USB A-B Switch?? Hi group, Back in my VHS photography days, I used an A-B switch to live-switch between 2 cameras while recording to a tape deck. Today, I'm looking for a similar type...

Al Beatty Loc: Boise, Idaho

Hi group,
Back in my VHS photography days, I used an A-B switch to live-switch between 2 cameras while recording to a tape deck. Today, I'm looking for a similar type switch that will allow me to connect 2 cameras to 1 computer via their USB 2 ports. In looking at Google, eBay, and Amazon, I find a number of switches allowing me to connect 2 computers to 1 device but none going the other way. I have found a number of "connectors" allowing 1 USB 2 plug in and 2 printer-type out ports. Any ideas or may I out-of-luck? Take care & ...

johnec Loc: Lancaster county, PA

USB 3.0 Hub, ICZI Mini USB Hub with 4
Not sure if this is what you want.

USB 3.0 Ports for MacBook, Mac Pro, Mac Mini, iMac, Surface Pro, XPS, PC, Flash Drive, Mobile HDD and More https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01N8VSKLY/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_5AUSEbCKY1W8G

BebuLamar

If your computer has more than 1 USB port then just plug the 2 cameras into 2 ports. If not buy the hub like the post above. Both cameras are connected to the computer at the same time but you can choose which one to use in the software setup.

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

BebuLamar wrote:

If your computer has more than 1 USB port then just plug the 2 cameras into 2 ports. If not buy the hub like the post above. Both cameras are connected to the computer at the same time but you can choose which one to use in the software setup.

johngault007 Loc: Florida Panhandle

BebuLamar wrote:

If your computer has more than 1 USB port then just plug the 2 cameras into 2 ports. If not buy the hub like the post above. Both cameras are connected to the computer at the same time but you can choose which one to use in the software setup.

I don't have experience with video production, but probably some sort of software controlled video mixer?

We use software to control our sound during gigs. Our sound guy has a virtual mixer on a laptop that works in a similar way.

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

Realize that the computer will probably utilize different <software> drivers for each camera.
I seriously doubt that you can switch cameras mid-stream on a computer like you can on an analog video system.

BebuLamar

Longshadow wrote:

Realize that the computer will probably utilize different <software> drivers for each camera.
I seriously doubt that you can switch cameras mid-stream on a computer like you can on an analog video system.

I don’t think the OP wanted to switch camera mid stream but I think there is software that can do that.

johngault007 Loc: Florida Panhandle

BebuLamar wrote:

I don’t think the OP wanted to switch camera mid stream but I think there is software that can do that.

From his initial description, that is how I interpreted the question.

Al Beatty wrote:

I used an A-B switch to live-switch between 2 cameras while recording to a tape deck.

If not, a simple USB hub would do just fine if he doesn't want to clog up all the USB ports on his computer.

Al Beatty Loc: Boise, Idaho

BebuLamar wrote:

I don’t think the OP wanted to switch camera mid stream but I think there is software that can do that.

Correction: I do want to switch cameras mid-stream while shooting. What I really would like is a manual A-B switch with one USB2 port OUT (to the computer) and two USB2 ports IN (from the cameras). If I can find that then I can use the "Share Screen" feature in Zoom to switch back & forth between my "teaching subject" cameras. Take care & ...

johngault007 Loc: Florida Panhandle

Al Beatty wrote:

Correction: I do want to switch cameras mid-stream while shooting. What I really would like is a manual A-B switch with one USB2 port OUT (to the computer) and two USB2 ports IN (from the cameras). If I can find that then I can use the "Share Screen" feature in Zoom to switch back & forth between my "teaching subject" cameras. Take care & ...

Yeah that's a tough one. I don't use Zoom, but in M$ Teams, you just select the camera/source that you want you use. You can even do it while in a live session. I would search there first, you might have an easier time finding a solution.

Stephan G

Al Beatty wrote:

Correction: I do want to switch cameras mid-stream while shooting. What I really would like is a manual A-B switch with one USB2 port OUT (to the computer) and two USB2 ports IN (from the cameras). If I can find that then I can use the "Share Screen" feature in Zoom to switch back & forth between my "teaching subject" cameras. Take care & ...

It has been a while when I dabbled with videos.

There are equipment available that can manipulate sources. But I think they may be prohibitively priced. TV news productions is an example for what you have in mind.

I did use a couple of programs that allowed me to combine streams using separate feed lines. But they are buried in a box somewhere in the garage. (And old.)

This may provide a good jumping off point:
https://stackoverflow.com/questions/42509833/merging-two-video-streams-in-one-stream-like-picture-in-picture-wmf

sodapop Loc: Bel Air, MD

You can always run two tracks and edit later.

Al Beatty Loc: Boise, Idaho

sodapop wrote:

You can always run two tracks and edit later.

Hi sodapop,
I currently do that for YouTube videos but what I'm looking for now is for live training via Zoom. My thanks to all who have offered advise. Take care & ...

User ID

Al Beatty wrote:

Correction: I do want to switch cameras mid-stream while shooting. What I really would like is a manual A-B switch with one USB2 port OUT (to the computer) and two USB2 ports IN (from the cameras). If I can find that then I can use the "Share Screen" feature in Zoom to switch back & forth between my "teaching subject" cameras. Take care & ...

Seems to me that if you have 2 usb devices on the same PC you must either use 2 separate ports on the PC or use a hub, cuz if you ran 2 devices into an A-B switch you’d need to eject whatever device you are about to switch away from.

Using a simple A-B switch is the same as improperly unplugging without bothering to eject first.

johngault007 Loc: Florida Panhandle

User ID wrote:

Seems to me that if you have 2 usb devices on the same PC you must either use 2 separate ports on the PC or use a hub, cuz if you ran 2 devices into an A-B switch you’d need to eject whatever device you are about to switch away from.

Using a simple A-B switch is the same as improperly unplugging without bothering to eject first.

It all depends on the source. For file systems it has a very good potential to do cause issues. So that is all dependent on the video source and how it connects.

USB has been used in KV (keyboard/video) switches for some time without issue, where one USB keyboard and mouse serving multiple computers. I think that is initially what the OP found and theoretically is could work for his purpose, but there are too many unknowns with the video feed, and if it will work without a tethered destination (constant connection)