AJA Hi5 3G vs. AJA HDP2

[Jeremy Garchow]

HDP2. Hi5 3G won’t provide the always progressive output the Dreamcolor requires. If you know that you are working with only p material, then the Hi5 will work, but that means if you need to layoff psf to tape, the Dreamcolor engine will be by passed during tape layoff as the Kona can’t output p and psf at the same time.

You will need a DVI to HDMI cable and be sure to download the miniconfig software that is now available for OSX (Yay!) to properly configure the Dreamcolor as the HDP2 will need a bit of settings tweaking to send the proper signal to the Dreamcolor.

Jeremy

[Bjarki Gudjonsson]

Just ordered it. Along with an Apple iPad. Thanks for the help, Jeremy!

B.

[Jeremy Garchow]

No worries. Enjoy!

Jeremy

[Kevin Schumacher]

Hi Jeremy,

I just purchased a Dreamcolor monitor and I’m setting it up now. I’ve read all about the requirements sending it a progressive RGB signal, preferably via HDMI or DisplayPort…to get 10-bit AND the Dreamcolor “engine” enabled. Have it hooked up via the HDMI port to the mini-HDMI port on a AJA LHi card…in a Nehalem 8-core 2.66/ATi 4870 running 10.58.

My question, why do you need a AJA HDP2 or Hi5 3G at all…since the Dreamcolor can scale the incoming signal by itself (accessed via the OSD’s menu), or display it at 1:1 (pixel for pixel)?

Also, after calibrating with the HP APS, the whites look a little magenta…and a hair blue, especially compared to my ACD 30″ and my Dell 2405…and I’m not seeing quite enough detail in the very lowest shadow region I’m used to seeing.

Wondering if you’ve seen this too, or if I’m missing something?

[Keith Pratt]

I have no idea why you’d run a HD-SDI to HDMI converter from the LHi. The card can be set to output RGB over HDMI at 23.976p, 24p, 25p, 29.97p, 30p, 50p, 59.94p and 60p — all of which the Dreamcolor accepts and processes accurately.

[Jeremy Garchow]

The dramcolor needs to be fed RGB and progessive signals. If you aren’t sending it that, you won’t get an accurate picture. What format is your timeline? Also, I highly recommend the calibration probe to calibrate the monitor.

[Jeremy Garchow]

This is true, Keith, but anything that is not true p (such as psf or sd) you will not get an accurate picture on the Dreamcolor. The hdp2 tajes the guess work out of it. If you know you will be all p all the time, the lhi will work just ducky.

[Bjarki Gudjonsson]

I was just thinking about it. Can I use the same probe for other monitors?

B.

[Jeremy Garchow]

It will create icc profiles for other monitors, yes. But you won’t be able to store the LUT on a non Dreamcolor.

[Kevin Schumacher]

Hi Jeremy,

Neither the HDP2 nor the Hi5 convert interlaced signals to progressive, so I’m still wondering why you find the HDP2 so useful…I suspect you might be using a Kona 3 that doesn’t have a HDMI 1.3a port?

When using the LHi’s HDMI port connected to the Dreamcolor’s HDMI port, any “RGB and progressive” signal is good-to-go, and the Dreamcolor’s OSD Menu setting when using the HDMI input allows you to select from several different scaling options…including no scaling at all.

Regarding the HP Advanced Profiling Solution calibrator, it can calibrate any monitor, not just the Dreamcolor, and creates a icc profile as Jeremy has stated. The Dreamcolor comes “pre-calibrated” to Rec 601, 709, DCI-P3 “Emulation” (since it can only display ~ 97% of the colorspace), Adobe 1998, and sRGB. There’s one additional memory preset to store a user “custom” colorspace…that would be very useful for “ProPhoto” that Adobe includes with PhotoShop & Lightroom.

The Dreamcolor’s memory presets store the “results’ of a calibration (the LUT Jeremy referenced)…not an icc profile; however, the HP Advanced Profiling Solution calibrator does create icc profiles for use with any monitor, including the Dreamcolor.

Jeremy, I saw your presentation at the LAFCP Las Vegas Supermeet during NAB last year…and you’ve always got great info & answers…and are super-knowledgeable. Thanks for sharing.