One other thing to consider: the Kayak is built CHEAP. At KGW we are on our third board in nine months because we keep breaking the buttons (i.e. when we push the button nothing happens)... some people punch a little harder than the Kayak can handle. When one button breaks Thompson/GV will send a replacement board and you might have to reprogram a couple things. I've been punching on the Kalypso for just over three years and a 4000 before that and there have been no problems with breaking buttons. Mike

[quote="Mongo"]Rick, I had heard that GV had demo'd the new switcher. Any word where I could find some details about it online?[/quote] Mongo, I heard they demoed it too. Here is what I heard, they demoed it, but it was smoke and mirrors whereas they had a hidden room with the switcher mainframe - yeah right!. In other words it too is probably not ready for Primetime. We'll see! Jimbam .. yes why limit your self .... check out the Kahuna it might be what your looking for and yes it has made some inroads lately. Hi Ken :-) Best, Rick.

Why limit yourself to Kalypso or Kayak? There is another switcher out there named Kahuna that has become very popular over the last couple of years. Before you make a decision you should have each manufacturer demo their switcher in your facility and hooked up to some of your equipment. Then everyone can see each switcher in action and decide what works best for you. Cheers, -= Ken =- Ken Schneider Kahuna Program Manager Snell & Wilcox

Rick, I had heard that GV had demo'd the new switcher. Any word where I could find some details about it online?

The Kayak will fall away in a short amount of time. It's a dead operating system and even as I write this Thompson/GV are working towards a replacement which is being selected for several trucks at this particular time. The Kayak is an ok studio switcher, but limiting. The Kalypso can do so much more when you take into account double take and the way you program transforms. Both have some advantages in operation, but the Kayak can't touch the ease of programming of a Kalypso. The Kalypso is just more straight forward plain and simple. That said, don't listen to some salesman who will sell you a bill of good to move a switcher. They will sell you the shirt off their backs if they could. The Kayak should be passed on for better technology which is around the corner if Thompson/GV can deliver what they promise in their new Missouri project.

I'm in agreement with Mike and Mongo, as they both have excellent points about internal conversion and practicality of both boxes. I would only like to add one thought: I've grown to appreciate the Kayak's (and Sony, and older DD switcher's) ability to edit macros, step-by-step. As much as I enjoy working on the Kalypso, the ability to edit macros has become a feature that is a huge help to me. It's really a continuation of Mongo's post about how easy it is to customize a set-up that already exists. Good luck, and let us know what you end up with! Matt

Ditto what Mike said, BUT... Once you are comfortable with the Kayak, you can do most of what a Kalypso does. It just comes down to what your needs are. It may take longer to set up a Kayak initially, but I seem to take less time modifying the setup for the show I'm doing at the time. Once you understand how emems operate, and navigating the menus (which it depends on more than the Kalypso), it's not bad. It just depends how complicated the show is. Of course, the bean counters are most likely the ones making the final decision, right? If so, get ready for Kayak training...

The Kalypso has no internal conversion technology. The Kayak does but take a look at it versus standalone converters. The Kayak is an OK box but it isn't as easy to use as a Kalypso. No Double Take, only six outputs of still store vs eight on the Kalypso. Sometimes for sports that is important, in a studio, it's your call. The largest physical control panel for the Kayak is three ME but that panel can control 4 1/2 ME's. What that means is that one physical ME controls another actual ME. Can that lead to confusion??? On the Kalypso the DPM channels are floating, at least on the three Kayaks I have seen this summer the DPM's are physically assigned to certain keyers. If you grew up running Grass boxes the Kayak will make you scratch your head. Does it suck, no but it isn't warm and fuzzy either.