Sony MCX-500 Video production switcher

A user-friendly and affordable production switcher that makes it simple for a single operator or small team to produce a broadcast-quality live event. Multiple video inputs include professional 3G-SDI, HDMI, Composite Video plus dedicated DSK so you can mix and match kit as needed for each production.

New opportunities

Live events increasingly rely on video to attract customers, enliven presentations and turn a profit via live streaming or selling recordings. The MCX-500 is ideal for a wide range of live and recorded applications from pop concerts to weddings, educational seminars to corporate presentations, and meetings at houses of worship. Using the MCX-500, you can go beyond simply capturing an event to transforming it into an experience that engages everyone.

Meet any challenge

Today’s event might be simply mixing together multiple video inputs to support a presenter’s on-stage presentation. Tomorrow’s event might be creating a program for distribution across multiple screens in a vast conference hall. Next week’s event might be live streaming, either via PC or Mac or directly from the MCX-500 itself using Ustream with a router*. Whatever the event, it’s simple to give your customer an immediate recording of the event thanks to a built-in SD Card slot – no external recorder needed or time lost assembling a post-event cut.

Events that excite and engage

Keeping an audience’s interest during an event can be challenging. The MCX-500 puts at your fingertips a set of features to easily transform any event: cut between multiple cameras with a wide-range of broadcast quality transitions, mix in a secondary video feed with picture-in-picture, put a presenter in front of live or recorded video using Sony’s broadcast standard chroma key technology. 8 video inputs, plus a dedicated DSK channel (total 9 inputs) for on-screen graphics and a 5-channel audio mixer give you everything needed to wow an audience.

Working smarter

To minimise your workload, the MCX-500 offers hassle-free integration with camcorders such as the HXR-NX5R. The lightweight RM-30BP remote controller allows you to control all the key features of suitable camcorders while sitting at your control desk. It also allows tally signals to be sent to connected camcorders, so a camera operator knows when each camcorder is on-air. Work faster, more efficiently with MCX-500’s advanced workflow.

Go solo or team work made easy

The MCX-500 makes it easy for a single operator to run a professional live event. Multi-view monitoring puts all your sources on a single display. To keep your eyes on the action, all the main functions are accessible via physical controls that are easy to operate without looking away from the action for a second. More advanced features can be tuned to your exact workflow requirements and mapped to an LCD touchscreen control with customisable ICON buttons. You can even remote operate or extend the control functions of the MCX-500 via PC, Mac or Tablet over Ethernet or WiFi*.

Smart controls with configurable LCD touchscreen

If you’re running the show on your own, you need controls that suit the way you work – intuitive and yet somehow also fully featured. The MCX-500 achieves this by carefully thought out physical controls that you will find easy to operate without looking away from the action for a second.

More advanced features can be tuned to your exact workflow requirements and mapped to an LCD touchscreen control with easily recognisable ICON buttons. Trigger the sophisticated effects you’ve pre-defined with a single touch on a user-defined ICON. It’s a robust, user-friendly system that’s easily extended to bring in additional team members as productions grow.

Mix between 8 video sources + 1 Title (total 9 inputs)

The switcher is designed to expand your operations for full control of a multi-camera shoot. There is no need to worry about swapping out inputs during a production – the MCX-500 features no less than 8 video inputs (plus dedicated Title input) to easily accommodate any small-to-medium sized production. Inputs include professional 3G-SDI (x4), standard HDMI (x2) and even composite video (x2), allowing you to connect a wide variety of cameras and other equipment. A dedicated RGB Title input allows you to connect a PC or Mac to use as a dedicated source of titles for your production.