Hi again Steve: If you are thinking just a stop gap for a few years then I think a Zodiak will probably suit you. You can probably find one easily. I know of one company who wants to replace their fully loaded Zodiak, but they are waiting to see what the new Thompson/GV Missouri project is going to bring to the market. They refuse to put in the Kayak because its just too much trouble as it stands right now. All the companies I mentioned make smaller HD versions of switchers that will take you to the next level. I understand you don't want to invest in something that might be obsolete in a few years, that is the problem with all electronics, but there may be a product that will get you on your way from one of the other companies. Talk to Sony they make a pretty darn good switcher which is very user friendly and full of features. As I mentioned also talk to Snell & Wilcox and Ross, let them show you what they have, but remember for me (as an operator) ease of operation and programming are key and that will help better serve you and your clients. Ken Schneider is the trainer for Snell & Wilcox, he frequents this board and he is very knowledgeable. I have to be honest though, there is nothing like a Kalypso for ease of operation and programming. Thompson/GV is very short sighted as they plan the "end of the life" of this legacy product which has lead the industry for many years. Every engineer envisions their product as a better mousetrap, but that isn't the case for the Kayak with regards it's software and complex programming, and that alone is crucial for any remote. Best, Rick.

Thanks for the information Rick. At this point I have made no equipment commitments yet so I'm open to pretty much anything. My only reason for not thinking that I can go with an HD switcher right now is cost. I'm also a little worried that if I do get an HD switcher, by the time I upgrade everything else the switcher will be obsolete or perhaps not all that desireable. I guess the way that I was looking at it was that I could use something newer and digital to bridge the gap between my analog truck and an HD truck. If I kept the price down on the digital conversion and made sure that my ROI was within 6 months to a year, an HD upgrade would not be out of the question in 3 or so years. Anyway, good advice, I'll see what's out there and check out some demos. Are there any HD switchers that people particularly like working with? I would be looking for a minimum of 24 inputs and 2.5 M/E's with still store, DVE and things that are coming standard on switchers anymore. Thanks for the input. Steve

Why would you want (at this stage of the game) to not go with a HD switcher? With everything moving that way that is the next logical step for any production truck... then later you can upgrade the cameras and such. As for the Kayak, don't be fooled, while it is cheap, it is not a legacy Grass Valley Product that you are familiar with and certainly don't let some salesman sell you a bill of goods. Salesman are interesting in one thing and one thing only. See a demo of other products and educate yourself on the actual "real time" programming and ease of operation which is critical to any remote. There is the old saying, you get what you pay for, and there have been some serious problems with the Kayak panel with regards to buttons failing. When the buttons fail, you can't replace the actual button, you have to replace the whole panel which seems ludicrous. If you read further in this forum you will see that other TD's have been forced to program the switcher from the keypads when these buttons fail. What are you going to do when crosspoint buttons begin to fail? Keep replacing the panel!! This is not normal for a switcher that is on the market a little over a year. It is not the work horse of the previous GV products. You will also have problems getting TD to operate the Kayak because of the over complexity of the operating system. In other words there are other options you should consider as I mentioned. Look at Sony, Snell & Wilcox or even Ross. They have all made tremendous inroads of late and they provide great technical support. Good luck with your decision but most importantly educate yourself and don't listen to a salesman. See the demos!