IO HD or Matrox?

[Matrox_tm_chris Ellis]

Hi Jeremy,

Just wanted to clear something up in regards to HDMI output on the MXO2. The MXO2 does support 10 bit output over HDMI. This means if you work in 10 bit you will have 10 bit output over HDMI.

Cheers,

Chris.

[Jeremy Garchow]

[Chris Ellis] “This means if you work in 10 bit you will have 10 bit output over HDMI. “

OK. Do you have a HDMI 1.3 capable monitor yet?

[Matrox_tm_chris Ellis]

Hi Jeremy,

Yes we are using the HP DreamColor LP2480zx monitor. In the specs for this monitor the HDMI revision is listed at 1.3.

You can take a look at it here.

Cheers,

Chris.

[Jeremy Garchow]

Cool, hows it look?

[Matrox_tm_chris Ellis]

Haven’t had much time with it yet but color reproduction looks really nice so far. When putting up a 10 bit color gradient you can really see the difference when switching between 8 bit and 10 bit output on the MXO2.

Cheers,

Chris.

[Gary Adcock]

[Chris Ellis] “Just wanted to clear something up in regards to HDMI output on the MXO2. The MXO2 does support 10 bit output over HDMI. This means if you work in 10 bit you will have 10 bit output over HDMI”

Chris,
What are you outputting that 10bit HDMI signal too?
Current Plasma and LCD display technologies are 8bit. Full 10bit monitoring display systems are just hitting the Pro markets from companies like Sony, Christie and Barco. HDMI monitoring is not yet available on many highend systems yet.

Cine-tal is hands down the most useful Onset yet they use their own proprietary software to handle the 10bit > 8bit conversions in hardware to give the best possible display of the image it can but they only do that over HDSDI (as 10bit) or DVI-D (as 8bit). HDMI is just not in a lot of pro displays yet.

gary adcock
Studio37
HD & Film Consultation
Post and Production Workflows

Inside look at the IoHD
https://library.creativecow.net/articles/adcock_gary/AJAIOHD.php

[Gary Adcock]

[Chris Ellis] “When putting up a 10 bit color gradient you can really see the difference when switching between 8 bit and 10 bit output on the MXO2.”

interesting.

Are you getting better image viewing from AE? or Photoshop?

gary adcock
Studio37
HD & Film Consultation
Post and Production Workflows

Inside look at the IoHD
https://library.creativecow.net/articles/adcock_gary/AJAIOHD.php

[Gary Adcock]

[Chris Ellis] “Just wanted to clear something up in regards to HDMI output on the MXO2. The MXO2 does support 10 bit output over HDMI. This means if you work in 10 bit you will have 10 bit output over HDMI. “

Only if your display (of which there are very few) system supports the 1.3 HDMI spec and can produce 10bit signal. The Dreamcolor monitor talked about here is one of the very few that can do this.

gary adcock
Studio37
HD & Film Consultation
Post and Production Workflows

Inside look at the IoHD
https://library.creativecow.net/articles/adcock_gary/AJAIOHD.php

[Brian Wells]

The primary difference (from a purely functional perspective) is that the AJA IO HD lets you capture video from the HD-SDI port on a video camera and have a unique time code number for each clip on the hard drive, based on the SMPTE RP-188 standard. The MXO-2, on the other hand, does not support SMPTE RP188 (embedded time code over HD-SDI) therefore every clip will start with the same number (ie – 00:00:00:00) instead of a unique number, making logging the footage virtually impossible with prosumer cameras, such as the Sony EX-1 or Panasonic HPX-170, which have HDSDI, but do not have separate TC output ports. Also, the MXO-2 does not capture 1080p23.98 PsF, which is the standard output format of the Sony F900 and, I believe, the EX-3.

So, these are the two main issues with the MXO-2, as far as I’m concerned. I could live with DVCPRO-HD, but I cannot live without time code. Frankly, I just don’t see the value of Uncompressed Recording (ie MXO-2) with a product that doesn’t read the embedded time code over HD-SDI. I would much rather have a compressed codec, such as Pro Res, at least for now, with a device that allows standard workflow (like referencing unique time code ID’s to sort through different clips). I don’t see how anyone in this industry could even use the clips from an MXO-2 without time code. It boggles the mind how they could overlook this issue.

Gary will be happy to know I am buying an IO HD after this experience. Nice, too, since B&H just dropped the price for me : )

[Shawn Hamer]

No TC on SDI ? Is that true? I hadn’t read anything about that until now.

But doesn’t TC come in primarily via rs-422 on FCP anyway? I mean, you need machine control anyway, so isn’t this point moot?

G5 Quad 2.5| FCP HD | Kona LHe