Re: Have I biten off more than I can chew ? Production Van

a production van is not cheap. And no one works with composite video anymore - I don't know who your client base is.

You can get a Panasonic HD switcher (which also does SDI) for 10 grand - it uses a single plasma (or any TV) as your "monitor wall", and has frame sync inputs, so you dont' need to have any genlock. The BIGGEST MISTAKE you can make is buying "obsolete" equipment, like an old GVG100 (which was great in it's day - but it is DISCONTINUED. The moral of this story is NEVER LISTEN TO OLD BAG VIDEO ENGINEERS that say "I've been using this for the last 25 years". This is EXACTLY what you dont' want to do. The world is HD (and SDI) today, not analog composite, and modern switchers have frame sync inputs with no timing issues.

A production van for multi camera work needs a lot more capability. You need the capability to record to multiple ISO VTRs - you dont need the VTR's, but you need the DA's in case you have to rent the VTRs for a job. You need a good mixer, with lots of aux sends, and DA's to feed the inputs of all the VTR's. And mics, and an intercom system (like an RTS or Clear Com). There is plenty of modern reliable equipment on the market -buying someones old crap that "used to cost $200,000, and now you can get it for $10,000" - is a MISTAKE.
This applies to things like Abekas DVE's, Abekas switchers, old Beta BVW75 VTR's, old GVG switchers (like GVG 200, GVG3000, GVG4000), Ampex ADO's, GVG K-Scopes, etc. And even expensive CRT monitors from Ikegami and Sony. STAY AWAY FROM THIS STUFF. It's old, and no one wants it.

Bob Zelin (I'm old, but people still rent me !).