So many buttons...
Pelican System Select PRO
J. Kevin Tumlinson

Once there was a time when an "entertainment center" consisted of a television and maybe a VCR. Then people got the notion that hooking these up to the stereo might sound nice, and maybe a DVD player would be cool to have. Oh, and let's throw in this game system... and that one... and that one...

Pretty soon, the entertainment center is a six-foot tall bustling node of technology that threatens either world domination or a really good Super Bowl party (or a little of both). There's now the potential to have dozens of little devices floating around, all trying to jockey into position and get you to push their buttons. It makes just popping in a DVD for the evening quite the mechanical task if you have to unplug and replug cables or remember if your VCR is hooked up to Video 1 on your big screen and Video In on your stereo or if that's the Playstation.

And what if you have a media computer to add to the mix??

The solution, traditionally, has been to put a media selector switch in the system, but most just can't handle the demands of the discerning "prosumer." You know the type... they're the ones who like their sound in 5.1, their video in HD and their DVD players Progressive Scan. The phrase "Component Video" has meaning and significance to them. And they have high demands on any piece of equipment, especially if it's to be the nerve center of their system. Not just any video selector off the shelf will do, it has to handle EVERYTHING -- and it has to do it with class.

Pelican heard those demands and answered with the System Selector PRO.

Perfect for organizing any complex system of audio and video components, the System Selector PRO has inputs and outputs for just about anything on the market. There are a total of eight video and audio inputs -- seven channels accessible from the back of the selector and one in the front for quick hook up of a camcorder or some other device. The range of video inputs runs the gamut from the RCA-style line level inputs to S-Video to the very high quality Component inputs. For audio, there are the industry standard RCA-style line level inputs and, surprisingly, optical inputs on every channel (except for the front of the selector).

Inputs are great, but if you can't get them back out to your gear then they're useless. So Pelican has gone the extra mile in providing a set of excellent connection cables, gold tipped and heavy duty, ready to go from the output of the device to anything you choose. This little perk is convenient and, we think, pretty thoughtful!

The metal casing, sort of a brushed aluminum look, adds a great deal of class and style to the selector, and will make a nice aesthetic statement in your system. It has the industry standard footprint -- about 17" wide -- making it convenient to stack with other components in your equipment rack. And, in addition to its sleek and elegant looks, it comes with the ability to switch out the back-lit input labels on the front of the machine. There are labels for your DVD player, VCR, Cable TV, Satellite Dish, computer and pretty much any current game system. And, of course, there's the ever useful "Other" tab.

But where this unit really stands out (and separates itself from the rest of the pack) is with the Ethernet connections. It works as sort of a pass-through router, allowing you to hook up broadband dependent systems like computers, online gaming systems and more. The ethernet output can be hooked directly to anything with an ethernet connection, including your DSL or Cable Modem, a router or a wireless ethernet bridge (to connect your system to your wireless network).

Pelican's system is outstanding for organizing video and audio sources, but it won't convert one type of signal to another. That means you'll have to output from the same type of cable as your input. This is a slight disadvantage for people with older equipment, but otherwise isn't so much as a weakness as "room for improvement." Other video selectors on the market do offer this ability, but few have the range of options that the System Selector PRO offers.

The System Selector PRO sells for around $100 and can be found at most electronic retailers, or online at Amazon.com.

For more information about the Pelican System Selector PRO, visit their web site at www.pelicanperformance.com, or click on their logo below.