Trying to come up with a hardware solution for the following:

Unknown laptop (so will need VGA and HDMi switching)

Prefer to convert vga to hdmi and send hdmi over hdbt to dual projectors

(same image on both projectors)

I have looked at Wyrestorm and Atlona. They both have elaborate switchers that have mirrored outputs, one hdmi and one hdbt. I would need to convert the hdmi to hdbt, as both projectors are at least 50' away.

One McGuyver solution is a simple Wyrestorm switch ( [Link: wyrestorm.com] ) with VGA and hdmi in converting to a single hdmi out. Split the hdmi out with a simple hdmi splitter, convert both hdmi outputs of the splitter to hdbt and send it to the projectors. The Wyrestorm unit is super easy to use too.

Projectors will be the 4800 lumen Epson 1985.

Prefer to use brands that are available via dist (no Crestron or Extron). Prefer to stay away from Geffen and Key Digital (don't trust them).

A little leery of a matrix, as this would necessitate a control system. But I am not ruling out a control system (URC CCP or Elan G), so a matrix can be considered.

Most of the elaborate switchers from Atlona or Wyrestorm have way more inputs than needed and are overkill (and more difficult for the end user to use) but I won't rule them out. This switch needs to be easy to use and reliable, as different presenters will roll through this auditorium monthly.

Also...analog audio will be taken from the laptop, sent to a mixer with microphones and out to a Crown CD1000 70v amp and out to Atlas ceiling speakers, so that part of the design is set.

I know you said no Crestron but they have the perfect solution and it requires no control system to operate.

[Link: crestron.com]

This is not a distributor product, but you can get set up to order direct. (at a mild discount)

[Link: octavainc.com]

They have other helpful little devices.

You could use the above with JAP distribution. The user would only need to deal with the input switch.

Wrapping up a project that includes three of these feeding into an 8x8 HDMI matrix. They seem very solid so far. You could just feed the output of the receive end of the extender into a 2-way splitter.

The wallplate has a phoenix connector for power on the back side, so we ran 18/2 to the projector location and plugged the included wall wart in there. You'll also want an HDMI audio extractor back at your rack if you need that.

[Link: muxlab.com]

I would use atlona. solid pieces and give you scalability. You may not need all the inputs now but maybe you could use as a selling point. Also you could wire local sources farther away and use as inputs.

[Link: atlona.com]

Why not just do the Atlona HDVS-TX transmitter which auto switches and scales between VGA and HDMI, plus comes in a wallplate form factor and black box form factor. Combine it with the HDVS-RX then feed that into a 1x2 splitter of your choice. Or if you want a more sophisticated system, feed the TX into their bigger 8x2 switcher which twmoonly linked above

Absolutely nothing wrong with your "McGuyver solution" other than calling it a "McGuyver solution." That is just system design of a very basic system. Nothing needs to be improvised, made from something used for other than it's intended purpose, etc. You are just designing a very basic simple AV system using single-function product for their intended single functions.

There are two approaches and both have advantages and disadvantages. Fewer boxes or a one box solution is simple, easy, looks good in a rack and on a drawing, but gives you a single point of failure, i.e. if the one box breaks, the entire system is down.

With your "McGuyver solution" using more boxes that serve a single function, there are more lines on your drawing and connections in your rack, but you eliminate the single point of failure. If your switch/format converter goes down, you can still use HDMI connected directly to the DA. If your DA goes down, you can still bypass it and use one projector. If an HDbaseT transceiver goes down, you can still use the other and one projector. Nothing wrong with that. Nothing "McGuyvered" about it.