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hooking up two monitors to a new MacPro
Can someone tell me what the final conclusion was concerning the easiest way to hook up two monitors to a new MacPro that has a dual-link DVI and a Mini DisplayPort connector? Reading earlier threads left me confused about this issue.
Does one really need to purchase an additional graphics card, or can one use appropriate adapters to hook up two monitors? Of course, this must work in Color as well as FCP.
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13 Replies
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At the moment, neither Color nor FCP can run with more than one graphics card installed.
Walter Biscardi, Jr.
Biscardi Creative Media
HD and SD Production for Broadcast and Independent Productions.STOP STARING AND START GRADING WITH APPLE COLOR Apple Color Training DVD available now!
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Right . . . but I’m asking if two monitors can be run from the single stock card, using the two different ports. On another thread, someone implied that one can use a MiniDisplay Port to DVI adapter and then run two apple cinema displays from the stock card.
If not,it appears that one solution is using the MXO or MXO2 with HDMI outs. I presume these would allow for dual monitor compatibility (are there other simple solutions?).
I do nature (mostly birds) in HD and will be working almost exclusively with quicktime movie files from my Canon 5D Mark II. For this reason, I really don’t need any of the MXO2’s fancy inputs. I only need a way to output to a 2nd monitor where I can do “reasonably accurate” color grading. From what I read, the Dreamcolor Display is full of quirks on a Mac. This makes the MXO2/HDMI monitor solution attractive.
Whatya think?
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Well, with the new card, you will have to get a DVI to that mini connector adapter…if you don’t want to use one of the new Apple monitors. Or, get a new graphics card to REPLACE that one. The NVIDIA 3870 is a good one and works with Color well.
The MXO…the original, not the MXO 2…connects via DVI and has SDI, COmponent, composite outs…no HDMI. HDMI is on the MXO2.
Shane
GETTING ORGANIZED WITH FINAL CUT PRO DVD…don’t miss it.
Read my blog, Little Frog in High Def -
Shannon, do you mean ATI 3870? Or the
Obviously, I’m just looking for the least expensive yet effective way to enable a second monitor for “reasonably good” color grading.
An ATI 3870 costs about $200 and you’re saying it will work with two older 24″ ACDs. I already own one ACD and can probably pick up another for $500, but I would not have the advantage of good calibration of the monitor. Whole setup for about $700, but poor for color grading, right?
An MOX2 runs about $1600. Add to that a Dell 2409 for nearly $500 and and I’m up to a whopping $2100+, but I have the MOX2’s supposed capability to adjust the monitor for pretty decent color grading. And 5.1 audio output to boot, not to mention all the other I/O features that I probably won’t use.
An MXO, you’re saying, will work quite well with with two older 24″ ACDs. It would cost about $900 plus $500 for the monitor = $1400. The drawbacks? I can’t use the new LED Cinema Display and have only two channels audio out (I’d have to use a USB audio interface for multichannel surround).
Decisions, decisions! Someone tell me what to do. Are there any other obvious alternatives at this time?
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Sorry, I just noticed it’s Shane, not Shannon!
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Don’t worry…although I am used to being called SEAN, not Shannon.
No..the MXO2 is NOT what you need here. It does NOT connect to a display for color correction. You need the original MXO…that has DVI out. And then you can use the Dell or old Apple monitor, and that will get you a very good broadcast quality image.
Read this:
https://magazine.creativecow.net/article/matrox-mxo-broadcast-monitoring-on-a-desktop-monitor
Shane
GETTING ORGANIZED WITH FINAL CUT PRO DVD…don’t miss it.
Read my blog, Little Frog in High Def -
Shane:
Now I’m confused. I thought the MXO2 does allow for color critical monitoring, but only using a display having HDMI in . . . such as the Dell 2409 (with HDMI) you have recommended in other threads—which might be capable of better blacks than a non-LED ACD. But would the combination of stock DVI out plus MOX2 HDMI out work with FCP and Color?
Perhaps this is a bit off-topic, but do you have any experience or knowledge of using an HP Dreamcolor monitor as a second display with a new MacPro?
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Unless I’m not understanding your question; To hook up a second monitor, all you need is the following.
It’s a Mini Display Port to DVI, and is only a single link.
You only need the Dual-Link adapter if you need to drive a 30″ display. -
[Lang Elliott] “I thought the MXO2 does allow for color critical monitoring, but only using a display having HDMI in”
That is true…
[Lang Elliott] “such as the Dell 2409 (with HDMI)”
Ahh…I didn’t know it had HDMI in. I wonder if that would work with the MXO2. The MXO2 didn’t work with my Dell with a DVI>HDMI adapter. But it might work with a direct DVI input on the monitor. The thing is that the MXO2 only works with true 1920×1080 monitors via HDMI. The Dell is 1920×1200…so off. I have no clue if that combo will work in that manner.
[Lang Elliott] “But would the combination of stock DVI out plus MOX2 HDMI out work with FCP and Color?”
I do not.
What combination? The MXO2 has a card you install in the computer, it doens’t do DVI out..that is the MXO.
[Lang Elliott] “do you have any experience or knowledge of using an HP Dreamcolor monitor as a second display with a new MacPro?”
Shane
GETTING ORGANIZED WITH FINAL CUT PRO DVD…don’t miss it.
Read my blog, Little Frog in High Def -
Sorry Shane, I am confused… You talking about the NVIDIA 3870, but don’t you mean the ATI 3870?
Greetz,
Sascha Engel
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