JVC KM-HD6 6-Channel Video Switcher Designed with Churches in Mind

In a recent article for ChurchProduction, Mark Hanna gives his first impressions about the JVC KM-HD6 mini 6-channel multi-format streaming video switcher. With that pricing point and a no-frills approach to what the switcher can accomplish, this system was made with churches in mind: built for volunteers with limited training and churches with limited resources.

When Mark first started in church production, video switchers were enormous, expensive pieces of equipment; the term "small switcher" was an oxymoron. There are now software solutions that are essentially free, and hardware solutions that are so inexpensive that they are a consumer product that people like me buy "just in case." JVC's new KM-HD6 lies exactly in the midst of the huge switchers and consumer devices, threading the needle between the two. It contains all the essential functions and nothing extra, which means it ticks the two key boxes for churches: it's volunteer-friendly and priced appropriately for the church market.

In February, Joseph D'Amico, Vice President of JVCKenwood USA Corporation, visited the Triangle area of North Carolina and spoke with representatives from a variety of congregational sizes and technology use levels to better understand the needs of the house of worship market. One of the outcomes of that trip was the JVC KM-HD6, a small-form-factor video switcher designed specifically for churches.

“JVC recognizes the need for organizations of all sizes to expand their video production capabilities. The addition of these affordable new production tools will enable budget-conscious studios, venues, and arenas to have high-quality, glass-to-glass workflow solutions. It is our hope that in offering these products, JVC can provide a wider scope of users with price-effective, easy-to-configure equipment and support from a single manufacturer.” -Joseph D'Amico, Vice President of JVCKenwood USA Corporation

This little switcher has several significant advantages. First, there are six inputs with various connection kinds, including four SDI and two HDMI. There is no need for genlock because all of the inputs re-clock, and it can handle HD format conversion, so there is no problem with mixed frame rates, and it will cross convert between 920 and 1080. It contains 3.5mm and RCA audio inputs, as well as integrated audio on all video inputs, making it ideal for receiving a house mix directly from your audio console.

The KM-HD6 features several output choices, including two SDI and one HDMI program. There is also an SDI aux output that may be configured as preview out or program out via the menu, as well as one HDMI and one SDI multi-viewer. There is no need to select between these outputs because they are all operational at the same time. There's also a USB-C program available for broadcasting to YouTube, Facebook, or any other streaming network. There are 3.5 and RCA audio outputs, so there are several ways to get audio and video into and out of this switcher. There is also a GPIO port for tally integration if it is relevant to you.

Internally, the switcher has all of the conventional mix, fade, and wipe effects, as well as a T-bar in the form of a slider for granular transition control. It also includes an adjustable PiP/PoP window. The most significant feature of this switcher is the power button, which is sadly lacking from other switchers and was definitely inspired by listening to end customers.

Finally, because the HM-HD6 is part of the Connected Cam family, it may be coupled with the RM-LP5G Connected Cam PTZ Joystick Controller and a few PTZs for a discounted bundled price dictated by the cameras selected. Everything in the Connected Cam series is built from the bottom up to operate well together, allowing users to expand their workflows as their needs change. For example, you may replace the KM-HD6 with something like the KM-IP8S4 while keeping everything else the same, and the system will still work properly.

The possibility to package the KM-HD6 with other Connected Cam devices makes it a cost-effective and appealing alternative. With that pricing point and a no-frills approach to what the switcher can accomplish, this system was made with churches in mind: built for volunteers with limited training and churches with limited resources. JVC completed its research to learn what churches want and provided a solution to fulfill that specific demand.

Read the full article from ChurchProduction HERE