Pixelhue P20 vs Q8
Side-by-side comparison of the Pixelhue P20 and Q8 - inputs, outputs, audio, fiber, Dante support, and processing capabilities. Both ship from Olympian LED, the authorized USA Pixelhue dealer.
Pixelhue P20
Mid-tier P Series 4K presentation switcher. 8 inputs, 8x HDMI 2.0 outputs, 4x 4K@60 layer engine, integrated multiviewer.
View P20 details →
Pixelhue Q8
Flagship modular seamless switcher. 6 input + 4 output hot-swappable card slots, up to 48x 4K inputs / 16x 4K outputs, 32x 4K layers, ST 2110 / 100G OPT / HDMI
View Q8 details →Side-by-side specifications
| Specification | Pixelhue P20 | Pixelhue Q8 |
|---|---|---|
| Model | P20 | Q8 |
| Form Factor | - | 7U rack-mount, fully modular (hot-swappable cards) |
| Best For | Small to large live events, broadcast-adjacent production | Large-format concerts, broadcast trucks, corporate flagships, stadium IMAG, touring rigs, and any project where modular I/O flexibility and maximum layer count matter. |
| Inputs | 8x DP 1.2 / HDMI 2.0 (selectable per input — not both at once) 4x 12G-SDI with loop-through | 6x input card slots, each accepting one of: - DB 4xHDMI 2.0 + 4xDP 1.2 + 4x12G-SDI (12 inputs/card, 8 concurrent 4K) - DB 4x ST2110 (25G SFP28, primary + backup) - DB 8x ST2110 (100G) + 2xHDMI 2.1 + 2xDP 1.4 - DB 8xHDMI 2.0 + 12G-SDI Max fully loaded: 48 concurrent 4K inputs |
| Outputs | 8x HDMI 2.0 (4K, HDR, HDCP 2.2) 8x 10G SFP+ OPT fiber (copies HDMI program) 1x HDMI 1.3 MVR (multiviewer) 4x HDMI 1.3 AUX | 4x output card slots, each accepting one of: - DB 4xHDMI 2.0 + 4x12G-SDI + 8x10G OPT (SFP+, single-mode 10 km) - DB 4xHDMI 2.0 + 4xDP 1.2 + 8x10G OPT - DB 1xST2110 (100G, primary+backup) + 4x12G-SDI Plus main control card: 2x HDMI 2.0 MVR (independent or copy mode) Max fully loaded: 16x HDMI + 16x SDI + 32x 10G OPT outputs |
| Advanced Keying | Downstream Keying (DSK), Smart Key, Luma Key, Chroma Key | Downstream Keying (DSK), Smart Key, Luma Key, Chroma Key |
| Image Processing | Real 4K60p 4:4:4 — 8 / 10 / 12-bit FPGA | Real 4K60p 4:4:4 — 8 / 10 / 12-bit FPGA |
| Layer Capacity | Up to 12 DL layers (2x MAIN + 10x PIP) or 8 DL layers (4x MAIN + 4x PIP) | Up to 32x 4K layers in switcher mode. VPU: layer resource sharing between adjacent output cards. |
| Transitions | Seamless Take / Cut / T-bar, fade and cut effects | Seamless Take / Cut / T-bar, fade and cut effects |
| Multi-Screen | Virtual pixel mapping, mosaic, LCD bezel compensation, projector edge blending, Cut and Fill, multi-screen splicing for uneven divisions | Virtual pixel mapping, mosaic, LCD bezel compensation, projector edge blending, Cut and Fill, multi-screen splicing for uneven divisions, 3D format conversion (2D/3D) |
| Dimensions | 482.6 x 501.0 x 139.0 mm (3U rack) | 482.6 x 694.7 x 335.3 mm (7U rack) |
| Power | 100-240 V~, 50/60 Hz | 100-240 V AC, 50/60 Hz, 10-5 A. 2x primary + 1x backup power connectors. |
| Control | Front-panel keys + 5" LCD, PixelFlow software, U5 / U5 Pro console | 7" LCD front panel, PixelFlow software, U5 / U5 Pro console |
| Sync | Genlock IN + LOOP | Genlock IN + LOOP (Bi-Level / Tri-Level) |
About the P20
The Pixelhue P20 doubles up on the P10 across the board. The input bank goes to 8x DP 1.2 / HDMI 2.0 (selectable per input) plus 4x 12G-SDI with loop. Outputs are 8x HDMI 2.0 4K (up to 4096x2160@60Hz HDR, HDCP 2.2). 10G OPT fiber output mirrors the HDMI program for long-distance distribution. The 12-layer compositing engine runs in two modes: 2x MAIN DL + 10x PIP DL (switcher with deep layering) or 4x MAIN DL + 4x PIP DL (multi-output workflows). Advanced DSK keying — Smart key, Luma key, and Chroma key — plus Cut and Fill, virtual pixel mapping, projector edge blending, and multi-screen splicing for uneven divisions. An integrated multiviewer lets one operator monitor all sources on a single display. Real 4K60p 4:4:4 8/10/12-bit FPGA processing, BKG/LOGO storage, 4x AUX outputs, dual Gigabit Ethernet control, Genlock, and up to 128 stored presets. The P20 ships at 10.2 kg net (25.2 kg with flight case). Step up to the P20-DS when your install needs 12G-SDI program outputs or Dante audio.
About the Q8
The Pixelhue Q8 is the flagship modular seamless switcher. Unlike the fixed-I/O P-series, the Q8 uses a motherboard + daughterboard slot architecture with 6 hot-swappable input card slots and 4 hot-swappable output card slots. Each input card can carry up to 4x HDMI 2.0 + 4x DP 1.2 + 4x 12G-SDI (12 inputs per card), or 4-8x SMPTE ST 2110 (25G/100G) inputs, or 8x HDMI 2.0 + 12G-SDI. Each output card provides 4x HDMI 2.0 + 4x 12G-SDI + 8x 10G OPT fiber, or 4x HDMI 2.0 + 4x DP 1.2 + 8x 10G OPT, or ST 2110 (100G) + 4x 12G-SDI. Fully loaded, the Q8 can handle up to 48 concurrent 4K inputs and 16 concurrent 4K outputs with 32x 4K layers in switcher mode. The main control card provides 2x HDMI 2.0 MVR outputs (independent or copy mode), 2x Neutrik Gigabit Ethernet, 2x Dante RJ45 (64x64 channels at 48 kHz, AES67 compliant, dual-redundant), 3.5 mm audio in + out, USB 3.0, and Genlock IN + LOOP. The front panel has 8x QSFP ports for source sharing between two Q8 units (up to 16 shared 4K sources), LINK IN + LINK OUT for cascading, a 7-inch LCD, and a power button. Advanced DSK keying (Smart key, Luma key, Chroma key), Cut and Fill, edge blending, 3D format conversion, 1024 presets, BKG storage (1 GB, unlimited images), and VPU (layer resource sharing between adjacent output cards). Real 4K60p 4:4:4 8/10/12-bit FPGA processing. PixelFlow software, U5/U5 Pro event controller, and Stream Deck (Companion integrated) control. The Q8 ships at 42.6 kg net (99.7 kg with flight case).
Not sure which to choose?
Our engineering team will walk you through the P20 vs Q8 trade-off for your project - inputs, screen resolution, audio routing, control surface. Same-day shipping on stocked Pixelhue from our Florida warehouse.
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