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Activity Forums Blackmagic Design Win/Mac Comparison for Decklink

  • Win/Mac Comparison for Decklink

    Posted by Myattic on January 9, 2006 at 6:58 am

    Hi there,
    I’m new here and probably my question could have been asked before. I’m about to add an additional NLE system (Decklink Based) to my facility and in need of advice/opinion on choosing the base system.

    My existing systems are basically PC-based (Premiere-Pro) and if I choose to run the new Decklink with PC/PremierePro, I wouldn’t have issue navigating. But I’m reading horror stories on Decklink/PC combination. This may not be conclusive, but I guess nobody wants a system that throw tantrums at you everyday.

    On the other hand, I have friends who are quite happy with their Decklink/Mac combo. This will represent to me retraining of staff (including myself), which in a way is not to big a problem. Plus I’ve got no problem existing project/data is not transfered to a new Mac.

    I’ll much appreciate it if there is a detailed comparison and expert advice on the pros/cons in choosing the platform for a new Decklink based NLE. I will work mainly in BetacamSP & DigiBeta as well as DV/DVCam/HDV format.

    Thank You…

    Jeff Brown replied 20 years, 4 months ago 5 Members · 4 Replies
  • 4 Replies
  • Diethelm Fischer

    January 9, 2006 at 7:18 pm

    Hallo,

    At least for the Decklink HD version I can say that in combination with Premiere Pro and the use of AVI files only 8bit processing is possible. In another thread it is shown that even with 10bit captured files and 10bit project and export settings only 8bit processing is used. Premiere Pro effects and transitions are in 8bit, too.
    (AVI export in PPro is only 8bit (even with a 10bit project, and 10bit export settings))
    As Digibeta is 10bit I think this could be important for you. So if you depend on 10bit for color correction for example I would recommend to use the MAC as Final Cut Pro HD is 10bit (as far as I know).
    But if 8bit is enough for you then you can take PC solution. Despite the 10bit problem the Decklink HD works well with WinXP and Premiere Pro.

    Hope that helps.

    Diethelm

  • Norman Lafranchi

    January 10, 2006 at 9:08 pm

    I believe that the Mac/FCP/Decklink combo is still way, way more powerful than the PC/PremierePro/Decklink solution. The last time I used FCP/Decklink was two years ago (I use PPro now), and at that point it was still MUCH more powerful than what you can do with PremierePro/Decklink now, especially in terms of effects. For example, you can do many layers of realtime, 10-bit effects on an FCP system, but not on the PC. Also, support for 10-bit video in FCP is there, and not in PPro.

    In the HD world, FCP is also more advanced in FCP, with the availability of many realtime software based HD effects. In PPro, with HD/Decklink, it’s a cuts-only machine with rendering required for any effects (except maybe dissolves.)

    I haven’t used FCP/Decklink for awhile so I imagine it’s even more advanced at this point. I currently used PPro/Decklink, and am happy enough with it, because we don’t use 10-bit or need much in the way of advanced effects capability.

  • Editing-jos

    January 12, 2006 at 12:57 am

    Sorry but imo Steve Jobs interpretation of REALTIME differs from mine!

    I worked for 3 months on a dual G5 with FCP5. And it isnt NEAR realtime!
    If some are UNLIMITED FX you do not get the FULL 10bit result on your monitor.
    And FCP needs to render every 3 steps you do otherwise you are looking at lower res FX.

    So please do not say its REALTIME!

  • Jeff Brown

    January 17, 2006 at 4:31 pm

    FYI: Premiere Pro 2.0 is supposed to support 10-bit fully.

    We’ll see.

    -jeff

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