HD Monitor with MBP

[Stephan Walfridsson]

There is the MOTU V4HD but it’s in the same price range. If you just need monitoring perhaps the Matrox MXO is an option.

/Stephan

[Shane Ross]

Actually, the V4HD is just under $2000…while the IOHD is $3500.

I keep forgetting about MOTU. Guess because they are the one product I haven’t tried.

Shane

GETTING ORGANIZED WITH FINAL CUT PRO DVD…don’t miss it.
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[Stephan Walfridsson]

You are of course absolutely right Shane.

(I keep forgetting MOTU as well. I knew there was something using FW800 but it took me some googling to remember the name of the manufacturer. It was on the tip of my tounge but I just couldn’t recall “Mark Of The Unicorn”.)

/Stephan

[Shane Ross]

The problem with the MOTU line is that they are an AUDIO company first…so the people who buy the products, the people they target with marketting are audio folks. There isn’t a wide user base of video editors using their products. And because of that, no one can recommend them. We all recommend what we know. AJA, Black Magic, Matrox. Those are what we generally use.

You can also go to the MOTU forums and see what issues people are having with the products, and how good the support for them are. That’s a good idea on all the forums here..see what the general issues typically are. Before you buy

Shane

GETTING ORGANIZED WITH FINAL CUT PRO DVD…don’t miss it.
Read my blog, Little Frog in High Def

[Adi Ell-ad]

Wow… thank you guys for all the help.
MXO is not a solution as I am using a second monitor with the MBP.
AJA I/o HD sounds like the best solution as we all know but pricey.
If that’s the case I might consider buying a Desktop again…
if anyone has any other ides before I spend too much… please let me know.
Much Aloha,
Adi

[Ben Holmes]

All the firewire video I/O options are expensive because the encoding/decoding has to be done in the I/O device, not in the computer – so you’re essentially paying for a second computer.

You’d be much better served getting a good Firewire drive array (I use the excellent Caldigital VR-mini for bus powered use, but the G-Raids are excellent and good value) and using the MXO2 or IO Express on the Expressport. It’s a much more efficient use of the MBP, and will run HD ProRes perfectly.

Ben

Edit Out Ltd
—————————-
FCP Editor/Trainer/System Consultant
EVS/VT Supervisor for live broadcast
RED camera transfer/post
Independent Director/Producer

https://www.blackmagic-design.com/casestudies/detail.asp?case=therydercup

[Adi Ell-ad]

Thank you Ben.
I do have the Caldigital VR-mini. Will test the HD files on FW800 and then you saved me a lot of $$$.
Thanks a bunch.
Adi

[Ben Holmes]

Adi

ProRes422 or even HQ works a charm on firewire arrays like the VR mini or G-RAIDs. Your options for lower cost I/O are then much better and cheaper. I’ve been successfully using the excellent MXO2 with a 17″ MBP for HD broadcast use for over a year now, capturing ProRes at HD resolutions, an option they added to the MXO2 after I bought it – it even comes with a 3 year warrantee.

There are alternatives from AJA too that I haven’t used, but they are a company with a good rep.

Ben

Edit Out Ltd
—————————-
FCP Editor/Trainer/System Consultant
EVS/VT Supervisor for live broadcast
RED camera transfer/post
Independent Director/Producer

https://www.blackmagic-design.com/casestudies/detail.asp?case=therydercup

[Adi Ell-ad]

This is valuable info Ben.
I now know what to do and keep my money for good times in Hawaii.
Mahalo,
Adi

[Shane Ross]

NOTE!!!

The AJA IO HD will work with COLOR for external monitoring of HD material. REPEAT….WILL NOT WORK WITH COLOR in HD. This is a firewire issue, not FCP issue. So, if you want to use the device for color correcting with COLOR, the IOHD will not work. I venture to say that the V4HD will not either.

This is why the MXO2 is my choice…

Shane

GETTING ORGANIZED WITH FINAL CUT PRO DVD…don’t miss it.
Read my blog, Little Frog in High Def