of all of the switchers I have read about, the pelican system selector pro is the best. So, should I hold out for the 2.0 version or spring for the old one? Also, is there a better switcher out there?

See my description above for the Joytech Control Center 240c. So far, I've had a better experience with it then the SS Pro 2.0.

Originally Posted by jztennisplaya

2. Is up-conversion truly necessary? I have an expensive HD LCD TV and am wondering whether I should get an a/v reciever to up-convert the signals, but the bad thing is I haven't seen an a/v receiver out there with more than 4 inputs. So, can someone explain why I would need to up-convert, what systems could benefit from it, and whether I should stick with a switcher or go to an a/v receiver?

I've never heard of any receiver up-converting signals, but I haven't been keeping up with the latest receiver features (I use a Pioneer Surround Sound wireless headphone setup). Generally speaking, up-converting is as good as the technology doing it. Trying to "blow up" an original source is usually not a good idea. TVs should also display the signal in its intended resolution, but is that considered "up-converting"?

Originally Posted by jztennisplaya

3. If I connect both composite and component cables to a switcher, will one component output cable be able to carry both signals to the TV?

The composite signal is carried through the separate "yellow" jack. Its the same situation with TVs which somethings have the composite and s-video inputs right next to the component ones. It comes down to your source and how you config it to use which signal. If it does send both signals, I think your TV knows to accept the higher quality one.

Chi

[Kin Korn Karn]

Thanks for the follow up, Chi. Sorry you had to be a guinea pig!