Kensington Church Relies on For-A Video Switcher while Transitioning to Full HD Production

	FOR-A HVS-390HS video switcher

Kensington Church had been using their existing switcher for years when they decided to upgrade to a FOR-A HVS-390HS video switcher, but the move came sooner than expected when the current switcher gave out right before Easter weekend. The metro Detroit-based church called in local systems integrator Advanced Lighting & Sound to gut out the old equipment, install the new HVS-390HS switcher, have it operational for service the next morning, and show a volunteer how to use it. Thanks to the integrator's expertise, some hard work, and the user friendly HVS-390HS switcher, Kensington Church went on to produce hiccup-free holiday weekend services and has been relying on the switcher ever since.

"Some of the best things about the HVS-390HS switcher are that it's simple to use, intuitive, and offers great affordability," said Dennis Andersen, Kensington Church's technical director. "Our volunteer operator learned how to use the switcher in a matter of a few hours, just in the nick of time for Sunday service."

Kensington Church has five locations -- three are portable campuses and two are in permanent locations. The HVS-390HS switcher is installed in the main church's control room backstage.

According to Andersen, the flexibility of the switcher is crucial to meet the production needs of Kensington Church. The church uses 2D and 3D effects, streams its services on a bi-weekly basis, employs IMAG (image magnification) in its 1,400-person auditorium, and shows the services in the chapel overflow room.

Andersen explained, "We've really appreciated the flexibility of the switcher. There are so many assignable buttons and aux capabilities. We've been able to do a number of modifications based on our needs. Our production team has really relied on the front control panels that allow us to do secondary outputs at our remote campuses."

Another key consideration in choosing the FOR-A switcher was its ability to accommodate mixed inputs. Because the church is in the process of upgrading to HD, having a switcher that's compatible with both SD-SDI and HD inputs was a necessity.

"With Kensington Church migrating to HD, we needed to find a cost-effective, high-quality switcher that fit their needs," said Bob Sullivan, president of Advanced Lighting & Sound. "FOR-A's HVS-390HS solution was ideal. The switcher has a plug-and-play set up, so it's really convenient for the church to have during their HD transition. And with its mix effects, aux, and keyer capabilities, it offers the features the church needs, at an affordable price."