2 different inputs shown side by side on a single display?

[SlackerITGuy]

First of all, sorry if this doesn't belong here guys.

So guys, I'm looking for "tv box" style device that would let me show 2 completely different video inputs on a single display either side by side or top/bottom.

After looking online, one of the first results were from a company called Colorado Video, and this is their most recent product:

Split Screen mode allows portions of each of two pictures to be displayed in a corresponding portion of a video display. This mode can split a video image, wipe or display two video images or a dual video image, one image over the other, top to bottom, or side by side, to make portions of each viewable on a single monitor. Images from two cameras can be displayed on one video monitor. This adjustable video screen splitter can split an image, mix, wipe, overlay or switch an image or display from two different high definition video sources, creating dual video images or pictures on one screen or monitor. A front panel control selects whether the screen is split horizontally or vertically. A control knob determines the proportion of the screen allocated to each source, adjustable from 0% to 100%. The user can freeze either of the inputs and either input can be viewed exclusively by push of a button.

Source: High Definition Video Comparator: Split Screen, Mix, Subtract, Freeze, Hi-Def, HD, DVI VGA HDMI

It looks great and all that, but the device costs around $1400, do you guys by any chance know of another, cheaper option? maybe one that you've worked with?

Thanks.

 

[asvent]

If you're willing to settle for something like PIP on a TV, you can save yourself a lot of money. That's the only "just works" solution I can come up with, but you don't have any real flexibility in the size and placement of the second image. You could probably also cobble something together with a video capture card, but when you factor in how much time you spend on putting it together, you probably haven't really saved any money.

 

[SlackerITGuy]

Thanks for replying asvent.

Yeah, the thing is PIP is not really what I'm looking for, I want these inputs to be completely side by side or top to bottom from each other (this is for a project at work).

I thought about a using a Video Card with a couple of inputs (I know Matrox makes some really good ones), but they are expensive as hell and it would require a 3rd party software for arranging/customizing the inputs on screen.

A TV Box style device would be perfect. Gonna keep looking.

Thanks.